Safety walking in Maywood/Riverside area (Chicago, Evanston: renting, high crime, neighborhoods)

[JacksonPanther]

Originally Posted by Squeamish

I never understood why Maywood and Bellwood are considered so horrible. Driving around all *residential* neighborhoods, everything looks clean and well-kept-up, same as most suburbs of similar vintage.

Bellwood shouldn't be lumped together with Maywood. Bellwood has significantly less crime, and is on par with Berwyn, Forest Park, and only slightly worse than Oak Park.

[My Kind Of Town]

Originally Posted by JacksonPanther

Bellwood shouldn't be lumped together with Maywood. Bellwood has significantly less crime, and is on par with Berwyn, Forest Park, and only slightly worse than Oak Park.

According to city-data, Berwyn experiences the least amount of crime of the 5 suburbs mentioned above.

[Lookout Kid]

People see the nice Madison Street corridor in Forest Park and think it's nicer than it is. I think a lot of Oak Park and River Forest patronage keeps that strip alive and vibrant. Take that away, and Forest Park is basically another Bellwood or Hillside with CTA access.

[ToriaT]

Maybe true. Not everyone can afford Wheaton and Glen Ellyn. I think if the millenials start buying houses maybe they will move to these inner suburbs if they can get houses cheap enough. Its amazing when you actually start to buy a first house what you need to compromise on.

[OccidentExpress]

Originally Posted by ToriaT

Maybe true. Not everyone can afford Wheaton and Glen Ellyn. I think if the millenials start buying houses maybe they will move to these inner suburbs if they can get houses cheap enough. Its amazing when you actually start to buy a first house what you need to compromise on.

What I can't figure out is where the working-class portion of the age 25 - 40 crowd is at right now. There are a lot of young Whites who can't afford to buy into the desirable suburbs that are always talked about on this forum, but they also aren't buying into the undesirable neighborhoods that cause everyone on this forum to hold their noses. Are they spending beyond their means to live in the desirable suburbs for a little while and then filing for bankruptcy when they can no longer pay the mortgage? Are they still living with their parents? Are they leaving the Chicago suburbs and/or Illinois entirely? Are they going rural/exurb, where housing costs are cheaper but commutes are longer? Are they renting rather than buying?

I get the feeling that there was a mass exodus of working-class Whites (the parents of the people we're talking about) from Chicagoland years ago and the remainder are either getting old and dying or trying to find a way out. It would be interesting to know where they're going.

[ToriaT]

Many of them live in the city in apartments. Others still live with their parents. I have cousins who are adults and still live with their parents. Some of them even went to college and they have decent jobs but they are not married and have school loans. Some young people go far out to places out west of Rt. 59 because housing is cheaper. Some still live in rentals with room mates. It really depends. My son and his friends love the city...they would not want to go out to the far burbs but others like the burbs it all depends. Some are buying cheaper places in the inner ring suburbs. Its hard to generalize, as its kind of a mixed lot from the people I know. It seems a lot are renting. Many will rent rather than go to a inner suburb that they might be able to afford.
Here is an example from my family and friends:
my son lives in my two flat, single 28
cousin single 30, lives with his mom in Bensenville
cousin single 26 lives with mom and dad in Villa Park
cousin 29, married just bought a house in Wood Dale
cousin single 24, goes to COD lives with mom and dad in Villa Park
Friends daughter just got married, lives in apt, in Naperville.
son's friends, single, four of them rent a house in Logan Square
son's friend, had a baby lives in apt. in Ukrainian village.

I don't see any of them buying and then declaring bankruptcy. As you see, few of these people are really ready to buy a house.

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by OccidentExpress

What I can't figure out is where the working-class portion of the age 25 - 40 crowd is at right now.

Hanover Park, Streamwood, Bartlet, Roselle, Carol Stream, Lisle, Lombard, Villa Park, Addison, Bensenville.... Or realy far out in places like Huntley, Elburn, Monee, New Lenox, etc...

[holl1ngsworth]

I'm a Millennial. I'm under 30, married with children, and recently bought in Wheaton. I have many friends in Wheaton now with similar demographic profiles.

I'm not working class though.

[CountableRex89]

Ill give you my opinions about Maywood, IL ok, first Maywood is a very difficult town there so it's easy to get lost, second the crime rate in Maywood is severely high, and it's easy to get robbed over there, also Maywood is one of the most dangerous towns in Illinois before Harvey, IL, do not let your kids or even think about walking with your kids through that area even if you're new to the Chicagoland area, this is the last place you ever want to go to if your going through Chicago's Suburbs seriously

[pvande55]

About 20 years ago I often had to go there and I took Metra to Maywood and walked to Hines. Never had a problem walking down 5th Avenue. You didn't note where you'd be living, but somewhere along the UP-W line would be good. The alernate of Riverside to Hines is a little longer, but through better neighborhoods. You are prudent to be looking at Metra; driving to work any distance over 10 miles can be a bear.