In which I highlight how "Chicagoland" people aren't Chicagoans
November 17, 2022 3:42 PM Subscribe
I have a niece who is moving to Chicago next summer. She's asking me where she and a roommate should look for apartments. We live in "Chicagoland" which means I work in the city sometimes, visit for concerts, restaurants etc. But I haven't lived there in 15 years. Can you give me some pointers?
I know my way around in the city still, but I haven't had to shop for apartments since around the time of W's second inauguration, so I don't know the market anymore. I'm hoping you can tell me how trends have shifted.
More info:
-My niece is graduating college in spring and will be 22
-She's going into social work, so access to public transportation to get wherever she needs to be will be key
-She wants to make sure she chooses a neighborhood where she can feel confident and safe. This isn't coded racism/classism thing. It's simply a matter of her being a 4'11" woman
-She is finishing up school at U of Louisville, and has telecommuted from Pittsburgh for a while, so she's not entirely unfamiliar with urban living
-She is young, single, can put back some drinks, and intends to enjoy socializing.
Assuming she is going to have a professional career type job, but one that likely doesn't pay fabulously, and assuming she will have a roommate to split costs, where should she consider? Her roommate is also going into social work, I think.
She's coming out of student apartments, so how fancy the place is likely matters less than how well-located to fun stuff, and of course, how affordable it is.
Also: do people still use apartment finder services, or are those not worth it these days?
I know my way around in the city still, but I haven't had to shop for apartments since around the time of W's second inauguration, so I don't know the market anymore. I'm hoping you can tell me how trends have shifted.
More info:
-My niece is graduating college in spring and will be 22
-She's going into social work, so access to public transportation to get wherever she needs to be will be key
-She wants to make sure she chooses a neighborhood where she can feel confident and safe. This isn't coded racism/classism thing. It's simply a matter of her being a 4'11" woman
-She is finishing up school at U of Louisville, and has telecommuted from Pittsburgh for a while, so she's not entirely unfamiliar with urban living
-She is young, single, can put back some drinks, and intends to enjoy socializing.
Assuming she is going to have a professional career type job, but one that likely doesn't pay fabulously, and assuming she will have a roommate to split costs, where should she consider? Her roommate is also going into social work, I think.
She's coming out of student apartments, so how fancy the place is likely matters less than how well-located to fun stuff, and of course, how affordable it is.
Also: do people still use apartment finder services, or are those not worth it these days?
Response by poster: (She's bi, so that may pull her towards certain areas. We mentioned Andersonville as that was where we lived and we loved it.)
posted by DirtyOldTown at 4:01 PM on November 17, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by DirtyOldTown at 4:01 PM on November 17, 2022 [2 favorites]
Andersonville's fine but I'd argue that a better place for reasonably priced housing near the Red Line is Edgewater or Rogers Park.
Off the Blue Line, Avondale is probably the equivalent level of moderately gentrified and not-scary-to-be-a-small-woman, but not nearly as accessible to Red Line stuff obviously, the ride on the Belmont night owl is long at one in the morning in December. Also not too difficult to take the Pulaski or Kedzie/Homan bus down to the West Side though if she gets a job with an agency down there.
posted by tivalasvegas at 4:28 PM on November 17, 2022 [2 favorites]
Off the Blue Line, Avondale is probably the equivalent level of moderately gentrified and not-scary-to-be-a-small-woman, but not nearly as accessible to Red Line stuff obviously, the ride on the Belmont night owl is long at one in the morning in December. Also not too difficult to take the Pulaski or Kedzie/Homan bus down to the West Side though if she gets a job with an agency down there.
posted by tivalasvegas at 4:28 PM on November 17, 2022 [2 favorites]
Hi, Chicagoland social worker here, if you or she has questions feel free to memail on that front.
I made my Chicagoland college living choices based in budget. I ended up living in Pilsen which I loved although admittedly in the last 10 years pricess have gone up so much. It is easily accessible to UIC social work if that's a consideration. Loyola is much further north, and Rogers Park a bit away from the lake may be achievable. With roommates andersonville or Lakeview but I was priced out of that area years ago.
I know many young college students who do andersonville,
lakeview, wicker park or Logan square. I personally was zero percent interested in this and just wanted a cheap place to live on a budget that felt safe enough to me. I got that.
