What Chicago neighborhood should we move to?

April 30, 2011 2:22 AM

ChicagoFilter: We're looking to move out of our miserable Hyde Park apartment. Hooray! We don't know anything about the rest of Chicago. What neighborhoods should we be looking at when one of us will be commuting via public transit to Northeastern Illinois University (in North Park) and one half will be commuting (with a car) to Hyde Park? Budget-friendly ideas welcome--we're just looking for anything with more grocery stores and a shorter commute time to NEIU than Hyde Park.
posted by besonders to Grab Bag (9 answers total)

The brown line ends at Kimball and from there it's a short bus ride to NEIU. Based on that, I would recommend the Ravenswood neighborhood (the Rockwell station on the blue line). Ravenswood was an okay area last I checked. Consider getting off at various stops along the brown line and walking around the area to get a feel of that particular neighborhood.
posted by who squared at 3:37 AM on April 30, 2011 [1 favorite]

Here's a link to the brown line map.
posted by who squared at 3:47 AM on April 30, 2011

What kind of neighborhood vibe are you looking for? Singles? Families? Quieter? More action?

What qualifies as a grocery store? Mainstream Jewel/Dominicks? Whole Foods? Neighborhood bodega? Ethnic market or indie market like Andy's Fruit Ranch? Bryn Mawr Fresh Market?

If you don't mind a El ride, than a bus ride (or pleasant walk) after reaching the Kimball station...Lincoln Square is extremely nice. Lots of people like Albany Park around the Kedzie stop...it's more affordable, more gritty.
posted by jeanmari at 4:55 AM on April 30, 2011

Thirding Lincoln Square/Ravenswood. Bonus: many of the good things about HP (I used to live there, too) but much safer.
posted by Lieber Frau at 5:22 AM on April 30, 2011

Nthing Ravenswood. I lived there after I left Hyde Park. I had a bodega on my corner, a Jewel within walking distance, and many more grocery options by car. Rents seemed reasonable to me, not the lowest you'll find, but low relative to the safety, convenience and fun stuff (Margie's!). I paid 800 for a very nice studio on Wolcott. I commuted downtown by brown line and always found it more pleasant and somewhat less crowded than the red line. I can't comment on the commute toward kimball, but I can say the trains were frequent and (relatively) clean.
posted by Meg_Murry at 6:19 AM on April 30, 2011

Old Town is right on the Brown Line (albeit further south) and has a great commute by car to Hyde Park via Lake Shore Drive -- you miss most if its traffic from there.
posted by wyzewoman at 7:52 AM on April 30, 2011

Lincoln Square!
posted by santojulieta at 8:37 AM on April 30, 2011

I'm in Lincoln Square and LOVE it. Inexpensive, close to amenities and street parking isn't bad at all.

I would HIGHLY suggest coming up here and wandering the neighborhood, because there are tons of For Rent signs that I doubt are posted on CL or with realtors.

Please feel free to memail me if you have any questions at all. Good luck!
posted by bibliogrrl at 8:55 AM on April 30, 2011

Seconding something bibliogrrl said: my experience with renting in Chicago has always been that physically going to the neighborhood where you want to live and looking for signs is the absolute best way to find an apartment. I admit the last time I looked was in a pre-Craigslist world (if you can even imagine such a thing...), but you're not going to find a great apartment in any advertising venue. Bring your mobile, bring your checkbook, and have fun!
posted by OneMonkeysUncle at 10:25 AM on April 30, 2011