Best place to live? Commuting to Chicago Heights (Bridgeport: rent, condos)

[Futenor04]

Hey all, Im looking for a place in chicago to live. I'm looking for:

1. Safety
2. Commuting distance/time to Chicago heights
3. Gay friendly
4. Price (1,000-1,300 a month for 1BR)
5. Nightlife (young guy in my 20s)

[chirack]

Hate to say this but 3 and 5 are off the list(the southern part of the city is more conservative than the north and generally lacking in gay nightlife.)

You should probably live in the south burbs rather than the city itself.

[Rewind4]

Originally Posted by Futenor04

Hey all, Im looking for a place in chicago to live. I'm looking for:

1. Safety
2. Commuting distance/time to Chicago heights
3. Gay friendly
4. Price (1,000-1,300 a month for 1BR)
5. Nightlife (young guy in my 20s)

For that price, you could rent a small house or a large flat in certain parts of the city and burbs.

Most people are going to start to suggest lakeside neighborhoods on the city's north side, but the drive from up there to CH is very lengthy and hellish, even during off-peak hours.

My only suggestions for city areas would be Hyde Park or Beverly. Beverly is conservative, but it's along 57, safe, and has a smidgen of "nightlife." Hyde Park isn't very far from 94, it's a pretty liberal bastion on the south side, and it's an easy trip to other parts of the city on the Outer Drive.

[Futenor04]

What's hyde Park like? Safe?

What about Bridgeport? Or South Shore?

[Rewind4]

Originally Posted by Futenor04

What's hyde Park like? Safe?

What about Bridgeport? Or South Shore?

Don't know too much about South Shore, but I remember it's got huge mansions and condos toward the lake and the rest just gets crummy as you go west. Not really much to do there besides Rainbow Beach.

Bridgeport is part old-time Chicago neighborhood, part artist/hipster haven. However, you're not going to see the streets teeming with the latter.

Hyde Park is home to the University of Chicago, there's a lot of young adults, there's some retail and restaurants around, and it's generally pleasant. You'll find a lot of quirky bookstores and quirky professorial types around. The actual neighborhood is pretty safe. It boarders some areas that aren't as nice, but compared to other parts of the south side, the immediate surrounding area isn't even that bad.

[chet everett]

I certainly have never heard of anything other than outraged woman who found who found their bf getting something on the "down low" when it comes to south side / south suburbs and gay friendly / unfriendly.

If that is a big deal to the OP I might even re-think working in Chicago Heights as the longish commute from well know gay friendly spots in Chicago to work as well as the traditional homophobic mindsets which once were considered normal in the lower income areas might be too much to overcome...

Even when one considers "night spots" in a place that is less judgmental (Hyde Park certainly would fit) it probably is not any 20 something's (gay or strsight) list of favorites... South Shore is far less welcoming. Bridgeport is pretty cantankerious to outsiders of any kind...

[aragx6]

Hyde Park may not be a traditional favorite, but it's a nice city neighborhood and pretty clearly the best option for the OP (save for reconsidering the job in Chicago Heights as mentioned obviously). I am sure you could be quite happy there, OP!

[subject2change]

I'm not sure how gay friendly or unfriendly Beverly is but it has much more than a smidgen of nightlife. Young people have been doing the pub crawl down Western Ave. forever.

[Rewind4]

Originally Posted by subject2change

I'm not sure how gay friendly or unfriendly Beverly is but it has much more than a smidgen of nightlife. Young people have been doing the pub crawl down Western Ave. forever.

Compared to all the entertainment and nightlife options in, for example, Lakeview, that little stretch of little bars is a "smidgen."

[subject2change]

True, but who wants to drive from Lakeview to the Heights every day? Well, I guess some people would, but many others wouldn't. It would be up to the poster to decide.