Neighborhood Advice (Elmhurst Commute)

Hello everyone!

Moving to the area mid May and am overwhelmed with the to-dos, but top of my list is finding places to live.

My spouse will need to commute to Elmhurst for work but I would like to be closeee enough to the city (or at least public transit) because I do not have a license. I am currently looking at West Town, Oak Park, Forest Park with a projected budget of $2k/month for rent.

Are the listed neighborhoods relatively safe and affordable with the budget I've got? Our priority is affordability, reasonable commute to Elmhurst, and proximity to public transport. Are there any other areas that I did not think of which may be suitable for us?

Is it reasonable to start touring now or in a couple weeks since units can be snatched up quick? Thank you all in advance for any insight!