Need Help Finding the Right Neighborhood for me (Chicago, Evanston: apartments, lease)

[vtech81]

My girlfriend and I moved here 7 months ago from South Bend, IN. I'm 19 and she is 18. I work in IT and make $27k, and she works in retail. Our current rent is $775. We are getting by fine, but don't have a bunch of money to blow.

Unfortunately, neither of us really care for Chicago. It's depressing living here. It's so dirty, there are so many sketchy people, and it's obviously really expensive. I'm sure a lot of this is just that we're not used to living in a big city. It's not just the city, but also our apartment. Our studio is only about 250ft². The building is cheap. Thin walls, creaky floors, poor maintenance and property management, etc. We live in Edgewater (one block south of Kenmore and Bryn Mawr). At first glance, it seems like a nice area. But there is a high concentration of mental illness care centers/homeless people. It's rare to walk to the Bryn Mawr red line station without someone hassling you for money. Even worse, some of the people make harassing comments towards my girlfriend. She often has to work in the middle of the night. I worry for her when she has to come home at 3 in the morning, and she does not feel safe. Especially since someone was raped in the alleyway behind our apartment a few months ago.

We both have to ride the El for 40 minutes 10+ times a week. I think this is part of the reason we don't like Chicago. Call me sheltered/judgmental, but there are a lot of sketchy/gross people on the CTA, and it is extremely dirty. It's depressing to spend so much time on it. I'd rather drive and deal with traffic. I plan to get a car within the next few months.

I've been struggling with what I want to do when my lease runs up in 5 months. Ideally, I'd move away from Chicago. However, I love my job. It is the perfect job for me. I got extremely lucky to get the job, and I don't think I'd get the same opportunity elsewhere.

We are both pretty lame. We are not into the party/nightlife scene. We'd prefer living in a pretty quiet area. We're pretty antisocial. In fact, we haven't made any friends since moving here 7 months ago. I'd like to at least make a few friends, but it's hard when you're not into the club/party scene and you're an introvert.

So with that in mind, I want to stay in the Chicago area but find a better area/apartment. I don't mind moving further away from downtown, but within a max drive of 40 minutes to River North. My two highest priorities are feeling safe and rent costs. I'd also like to upgrade to a nicer/larger apartment while keeping the rent pretty much the same. Which neighborhoods or suburbs would you recommend?

Your help is much appreciated!

[Jandur]

Not to nitpick, but will your employer pay for your parking in River North?

Also, I don't know what you do, but 27k for any sort of IT job is low, even tier 1 helpdesk.

That said, I would maybe look at the NW neighborhoods or suburbs if you want to stick in the area. Jefferson Park, Norwood, Norridge, Portage Park etc. Basically anywhere along 90 more or less. It's quite and safe. The prices for apartments might not be much different than Edgewater, but you'll get more bang for your buck I think.

[Vlajos]

I think you should probably leave the area. Sounds like you will be better off in a small town.

[rca215]

Originally Posted by vtech81

I got extremely lucky to get the job, and I don't think I'd get the same opportunity elsewhere.

At $27K, I find this hard to believe.

Anyway, I agree that looking into some of the quieter neighborhoods on the NW Side or relatively close-in suburbs like Skokie or Evanston (the nice parts of the latter maybe being too expensive) would be a good idea. You might stretch your commute a little bit, but maybe it's worth it if you are miserable where you are now.

[chet everett]

Wow, someone that encounters the cheapo flophouse style apartment buildings, mentally ill that should be getting better care and filthy "street people" of Edgewater should just "move to a small town"? Not really all that helpful...

I suspect that the OP and his girlfriend would probably be able to find a cleaner apartment in a town with less tolerance for the random crazies & bums AND still be able to rely on servicable Metra transit options (to avoid an expensive car-based commute...) if they look at some of the more affordable suburbs. Places like Elmwood Park or Oak Lawn might fit the bill. Their nightlife options are going to be quite a bit farther but for a nice basic apartment is far lower than inside the city limits as their is no competition from those required to live inside Chicago to meet terms of employment...

[Vlajos]

Originally Posted by chet everett

Wow, someone that encounters the cheapo flophouse style apartment buildings, mentally ill that should be getting better care and filthy "street people" of Edgewater should just "move to a small town"? Not really all that helpful...

I suspect that the OP and his girlfriend would probably be able to find a cleaner apartment in a town with less tolerance for the random crazies & bums AND still be able to rely on servicable Metra transit options (to avoid an expensive car-based commute...) if they look at some of the more affordable suburbs. Places like Elmwood Park or Oak Lawn might fit the bill. Their nightlife options are going to be quite a bit farther but for a nice basic apartment is far lower than inside the city limits as their is no competition from those required to live inside Chicago to meet terms of employment...

There was essentially nothing the OP likes about Chicago. Their incomes are very low, they will be better off in a much lower COL area.

[Aleking]

Originally Posted by Vlajos

I think you should probably leave the area. Sounds like you will be better off in a small town.

this

[chet everett]

If the OP is happy with their salary,modest though it may be compared to princely sums that are apparently easily thrown at NINETEEN YEAR OLDS in the alternative universe of detached urbanites that inhabit the happyland version of Chicago, I would siggest focus on finding a safe place where he and girlfreind could live and maintian that income. From what I know of small Midwest towns the employment options are quite bleak.

It'll be two years before this kid can legally buy a beer in this country, sheesh!

[rca215]

Reading comprehension fail. Totally missed the 19 thing.

Yeah, if he's not in college, nor plans to be, and plans to work in IT as a career...then by all means stick with the current job and never let go!

[JacksonPanther]

I would not have my 18 YO girlfriend walking from the Bryn Mawr red line, at 3am, by herself. If she does this on a regular basis, eventually something bad will happen. Unfortunately dude, you need to get yourself out of bed and at least meet her at the red line station to walk her home.

Get yourselves out of the cityinto a Metra suburb as quickly as you can. $700-800 per month can find you a decent apartment in walking distance to Metra, although Metra typically doesn't support coming home at 3am...