Safety of Chicago neighborhoods?
July 10, 2013 8:35 AM Subscribe
My fiancee are moving to Chicago in a month and are trying to get a handle on where safe places to live are. I am starting grad school at UIC and won't have a lot of income. I tend to be skeptical of claims that neighborhoods are "sketchy" because this is often rooted more in perception than reality. For reference, I've lived in the Petworth area of DC for several years now, and have always felt comfortable and haven't personally experienced crime. However, I'm not quite as familiar with Chicago and I wouldn't want to end up in a situation where my safety is compromised.
Right now I am specifically checking out a couple places near Division & Rockwell. Does that raise any red flags? I know the area around Humboldt Park tends to have a bad reputation.
We are also keeping our eye on Logan Square and Pilsen.
Any thoughts?
And for going to UIC, I'd pick Pilsen - it's an easy bus ride.
posted by Ms Vegetable at 8:46 AM on July 10, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Ms Vegetable at 8:46 AM on July 10, 2013 [1 favorite]
Here's the crime map.
I'd also pick Pilsen or Logan Square over Division & Rockwell, though mostly for lifestyle reasons, I guess - there is more stuff in Pilsen and Logan Square. We looked at a place near Division & Rockwell a few years ago - transit options aren't great and there is not a whole lot in the immediate area. You will probably get more for your money in Humboldt though - the place we saw was HUGE and beautiful and stupid cheap. (But again, the other stuff outweighed for us.)
posted by goodbyewaffles at 9:21 AM on July 10, 2013
I'd also pick Pilsen or Logan Square over Division & Rockwell, though mostly for lifestyle reasons, I guess - there is more stuff in Pilsen and Logan Square. We looked at a place near Division & Rockwell a few years ago - transit options aren't great and there is not a whole lot in the immediate area. You will probably get more for your money in Humboldt though - the place we saw was HUGE and beautiful and stupid cheap. (But again, the other stuff outweighed for us.)
posted by goodbyewaffles at 9:21 AM on July 10, 2013
Division and Rockwell just isn't a great spot to live, yet. My brother and his GF are leaving that area...they have not experienced crime but their neighbors were robbed twice, and plus it's just kind of inconvenient living all 'round. Pilsen is great! And very UIC-convenient, as others have said.
posted by like_a_friend at 9:24 AM on July 10, 2013
posted by like_a_friend at 9:24 AM on July 10, 2013
If you're going to UIC, Pilsen will be great for you. I lived at 16th and Morgan (just west of Halsted) for two years and it was wonderful.
If you live in the northeast corner (where I did) you'll have a nice (long) walk or short bike ride into the Loop, and it's a very quick trip to UIC's campus. If you live further west, I really recommend sticking along the Pink Line stops (close to either 18th, Damen, or Western) because that will make your transit options much nicer.
There's also still a lot of very, very affordable stuff in Pilsen.
Now I live in the neighborhood just on the stabby side of Pilsen, Little Village. I like it a lot there, though I wouldn't recommend it for a Chicago first timer. My goal was to have a big place with absurdly cheap rent and to avoid large flocks of women in rompers and skinny men with unfortunate facial hair. Goals achieved.
posted by phunniemee at 9:25 AM on July 10, 2013
If you live in the northeast corner (where I did) you'll have a nice (long) walk or short bike ride into the Loop, and it's a very quick trip to UIC's campus. If you live further west, I really recommend sticking along the Pink Line stops (close to either 18th, Damen, or Western) because that will make your transit options much nicer.
There's also still a lot of very, very affordable stuff in Pilsen.
Now I live in the neighborhood just on the stabby side of Pilsen, Little Village. I like it a lot there, though I wouldn't recommend it for a Chicago first timer. My goal was to have a big place with absurdly cheap rent and to avoid large flocks of women in rompers and skinny men with unfortunate facial hair. Goals achieved.
posted by phunniemee at 9:25 AM on July 10, 2013
Lots of problems on Rockwell back before NBC shuttered Everyblock. Now I have no clue what is going on. Thanks dicks.
posted by mike_bling at 9:27 AM on July 10, 2013 [4 favorites]
posted by mike_bling at 9:27 AM on July 10, 2013 [4 favorites]
I live in Logan Square and go to grad school at UIC. It's about a 40-minute train ride on the Blue Line, so keep that in mind. But Logan Square is a fantastic neighborhood that has really turned around in the last few years, and there are lots of restaurants and cool things to do. Pilsen is definitely closer to UIC and would probably be a better fit for you.
As far as Humboldt Park.. it really depends on the exact location and the time of day. I'm a small woman and I feel pretty okay in the area around the actual park when it's light out. But in the evening it can feel a little sketchy, and there is quite a bit of crime there.
posted by anotheraccount at 9:34 AM on July 10, 2013
As far as Humboldt Park.. it really depends on the exact location and the time of day. I'm a small woman and I feel pretty okay in the area around the actual park when it's light out. But in the evening it can feel a little sketchy, and there is quite a bit of crime there.
posted by anotheraccount at 9:34 AM on July 10, 2013
You probably want to live in Pilsen, just based on going to UIC, as others have said.