Just as FYI I have had and seen many social work jobs that required me to have a car even with the robust transit options. I know social workers who get by without doing any driving and don't have cars, but it is going to limit her in some ways, especially in the first few years of her career.
posted by AlexiaSky at 4:30 PM on November 17, 2022 [3 favorites]
I made my Chicagoland college living choices based in budget. I ended up living in Pilsen which I loved although admittedly in the last 10 years pricess have gone up so much. It is easily accessible to UIC social work if that's a consideration. Loyola is much further north, and Rogers Park a bit away from the lake may be achievable. With roommates andersonville or Lakeview but I was priced out of that area years ago.
I know many young college students who do andersonville,
lakeview, wicker park or Logan square. I personally was zero percent interested in this and just wanted a cheap place to live on a budget that felt safe enough to me. I got that.
Just as FYI I have had and seen many social work jobs that required me to have a car even with the robust transit options. I know social workers who get by without doing any driving and don't have cars, but it is going to limit her in some ways, especially in the first few years of her career.
posted by AlexiaSky at 4:30 PM on November 17, 2022 [3 favorites]
I think Lakeview is a good answer provided your niece was either a jock or a sorority kid in college, otherwise imo she's not going to find her people there. The other Chicago-newbie neighborhoods are along the blue line (wicker park, logan square) and though they've been thoroughly bougie-fied, they still attract a less fratty crowd.
When I moved to Chicago at 22 I moved to Ravenswood but alas it's not so cheap here anymore, ditto Andersonville. If she doesn't mind having roommates those could still be good options -- they're both super safe and walkable and transit-accessible. The median age is older, but some 22-year-olds were super rude to me the other day about whether or not I was a tourist (??) sooo there are still young people here doing young people stuff.
I love Rogers Park and Edgewater. Proximity to the beach is so key in the summer. The Bryn Mawr corridor near the red line has a much higher vacancy rate than it did pre-pandemic, which definitely changes the energy -- just something to be aware of.
Seconding that she'll likely need a car eventually anyway; parts of the city are really underserved by transit.
posted by goodbyewaffles at 5:33 PM on November 17, 2022 [2 favorites]
When I moved to Chicago at 22 I moved to Ravenswood but alas it's not so cheap here anymore, ditto Andersonville. If she doesn't mind having roommates those could still be good options -- they're both super safe and walkable and transit-accessible. The median age is older, but some 22-year-olds were super rude to me the other day about whether or not I was a tourist (??) sooo there are still young people here doing young people stuff.
I love Rogers Park and Edgewater. Proximity to the beach is so key in the summer. The Bryn Mawr corridor near the red line has a much higher vacancy rate than it did pre-pandemic, which definitely changes the energy -- just something to be aware of.
Seconding that she'll likely need a car eventually anyway; parts of the city are really underserved by transit.
posted by goodbyewaffles at 5:33 PM on November 17, 2022 [2 favorites]
If she does not have a car, the most important quality of life thing is going to be can she get to her job/schooling/placement using only 1 transport (1 bus line or 1 el line or metra) . I suggest that she gets a short term summer lease/sublease in a neighborhood by the lake (gold coast to rogers park) as that will be reasonably "safe" and fun if you are 22. And then once she knows where the job/school/placement is and meets some folks she spends August looking for a comfortable apartment.
You get to be BI anywhere in Chicago now so that does not matter so much anymore.
To add to what AlexiaSky is saying ... safe means different things to different people. When "safe" for me meant paying my bills, I lived in Humbolt Park between the flags which apparently was "not safe" but for me it was glorious - I am 5ft (white and Polish appearing) so I never carried my groceries or laundry and met lots of very awesome folks of a variety of ages.
posted by mutt.cyberspace at 5:35 PM on November 17, 2022 [5 favorites]
You get to be BI anywhere in Chicago now so that does not matter so much anymore.
To add to what AlexiaSky is saying ... safe means different things to different people. When "safe" for me meant paying my bills, I lived in Humbolt Park between the flags which apparently was "not safe" but for me it was glorious - I am 5ft (white and Polish appearing) so I never carried my groceries or laundry and met lots of very awesome folks of a variety of ages.
posted by mutt.cyberspace at 5:35 PM on November 17, 2022 [5 favorites]
My daughter went to Loyola and has stayed in the city post-graduation. She lived in a three bedroom apartment with four women in Rogers Park and the rent was juuuuuut about manageable. When she and her boyfriend were looking for apartments this June, they were simply priced out of Rogers Park. They were priced out of a lot of neighborhoods. They ended up in Bridgeport, which I wasn't too sure about but darned if they haven't found a lovely neighborhood with neighbors who look out for them and treat them like family.
I'd be happy to connect your niece and my daughter if she'd like some on-the-ground advice from a peer.
posted by cooker girl at 6:02 PM on November 17, 2022 [2 favorites]
I'd be happy to connect your niece and my daughter if she'd like some on-the-ground advice from a peer.
posted by cooker girl at 6:02 PM on November 17, 2022 [2 favorites]
Lincoln Square is great and often overlooked. Lots of good affordable apartment buildings around there. Home to many 20 and 30 something artists/musicians/theater people for that reason.
Like others said, Andersonville got bougie and is expensive these days. Its really nice - we still visit a lot. But we got priced out a while back.
I <3 Edgewater. Near the red line and the beach. Inevitably gonna get more expensive, because have you seen what's happened to Uptown in the last four years? I would say though, it's a less compact neighborhood, so might not be so great for people new to the city because the non-residential bits are very spread out.
Lakeview/Lincoln Park is for white midwestern college graduates who want to have a city living experience surrounded entirely by other white midwestern college graduates for exactly three years before they get married and move back to their parent's small midwestern home town to have kids.*
Pilsen is so very gentrified that, unless your niece is Latina, I would have a long hard think about it first.
Humboldt Park, Ukrainian Village, etc are awesome but a bit tricky with public transport because you have to rely on buses. Fine if you have a car.
Wicker Square - lol. The 2000s hipster revolution imploded, and ended up a case study in gentrification. It's now weirdly fratty?
Rogers Park is the neighborhood I know least about, but I know is beloved by those who live there. Lots of long-term renting residents, and its more racially/income mixed than most places in Chicago.
*Sorry not sorry.
posted by EllaEm at 10:31 PM on November 17, 2022 [5 favorites]
Like others said, Andersonville got bougie and is expensive these days. Its really nice - we still visit a lot. But we got priced out a while back.
I <3 Edgewater. Near the red line and the beach. Inevitably gonna get more expensive, because have you seen what's happened to Uptown in the last four years? I would say though, it's a less compact neighborhood, so might not be so great for people new to the city because the non-residential bits are very spread out.
Lakeview/Lincoln Park is for white midwestern college graduates who want to have a city living experience surrounded entirely by other white midwestern college graduates for exactly three years before they get married and move back to their parent's small midwestern home town to have kids.*
Pilsen is so very gentrified that, unless your niece is Latina, I would have a long hard think about it first.
Humboldt Park, Ukrainian Village, etc are awesome but a bit tricky with public transport because you have to rely on buses. Fine if you have a car.
Wicker Square - lol. The 2000s hipster revolution imploded, and ended up a case study in gentrification. It's now weirdly fratty?
Rogers Park is the neighborhood I know least about, but I know is beloved by those who live there. Lots of long-term renting residents, and its more racially/income mixed than most places in Chicago.
*Sorry not sorry.
posted by EllaEm at 10:31 PM on November 17, 2022 [5 favorites]
Also Zillow and Apartments.com are now the best way to find rentals. And makes sure she knows that: 1) heat should be included in the rent, & 2) the Chicago-specific deal where you pay a non-refundable move-in fee of approx. $250 in lieu of a security deposit is legit.
posted by EllaEm at 10:36 PM on November 17, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by EllaEm at 10:36 PM on November 17, 2022 [2 favorites]
Edgewater, but west of Broadway. Close to Andersonville, but not nearly as pricey. Close to Rogers Park, too, but not quite as far north. Edgewater is extremely diverse, full of great inexpensive restaurants, and for some reason is often overlooked by people (which is fine by me, mostly!).
posted by SoberHighland at 5:49 AM on November 18, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by SoberHighland at 5:49 AM on November 18, 2022 [1 favorite]
I feel like you've gotten good advice on neighborhoods above, so not adding anything. (For what it's worth, my vote is for Lakeview - even if it's not her perfect neighborhood, it's a good first neighborhood and she can explore and find what she likes better.)
