Forest Park, Archer Heights, or neither for female 22 year old? (Chicago: for rent, insurance)

[jos22]

Hello,

I'm 22, female and I'm going to be working in the West Loop starting in July. I'm looking for a place to live, but it has been a little tricky because I may be transferred to a different state after 9 or 11 months.

I am considering renting a room in a two family house in Forest Park (around $400/month). How safe is this neighborhood? How long does it take to commute by car during rush hour? When would be the latest that I should take the train/be outside at night? Are there any other potential dangers to consider?

I am also considering renting a similar room in Archer Heights (slightly more expensive and I believe slightly closer to the Loop). How would this compare?

Lastly, I am considering getting a studio (or possibly a one bedroom) in a neighborhood like Lincoln Park, Wrigleyville, Andersonville, etc. This would be considerably more expensive but would it make up for that in safety and/or convenience?

Thanks!

[chet everett]

While Archer Heights may be a wee bit closer I would suggest that most parts of Forest Park are less bleak and easier to get to a "nicer area" in either Oak Park or the city itself...

I assume that you know that "renting a room" is generally pretty low down the list of privacy / safety / detachment and if you get any sort of creepy vibe I would run away from any one that you need to be sharing things like kitchen and bathroom with...

[marothisu]

Archer Heights and Forest Park (which is a suburb) are both safe.

Yes, renting a studio in a place like Lincoln Park, Lakeview, etc would be more expensive if you only factored in rent. However, I think you are forgetting the fact that if you live in an area like that, you would be less car dependent to the point where you wouldn't need a car whereas in Archer Heights and Forest Park, you might. In the end, it might be less expensive than you actually think as in the difference between the two might not be terribly different.

* If you pay $125/month in gas, $50/month in insurance, and let's say you don't own the car, so $190/month in payments then, your rent + transit would be probably $855/month ($400 for rent, $365 for the car, $90/month maybe if you ride the El to/from work...maybe if you own the car, then say $665/month).

* Pretend you can get a studio for $775/month in one of these areas (Lincoln Park for example) and you spend $100/month on public transit (which is the max you'd spend since that is the price of an unlimited pass), then that is $875/month. Really, that is only $20/month more than what you'd pay in a suburb/more suburban neighborhood while owning a car.

[jos22]

Thanks for the advice so far!
I already have a car that I am going to take with me to Chicago.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by jos22

Thanks for the advice so far!
I already have a car that I am going to take with me to Chicago.

Yeah, so the point I'm making is the fact that there are numerous areas of Chicago where you wouldn't be using a car for your daily life in the immediate area so the price differences might actually be less between Archer Heights/Suburbs and another area like Lincoln Park or Lakeview. BTW There are other parts of Chicago that are more "urban" than the two areas you're looking into, but still cheap such as Pilsen or Bridgeport.

[It'sAutomatic]

Forest Park and Archer Heights are kind of more sleepy family-type areas. Andersonville kind of is, too. It's up to you what kind of area you want to live in, but don't anticipate being able to just hop in your car and go hang out in Lincoln Park or Lakeview; the city is huge and traffic during the day just sucks.

[gomexico]

Forest Park, I'll suggest.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by gomexico

Forest Park, I'll suggest.

If you were to pick one between Forest Park and Archer Heights, then I totally agree, especially for a 22 year old.

[Plzeň]

Why not a studio in West Loop or at least closer to West Loop, if that's where you're working? The areas near West Loop aren't as hopping for the 20-something crowd as the North Side neighborhoods you mention, but are much more so than the suburbs you mention.

[Lifelong Chicagoan]

Originally Posted by Plzeň

Why not a studio in West Loop or at least closer to West Loop, if that's where you're working? The areas near West Loop aren't as hopping for the 20-something crowd as the North Side neighborhoods you mention, but are much more so than the suburbs you mention.

For a studio in Lincoln Park you could get a small and basic one bedroom in the Ukrainian Village neighborhood, which is better than Archer Heights and probably Forest Park. I grew up in Archer Heights so I would suggest you don't live there. There is the Orange Line for transportation but there's also Midway airport noise. But if it's between Forest Park and Archer Heights, go with Forest Park.