But I'll throw out a recommendation for Avondale, my 'hood. Blue line convenient, lots of families, tho pretty terrible (non-existant, not dangerous) in terms of night-life.
posted by PMdixon at 9:45 AM on July 10, 2013
But I'll throw out a recommendation for Avondale, my 'hood. Blue line convenient, lots of families, tho pretty terrible (non-existant, not dangerous) in terms of night-life.
posted by PMdixon at 9:45 AM on July 10, 2013
Pilsen is your best bet, as it's very close to UIC, and is a nice neighborhood. Logan Square is also great (I've lived there for years and LOVE it), and is a straight shot to UIC on the Blue Line, tho a longer commute than from Pilsen. Division and Rockwell is fine, but there's no direct route to UIC from there.
I really like Humboldt Park (both the neighborhood and the park itself), but a lot of people perceive it as "sketchy." People think the same of Logan Square, too. I've never felt uncomfortable in either neighborhood. If you're used to living in a city and using common-sense precautions, you'll probably be fine in any of these areas.
posted by smich at 10:25 AM on July 10, 2013
I really like Humboldt Park (both the neighborhood and the park itself), but a lot of people perceive it as "sketchy." People think the same of Logan Square, too. I've never felt uncomfortable in either neighborhood. If you're used to living in a city and using common-sense precautions, you'll probably be fine in any of these areas.
posted by smich at 10:25 AM on July 10, 2013
I've lived in Chicago (near UIC) and now live in the DC area (and I'm in Petworth all the time) and I'll say that Humboldt Park's reputation is probably more deserved than Petworth's reputation. There is definitely gang activity and crime in Humboldt Park and, while you can certainly live there without being a victim of crime, it's pretty prevalent. Petworth, on the other hand, has a reputation that is more about race than about actual crime.
Given that you'll be at UIC, Pilsen will be MUCH closer -- and, if may, I'll say that the vibe in Pilsen is much closer to the vibe in Petworth. You'll have an easier commute, it's still relatively inexpensive (though not as crazy cheap as Humboldt Park, to be sure), and there's a lot to do.
Logan Square is also great, just farther away. If you would rather have some distance between school and home, I think it's a great option, just be sure to factor in the commute time. Even so, it's an easy trip by Blue Line.
posted by devinemissk at 11:04 AM on July 10, 2013
Given that you'll be at UIC, Pilsen will be MUCH closer -- and, if may, I'll say that the vibe in Pilsen is much closer to the vibe in Petworth. You'll have an easier commute, it's still relatively inexpensive (though not as crazy cheap as Humboldt Park, to be sure), and there's a lot to do.
Logan Square is also great, just farther away. If you would rather have some distance between school and home, I think it's a great option, just be sure to factor in the commute time. Even so, it's an easy trip by Blue Line.
posted by devinemissk at 11:04 AM on July 10, 2013
I've lived in Humboldt Park for about 5 years now. It's changing a lot (and rents are going up!). It's pretty block-by-block in the Division/Rockwell area, though. It would be better to be able to check it out beforehand, especially if the rents are on the lower end for the neighborhood.
I also lived in Pilsen while attending UIC and I liked it. Rent-wise you might want to check out west Pilsen (like around Damen). I lived there before I moved to my current place in Humboldt Park and it was rapidly improving in terms of crime rates back then. I have friends that live around there now and it seems better than it was. I much prefer Humboldt Park in terms of restaurants/general convenience to where my friends live, though. Lots of your fellow students will probably live in Logan Square or Pilsen.
Feel free to mefimail me if you want any more information; I live very close to where you're looking.
(I, too, lament the loss of EveryBlock!)
posted by ruby.aftermath at 11:42 AM on July 10, 2013
I also lived in Pilsen while attending UIC and I liked it. Rent-wise you might want to check out west Pilsen (like around Damen). I lived there before I moved to my current place in Humboldt Park and it was rapidly improving in terms of crime rates back then. I have friends that live around there now and it seems better than it was. I much prefer Humboldt Park in terms of restaurants/general convenience to where my friends live, though. Lots of your fellow students will probably live in Logan Square or Pilsen.
Feel free to mefimail me if you want any more information; I live very close to where you're looking.
(I, too, lament the loss of EveryBlock!)
posted by ruby.aftermath at 11:42 AM on July 10, 2013
I have lived on both sides of the park over the past 8 years. I own a building that is about 4 blocks from there. That area is block by block. Meaning: one block will have issues related to drugs or gangs and another will not. These are adjacent blocks. Heading north on Rockwell, if I recall correctly, there are some sketchy blocks. You'd want to exercise great caution late at night. A naive tenant of mine decided that he was going to try to sell weed. Within two weeks, the apartment he was living in was broken into, culminating with him being shot (at the gas station on California and Division). He lived and moved back to northern California within days of being discharged from the hospital. I was shocked at first but then realized that "just selling some weed" is no game in Humboldt Park. The gangs don't like being pulled out of the supply chain. Sorry for the sidebar.
Agreed with ruby.aftermath...go see the neighborhood, see it late afternoon/early evening when everyone is outside. Get a sense of how safe you'd feel.