As far as apartment finding, I found my Logan Square roommates in 2019 on Craigslist. I see a lot of posts in the LS neighborhood Facebook group about roommates. If she's bringing roommates with you (e.g. if she knows some other people who are moving here and they're looking for a 2 or 3 BR), I would do CL or Domu.
posted by quadrilaterals at 7:26 AM on November 18, 2022 [2 favorites]
As far as apartment finding, I found my Logan Square roommates in 2019 on Craigslist. I see a lot of posts in the LS neighborhood Facebook group about roommates. If she's bringing roommates with you (e.g. if she knows some other people who are moving here and they're looking for a 2 or 3 BR), I would do CL or Domu.
posted by quadrilaterals at 7:26 AM on November 18, 2022 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: Does the LGBT scene in Andersonville skew older or younger these days? Or neither?
When we last lived there (circa 2007), there was a growing sentiment that Andersonville was where you went when you and your partner wanted to settle down and get a dog.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 7:49 AM on November 18, 2022 [1 favorite]
When we last lived there (circa 2007), there was a growing sentiment that Andersonville was where you went when you and your partner wanted to settle down and get a dog.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 7:49 AM on November 18, 2022 [1 favorite]
A-ville is still where you go when you get to the settling down and having a dog, IMO, and only more so now that the average 1-bed there goes for like 1500.
For a first neighborhood, I used to recommend Ravenswood very highly: lots of larger apartments that are good for roommate situations, Enough bars but not the full-court-bro-press of Lakeview/Wrigley, Metra AND El, great buses both N/S and E/W.
It's a bit sleepy now? The pandemic hit Lincoln Square hard and is still doing so, and even before the pandemic the demos were shifting strongly to rich couples who all had triplets and didn't ever go out at night. I think Logan would probably be my rec these days. When she gets tired of partying a lot, THEN Ravenswood/Lincoln Square will be waiting.
posted by We put our faith in Blast Hardcheese at 9:01 AM on November 18, 2022 [2 favorites]
For a first neighborhood, I used to recommend Ravenswood very highly: lots of larger apartments that are good for roommate situations, Enough bars but not the full-court-bro-press of Lakeview/Wrigley, Metra AND El, great buses both N/S and E/W.
It's a bit sleepy now? The pandemic hit Lincoln Square hard and is still doing so, and even before the pandemic the demos were shifting strongly to rich couples who all had triplets and didn't ever go out at night. I think Logan would probably be my rec these days. When she gets tired of partying a lot, THEN Ravenswood/Lincoln Square will be waiting.
posted by We put our faith in Blast Hardcheese at 9:01 AM on November 18, 2022 [2 favorites]
I’m now an elder queer so take this with a grain of salt, but Andersonville is where I would recommend if she wants to feel safe but part of a queer community. Lakeview is increasingly being taken over by the Cubs complex, though I still enjoy stretches of Broadway and Clark north of Belmont and south of Irving. The nightlife is surprisingly robust in Andersonville and I see a lot of young people partying up and down Clark on weeknights and weekends. One major drawback is that it takes a really long time to get anywhere via public transportation, so that’s worth considering. Edit to add, I think it’s mostly true you go there to settle down with dog & kids when you’re straight. Lot of fun queer nightlife here! (Fully admit that’s exactly what we did, though, dog & baby etc.)
posted by lieber hair at 9:02 AM on November 18, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by lieber hair at 9:02 AM on November 18, 2022 [3 favorites]
Oh just saw your question about the queer community in A-ville. It’s neither old nor young, though may trend closer to late 20s and early 30s when I say “young.” Crowds are mixed. Replay and Nobody’s Darling are both nice inter-generational spots. Nobody’s Darling is particularly amazing—a one-of-a-kind Black queer owned spot where I regularly see women in their 60s and gaggles of non-binary queer kids in their early 20s.
posted by lieber hair at 9:11 AM on November 18, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by lieber hair at 9:11 AM on November 18, 2022 [1 favorite]
Andersonville has the Women and Children First bookstore
posted by brujita at 11:11 AM on November 18, 2022
posted by brujita at 11:11 AM on November 18, 2022
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It's the best/easiest answer for a young carless Chicago first timer who wants ready access to new friends and fun.
I'm a misanthropic grump and I hate Lakeview which I think only underscores why it's a really good answer for your niece's first year.
posted by phunniemee at 4:01 PM on November 17, 2022 [7 favorites]