Diana; Locust trees; Thorns to stop the raccoons is great, but not so nice when you need to do tree work. Locust trees can also have problems with Mimosa web worm and extensive networks of roots that sprout new young trees.
I have a thornless locust tree in my front yard. I love the shade in summer and low branches. My neighbor hates it and of course the shoots all over his golf course lawn. I have new trees popping up 50 and 60 feet from the trunk.
Be careful....
(Good night!)
The hybridized Locust trees for yard-use aren't invasive, as they used to be.
The one you want to AVOID fir sure are the Black Locust. The wood is good for fence posts - and that's about it. You see a lot of them in old farmsteads around here. They are the first things to bloom in Spring, and they are very pretty. The flowers are edible. I used to have customers ask for them all the time, but they were not sold propagated by us - for the reasons you stated. A house yard could be taken over by them.
Easy enough to spot in the wild, though:
