Moving to Chicago | what to do? where to live? yay lollapalooza!

initiatefailure

So, I'm actually moving to the Chicago area during the Lollapalooza weekend, during which I have a pass and can at least spend the weekend ignoring the many things required to actually move.

When I get there I'm staying with family in a suburb that's just a few minutes off the train line into the city so my immediate needs are covered.

From there I need to start looking for a place of my own. I was wondering if anyone had any advice on that, regarding neighborhoods, where to go/avoid, etc.

For price range reference I'm a recent college grad so I can't afford anything extravagant but anything like average price range for different areas will be helpful.

tyrannus

Here's a list of Q1 2012 average rent spreads. http://static.rentjuice.com/rj_index/ChicagoIndex-1Q2012.pdf

It will break down walkability factors for you.

I have heard that avoiding areas south of the loop is a good bet.

Lilnoobs

What is your age? What is your relationship status? What do you prefer to do? Where will you work? Are you okay with walking? Do you own a car? What is rent within your price range?

Logan square is one of the newer "hip" neighborhoods to live, near Wicker park. You're further from the lake though and the blue line is annoying to use to go anywhere besides straight to the loop. But there's plenty of restaurants, young people, and bars.

I wouldn't live in Logan square though. Anywhere off the red line (on the north side) provides easy commute to a good chunk of Chicago. If you have areas in mind you could always go to www.walkscore.com and input an address. The website then gives you a clean organized list of the various restaurants, gyms, grocery stores, parks, and other areas within walking distance and rates the place with a "walking score".

But really, answer the questions first and it'd be easier to answer. I mean, if you're single, somewhere like Wrigleyville or Logan Square would definitely be better than Andersonville or Rogers Park. But again, where will you work?

edit: I guess for reference, I live in Edgewater which is good for me because it's right off the Red Line, near the lake, and just off the beaten path that it's not a constant singles bar like Wrigleyville or Hipster paradise like Logan Square, yet there's still plenty of popular joints in the vicinity to go out every night if I so desired (walking), there's always parking somewhere for my car so I don't have to pay for a spot, and the crime doesn't seem particularly bad in Edgewater.

I assume you're looking for a studio or 1 bedroom?

initiatefailure

pretty cool list tyrannus. i'll have to look over it more when I get home.

and as for your questions:

I'm 24, dating but unmarried (I'll be along when i move there), I like to bike and generally just like having things to do nearby, whether it's events or a variety of places to be. I'd say I'm a professional gatherer of new experiences. I'm a graphic designer so I'd like to be immersed in or near artists, designers or creative environments, I love walking around in the city, I own a car but haven't decided if i want to actually bring it into the city or not, depends on parking. I'd hopefully find a place where i wouldn't need to use it often or at all. I can deal with hipsters if they're cool hipsters and not hipsters because it's cool right now if that makes sense.

The only things i don't know yet are my price range and job location, so really it's all academic until I get those important details. But I want to be armed with as much information as I can by that time.

Ketar

You don't have to entirely avoid the areas south of the loop. Just mostly. University Village/Little Italy would be totally doable. There is more to do overall on the north side though, so for someone new to the city you'd be better off up there for easy access to things.

Neighborhoods mentioned so far have all been fine suggestions. Others like Lincoln Park or Wicker Park are worth looking at. I'd probably choose Logan Square over Wrigleyville, but that's just because Wrigleyville is way too full of douches for me. Just don't go as far north as something like Rogers Park - probably cheaper, but further away from things and not nearly as nice an area.

I live right off the Blue Line in Oak Park. If I were 5-10 years younger and wanted to live in the city i'd probably try for Lincoln Park, Wicker Park, or Logan Square, mainly because of bars and restaurants and shopping I know I like in each area.

Lilnoobs

Lakeview might work well for you. Has a pretty big theater scene and a haven for artist types. Or nearby Roscoe village. You'll need a parking spot in Lakeview though. Logan Square sounds good.

I don't know much about the south side, so someone else will need to fill you with that. I've been to Hyde park and that's about it. I don't think you would really want to go any further south than that.

Not everywhere in Chicago is bike friendly, so you'll want to keep that mind.

MichaelLC

Lilnoobs wrote: »

Lakeview might work well for you. Has a pretty big theater scene and a haven for artist types.

Yeah, Lakeview is nice too. Here's a map of the neighborhoods.

Lilnoobs wrote: »

Not everywhere in Chicago is bike friendly, so you'll want to keep that mind.

It's not that they're not bike-friendly, it's more that they're pro-car.

Lilnoobs

MichaelLC wrote: »

Lilnoobs wrote: »

Lakeview might work well for you. Has a pretty big theater scene and a haven for artist types.

Yeah, Lakeview is nice too. Here's a map of the neighborhoods.

Lilnoobs wrote: »

Not everywhere in Chicago is bike friendly, so you'll want to keep that mind.

It's not that they're not bike-friendly, it's more that they're pro-car[/i].

Indeed. Better way to put it.

Simpsonia

I used to live in Roscoe Village, right off of the Brown Line, and I loved the area. Great neighborhood, without all the douches who infest the Wrigleyville area, but still close enough that you can easily cab it over to other neighborhoods.

Ketar

Hyde Park really shouldn't be considered unless you're a student or employee at the university. Too far south for much of the city to be convenient to travel to, with absolutely nothing nearby outside of the immediate neighborhood - which is nice, but doesn't really have much to do outside of biking/running on Lake Shore Drive and occasional visits to the Museum of Science and Industry.

I also used to have my car broken into on pretty much a yearly basis when I lived in Hyde Park, even though I kept absolutely nothing of value in there, and nothing at all that somebody could see from outside and want to steal. Good times.

Lilnoobs

I ran across this poll today and thought it might help you in your decision.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/24/chicagos-best-neighborhoo_n_1699643.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000003

The poll asks what is the best neighborhood for parents and is/was voted on chicago residents, so I thought it might be useful to see how Chicagoans view the different neighborhoods.

MichaelLC

Haha, great sampling of WASP neighborhoods. Which of course is exactly who reads HufPo.

Not putting you down, Lilnoobs, it's just funny from a sampling-bias standpoint.

initiatefailure

Sorry haven't been back to the thread in a little bit. All this information is pretty helpful and i've been talking to a lot of friends in different areas and just getting a picture of the city. I know it'll be a bit until I actually make a move (well the move to my family in the suburb is actually in 3 days) out on my own into town.

and while parent/family isn't exactly my demographic more opinions are never a bad thing.