Pilsen is much closer to UIC however, if you don't care about the commute, there are other neighborhoods along the blue line that you might like as well.
Good luck! Send me an email if I can answer anything else.
posted by zerobyproxy at 12:07 PM on July 10, 2013
Agreed with ruby.aftermath...go see the neighborhood, see it late afternoon/early evening when everyone is outside. Get a sense of how safe you'd feel.
Pilsen is much closer to UIC however, if you don't care about the commute, there are other neighborhoods along the blue line that you might like as well.
Good luck! Send me an email if I can answer anything else.
posted by zerobyproxy at 12:07 PM on July 10, 2013
I lived in central/west Pilsen in 2006-2008. We were about a block east of Damen, on Cullerton St. In 2008, our neighbors in the rental building bought a place about 5 blocks west (near Western) and reported an unexpectedly large negative change in the feeling of the neighborhood - everyone seeming more nervous, fewer kids playing outside, less willing to be outside at night, etc. When they mentioned that, I realized that my normal walking paths centered on the shops and restaurants on Ashland and to the east, and in fact I'd never really walked west past Damen St and the Damen/Cermak stop.
In 2 years there, I heard gunshots in the semi-distance every now and then, and our closest encounter with such was that our building was near the boundary line of two gang territories, so the side wall was a prime surface for territorial tagging. On the whole, I felt safe, though; lots of families with kids playing outside, summers full of loud evening quinceaneira parties with live Mexican music, restaurants that were good but cheap, rents were affordable and the buildings were pretty decent, though I occasionally felt bad that my husband and I (and his home-office)were living in an apartment that was probably intended to house a family of 5.
I really liked my neighborhood and I laughed at my suburban coworker who thought I was crazy to ever go near Pilsen much less live there. His wife had apparently done a residency in a Pilsen-based clinic or ER or something back in the late 90's, and it was a crazy mess of stabbing and gunshot wounds. Obviously a lot had changed in 10 years. That said, things have probably changed since 2008, as well.
posted by aimedwander at 1:44 PM on July 10, 2013
In 2 years there, I heard gunshots in the semi-distance every now and then, and our closest encounter with such was that our building was near the boundary line of two gang territories, so the side wall was a prime surface for territorial tagging. On the whole, I felt safe, though; lots of families with kids playing outside, summers full of loud evening quinceaneira parties with live Mexican music, restaurants that were good but cheap, rents were affordable and the buildings were pretty decent, though I occasionally felt bad that my husband and I (and his home-office)were living in an apartment that was probably intended to house a family of 5.
I really liked my neighborhood and I laughed at my suburban coworker who thought I was crazy to ever go near Pilsen much less live there. His wife had apparently done a residency in a Pilsen-based clinic or ER or something back in the late 90's, and it was a crazy mess of stabbing and gunshot wounds. Obviously a lot had changed in 10 years. That said, things have probably changed since 2008, as well.
posted by aimedwander at 1:44 PM on July 10, 2013
If you can handle safe, boring, and cheap, you might check out McKinley Park. The nearest El stop to the 'hood is 35th/Archer, and you'd probably have to bus it up to UIC. Culturally, it's a bit of a dead zone -- but, hey, you'll be busy studying anyway. And you can get downtown in ~20 minutes. I can probably dig out my old landlord's number if you're interested, send me an email ($650 a month for a 2 bedroom on the park -- can't beat it! That was about 5 years ago...)
posted by Bron at 5:44 PM on July 10, 2013
posted by Bron at 5:44 PM on July 10, 2013
I lived at Division and Rockwell (okay, more like Potomac and Rockwell) for 6 months and as a female, I must admit that I did not feel entirely safe there. There were obvious drug deals occurring on street corners and my roommate's car was stolen. This was 2 years ago, mind you, but I vowed I would never live there again. If you're literally on Division
Ave though, I wouldn't consider it so bad. It's simply not an ideal place though and I would keep looking if I were you - just my piece of advice.
posted by afabulousbeing at 10:36 PM on July 10, 2013
Ave though, I wouldn't consider it so bad. It's simply not an ideal place though and I would keep looking if I were you - just my piece of advice.
posted by afabulousbeing at 10:36 PM on July 10, 2013
Response by poster: Thanks, everybody! Turns out we got an apartment in Pilsen after all, in the area between Halsted and Racine which we feel a lot more comfortable with.
posted by boygeorge at 8:57 AM on July 18, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by boygeorge at 8:57 AM on July 18, 2013 [2 favorites]
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I would probably not live near Division and Rockwell; I might live near North and Rockwell. I especially would not live on Division on the west side of the park - there's a lot of gang activity there.
I would definitely pick Logan Square and Pilsen over Humboldt Park now, though. Logan Square is more hipstery, Pilsen is more artsy and family-oriented.
Somewhere (I don't remember the link) you can find a map with all the reported crimes. That might be the most helpful thing for you. For instance, I put less weight on domestic violence crimes than I do on drive-bys at 2pm.
posted by Ms Vegetable at 8:45 AM on July 10, 2013 [1 favorite]