Oak Park/River Forest vs. Wicker Park/Noble Square (Chicago: crimes, house)

[herebemonsters]

My boyfriend and I currently live in McKinley Park, but I recently accepted a permanent teaching position (not CPS) and I'd like to move a bit closer to work (it's in the Belmont-Cragin area). My boyfriend commutes to work in Melrose Park and he also doesn't drive (currently he takes the orange line to the green line to a Pace bus), so something with reasonable access to public transit is important. Apparently he likes his commute for decompressing and thinks it'd be too short if we lived in the Oak Park area; for some reason, he'd prefer a commute of about an hour one-way, and I'd prefer to stay in the city, so we're also considering living near Ashland between about North & Division. In the Oak Park/River Forest area, we'd like to be within walking distance of the Harlem/Lake green line stop.

What are the pros and cons of these areas relative to one another? Any issues with regard to safety? Any other areas you'd recommend? (I've also considered the West Loop, but it's more expensive than I'd like, though we could probably technically afford it.) We're both mid-twenties white people, if that matters, and as long as an area's not less safe than where we're at now, I'm sure we'd be comfortable. Any info/advice would be great - thanks!

[chet everett]

McKinley Park is not what I consider a desirable part of Chicago. With even less to recommend it than Bridgeport I suppose cheap is its greatest asset.

If your boyfriend likes a circuitous and unpleasant commute that puts him the extreme minority of commuters. Unless he has some "stopovers" on the way home I really cannot fathom what would be "decompressing" about riding buses and two different El lines all the way from crummy Melrose Park to crummy McKinley Park.

There are far more spots to eat, drink and hang out near Ashland & Divison / North these days than even a few years ago. This is still not a super short commute by normal standards but maybe spending less time on the El and more time with his girlfriend is not what decompresses him...

Oak Park is not high on my list for most folks, but if you want a short commute to Melrose Park it is one of the better choices. River Forest has even less places for a young person / couple to hang out but is far more upscale than McKinley Park... If your boyfriend needs decompression time maybe he could just hang out on the El until it got to the Loop and then ride it back. In the old days taverns and prostitutes were more often used for stress relief. Maybe the notoriusly strict police of Oak Park have done too much to clean things up...

If you are OK with the safety in McKinley Park it should be mostly better in Noble Sq/ Wicker Park, I would caution that since there are more stupid post college kids in that area the incidence of crimes targeting inebiriated young people and propety crimes targeting expensive single speed or fixed gear bicycles is likely higher.

[JacksonPanther]

Originally Posted by chet everett

McKinley Park is not what I consider a desirable part of Chicago. With even less to recommend it than Bridgeport I suppose cheap is its greatest asset.

If your boyfriend likes a circuitous and unpleasant commute that puts him the extreme minority of commuters. Unless he has some "stopovers" on the way home I really cannot fathom what would be "decompressing" about riding buses and two different El lines all the way from crummy Melrose Park to crummy McKinley Park.

There are far more spots to eat, drink and hang out near Ashland & Divison / North these days than even a few years ago. This is still not a super short commute by normal standards but maybe spending less time on the El and more time with his girlfriend is not what decompresses him...

Oak Park is not high on my list for most folks, but if you want a short commute to Melrose Park it is one of the better choices. River Forest has even less places for a young person / couple to hang out but is far more upscale than McKinley Park... If your boyfriend needs decompression time maybe he could just hang out on the El until it got to the Loop and then ride it back. In the old days taverns and prostitutes were more often used for stress relief. Maybe the notoriusly strict police of Oak Park have done too much to clean things up...

If you are OK with the safety in McKinley Park it should be mostly better in Noble Sq/ Wicker Park, I would caution that since there are more stupid post college kids in that area the incidence of crimes targeting inebiriated young people and propety crimes targeting expensive single speed or fixed gear bicycles is likely higher.

Wow, this entire post is one big "Dis" of the OP, with some inferences about the boyfriend being unfaithful thrown in for good measure. Are posts like these typical for $500 winners from C-D? I thought they were supposed to be "helpful?"

[Vlajos]

Originally Posted by JacksonPanther

Wow, this entire post is one big "Dis" of the OP, with some inferences about the boyfriend being unfaithful thrown in for good measure. Are posts like these typical for $500 winners from C-D? I thought they were supposed to be "helpful?"

[Bucktownbabe]

The only undesirable thing about McKinley Park is that it's mostly residential and rather quiet and boring. (Then again, some people prefer that.) Its proximity to Bridgeport and Pilsen, nice park, easy parking, relative safety (compared to much of the South Side) and affordability have made it a choice for many.

That wasn't the OP's question, though, and the random slight of the OP by the second poster was uncalled for.

OP, the areas you're talking about are safe. I'm personally biased toward WP over Oak Park, but it's hard to go wrong with either, if you can afford them.

[oakparkdude]

Originally Posted by JacksonPanther

Wow, this entire post is one big "Dis" of the OP, with some inferences about the boyfriend being unfaithful thrown in for good measure. Are posts like these typical for $500 winners from C-D? I thought they were supposed to be "helpful?"

Yeah, the amount of contempt that exudes from that post is quite remarkable. Not very commendable Chet.

[ChiNaan]

Every post from Chet should really just read, "Baaahhhh! I hate young happy city-dwellers! Especially when they live in neighborhoods that were undesirable when I bought my house in the suburbs in 1978! Bahhhhhhh!!!!"

[MassVt]

Jesus Christ, Chet, what the hell were you thinking when you posted this crap?

Someone craving attention today?

[oakparkdude]

Regarding the substance of the question, the area around the Harlem Green line in Oak Park is one of the safer parts of Oak Park, and also the liveliest part with fairly active pedestrian traffic into the night. Its not city living, but its about as close as you can get without being in the city. Probably 30-40 minutes shorter commute compared to Wicker Park/Ukrainian Village.

[Wicket]

Originally Posted by oakparkdude

Yeah, the amount of contempt that exudes from that post is quite remarkable. Not very commendable Chet.

He even implies the boyfriend would take on a cheap hooker. Nice