What is the safest and nicest neighborhood of Chicago? (Lincoln: real estate, roughest)

[wheregirl]

That, and the safest neighborhoods that are near the activities of young professionals. I would like to find a really safe and nice area to live and still meet other young people.

Please specify a bit the neighborhood boundaries so I can find it on the map. Thanks for your advice.

Also, is the University of Chicago area unsafe? What would be a safer way to visit it occasionally?

Thank you.

[aragx6]

Originally Posted by wheregirl

That, and the safest neighborhoods that are near the activities of young professionals. I would like to find a really safe and nice area to live and still meet other young people.

Please specify a bit the neighborhood boundaries so I can find it on the map. Thanks for your advice.

Also, is the University of Chicago area unsafe? What would be a safer way to visit it occasionally?

Thank you.

The safest neighborhoods are on the far ends of the city, far away from anything interesting, far away from stupid people to victimize.

Also "really safe" is very vague and depends on your tolerance for urban living. have you lived in a city before?

[wheregirl]

I have lived in nyc before, near the Columbia Univ area, which isn't considered the safest in nyc. But now I can afford to live in nicer and safer areas and also I don't know whether nyc has pockets that are safer than the other parts and Chicago is more mixed up or not.

Thanks.

Oh, I just saw the neighborhood map, so you only need to mention names now. thanks.

[Lookout Kid]

Safest? Probably the far Northwest Side...

Nicest? Well, in terms of what you are describing (near activities of young professionals), this would be the Gold Coast or Lincoln Park. Old Town and Lake View are also up there. Boundaries for these areas can be found on Wikipedia. All offer a pretty good level of urban safety with lots of entertainment and shopping for young professionals.

If you want to be more "downtown", River North, Streeterville, and the Loop all offer high-end living with good level of urban safety. The South Loop and West Loop (not to be confused with the actual "Loop") are formerly sketchy areas that have faced heavy gentrification--but still offer a slightly higher danger of being mugged. **edit** I'll add that River North and Old Town get pretty close to Cabrini Green, so you should be aware of where that is and avoid it.

If you want to go to the next tier, North Center and Lincoln Square are nice, very safe neighborhoods. Wicker Park and Bucktown are expensive, slightly more hipster-oriented neighborhoods on the edge of some rough stuff. At the next tier after that you'd find Edgewater and Buena Park. All of these are relatively safe neighborhoods with lots of young professionals.

Hyde Park (the neighborhood around the University of Chicago) is a very nice South Side neighborhood, but it is more dangerous than much of the North Side. I seem to know a very large number of people who have been mugged there--some more than once. The neighborhood has beautiful housing and a kind of cool intellectual vibe to it, but it borders some of the roughest real estate in Chicago (to the south and west). It's certainly not a neighborhood to avoid visiting. It's really quite nice, and generally safe. It's probably just as safe as Morningside Heights.

[west lawn kid]

safest and nicest, hmmm, that would be Mount Greenwood on the south side, it's very nice area, plus its a cop neighborhod, but public schools are consided low quality, and many if not most families who can afford it send there kids to catholic schools.

[ajolotl]

Righ, Mount Greenwood is the nicest neighborhood in Chicago.

Originally Posted by west lawn kid

safest and nicest, hmmm, that would be Mount Greenwood on the south side, it's very nice area, plus its a cop neighborhod, but public schools are consided low quality, and many if not most families who can afford it send there kids to catholic schools.

[aragx6]

Gold Coast is the wealthiest area probably, but there are more young professionals in Lincoln Park. you can read about them both in the "sticky" thread at the top of the page.

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by west lawn kid

safest and nicest, hmmm, that would be Mount Greenwood on the south side, it's very nice area, plus its a cop neighborhod, but public schools are consided low quality, and many if not most families who can afford it send there kids to catholic schools.

Ignore this one.

[Mister Mappy]

Well, Mount Greenwood is safe. Although, it isn't near any activities for young professionals, and is far from downtown, and the University of Chicago. It's a relatively sedate area.

I think you'd like most of the areas Lookout Kid posted.

[west lawn kid]

Originally Posted by ajolotl

Righ, Mount Greenwood is the nicest neighborhood in Chicago.

Have you ever been there? its very nice if I could afford to move there I would do so in a heartbeat. Unless By nice you mean filthy rich in which case thats lincon park or bucktown but don't come crying tome if you get you car stolen.