Are Chicagoans generally different or similar to the 1st ring suburbanites? (Cicero: neighborhoods, school)

[LittleMathYou]

For example, are people who live in Oak Park usually a little different than those who live in Chicago proper? Or perhaps usually the same? Older/younger? More Liberal/ More conservative? Is it too hard to say?

What do you think?

What I mean by Chicagoans is simply people who live anywhere in Chicago proper.

[Irishtom29]

The people who live in Oak Park are certainly different from the people that live in Austin.

People that live in Oak Lawn and Burbank and places like that are pretty much just like Chicago people and if you're looking for old-school Chicago attitude and moxey you'll find more of it in places like Tinley Park and Oak Forest than in many city neighborhoods.

Just what do you mean by "Chicagoans" anyway?

[via chicago]

The inner burbs (Berwyn, Cicero, OP, FP, etc) are virtually city neighborhoods in themselves. Its really just a matter of who got annexed and who didn't. But its a silly question to begin with. People in Lawndale arent the same as the people in Lakeview. People in Back Of The Yards arent the same as those in Wicker Park. So again, its a flawed question, since there is such a difference just from one city neighborhood to the next.

[BRU67]

Originally Posted by via chicago

The inner burbs (Berwyn, Cicero, OP, FP, etc) are virtually city neighborhoods in themselves. Its really just a matter of who got annexed and who didn't. But its a silly question to begin with. People in Lawndale arent the same as the people in Lakeview. People in Back Of The Yards arent the same as those in Wicker Park. So again, its a flawed question, since there is such a difference just from one city neighborhood to the next.

Yes, kind of a strange question. The flaw is using the term "Chicago" to describe one entity. Chicago has 77 community areas, and they are all neighborhoods in and of themselves. Can you compare Englewood to Lincoln Park? Nope. Very different, just like Jefferson Park is different from Bridgeport.

My attitude on Berwyn, Cicero, Oak Park, Evergreen Park, etc. is that they share the same street grid system as Chicago, same public transit, and are often surrounded by Chicago. So they're largely not much different than living in the City itself.

[Tex?Il?]

Originally Posted by Irishtom29

The people who live in Oak Park are certainly different from the people that live in Austin.

People that live in Oak Lawn and Burbank and places like that are pretty much just like Chicago people and if you're looking for old-school Chicago attitude and moxey you'll find more of it in places like Tinley Park and Oak Forest than in many city neighborhoods.

Just what do you mean by "Chicagoans" anyway?

From the people I know, and the times I've been there, I would say Burbank and Oak Lawn give off a strong old-school Chicago working class attitude and moxey. Oak Forest and Tinley Park to me are simply like Burbank and Oak Lawn just with more bigger yards and newer housing stock. Burbank and Oak Lawn are not close to an L stop (except the end of the orange sort of) and are not even remotely on the radar screen of young adult professionals to have the "Chicago experience.

I think the OP is referring to Chicago proper.

Oak Park is definitely VERY different from Austin neighborhood. Austin Ave. is some ways is the closest thing Chicago has to Detroits 8 mile.

[Tex?Il?]

Originally Posted by BRU67

Yes, kind of a strange question. The flaw is using the term "Chicago" to describe one entity. Chicago has 77 community areas, and they are all neighborhoods in and of themselves. Can you compare Englewood to Lincoln Park? Nope. Very different, just like Jefferson Park is different from Bridgeport.

My attitude on Berwyn, Cicero, Oak Park, Evergreen Park, etc. is that they share the same street grid system as Chicago, same public transit, and are often surrounded by Chicago. So they're largely not much different than living in the City itself.

Englewood and Lincoln Park are about as opposite as you can get,

but other than being right outside downtown and having U.S. cellular, and being closer to more run-down, not good areas, I would think Bridgeport is not that culturally different from Jefferson Park (again except for team loyalty and proximity to attractions).

[Tex?Il?]

Originally Posted by LittleMathYou

For example, are people who live in Oak Park usually a little different than those who live in Chicago proper? Or perhaps usually the same? Older/younger? More Liberal/ More conservative? Is it too hard to say?

What do you think?

What I mean by Chicagoans is simply people who live anywhere in Chicago proper.

Like many of the other replies: No, nothing magically changes once you cross the city limits.

With the exception of Oak Park and Evanston (and to some extent Forest Park and possibly Skokie and possibly even La Grange or Park Ridge the inner ring suburbs are not on the radar screen for young midwesterners coming to "experience living the Chicago experience).

Because the inner ring suburbs are just what they are, they are often the areas where you find the strongest "old-school white ethnic Chicago personality and stereotype. Catholic-Polish/Irish/Italian, etc. or what have you. This vibe is also strong in many neighborhoods on the far NW and SW sides.

In regards to the liberal and conservative question.

Generally you will find that the inner suburbs and far NW and SW sides, (the ones that are predominantly white) will be moderately socially conservative often times, and maybe more economically liberal, since there is still a union influence.

I will say Oak Park, Evanston, and the Hyde Park area are most likely the most all-around liberal in that college town way.

In contrast many densely populated north side neighborhoods it is more common to find attitudes where people are more socially liberal, because they are attracted to the urban lifestyle diversity and excitement that the north side neighborhoods have to offer, while being more middle of the road to even slightly economically conservative, because they are more often than not, are white collared professionals and they work hard for their lifestyle.

Hopefully this analysis helps.

[SJaye]

I kind of feel like with the exception of the Austin Ave. barrier between Oak Park and Austin, the inner-ring suburbs are generally pretty similar to the outer parts of the city that they are adjacent to. Park Rigde is like Eddison Park/Norwood Park, conservative for city standards, white-collar familiy, commuters. There are heavily African-American south suburbs that border the heavily African-American South side city neighborhoods, like Harvey, Cal City, Dolton. Berwyn, Chicago Ridge, Oak Lawn, Summit are working class neighborhoods with a significant Hispanic presence, like the city neighborhoods on the SW side near Midway airport. Evanston and the north shore is yuppie/ wealthy just like the north Lakshore in Chicago. Traveling west on Grand Ave. the only true sign that you have left Chicago's traditionally Italian Mont Claire and entered also Italian Elmwood Park is seeing Illinois Gun Works on your left hand side.

[Tex?Il?]

Originally Posted by SJaye

I kind of feel like with the exception of the Austin Ave. barrier between Oak Park and Austin, the inner-ring suburbs are generally pretty similar to the outer parts of the city that they are adjacent to. Park Rigde is like Eddison Park/Norwood Park, conservative for city standards, white-collar familiy, commuters. There are heavily African-American south suburbs that border the heavily African-American South side city neighborhoods, like Harvey, Cal City, Dolton. Berwyn, Chicago Ridge, Oak Lawn, Summit are working class neighborhoods with a significant Hispanic presence, like the city neighborhoods on the SW side near Midway airport. Evanston and the north shore is yuppie/ wealthy just like the north Lakshore in Chicago. Traveling west on Grand Ave. the only true sign that you have left Chicago's traditionally Italian Mont Claire and entered also Italian Elmwood Park is seeing Illinois Gun Works on your left hand side.

I agree with just about everything you said, except for:

I agree that Berwyn and Summit no doubt have a large hispanic presence, but hispanics although rapidly growing, are a fairly small part of Chicago Ridge and Oak Lawn. It would be interesting to see what the new census says, but at least in 2000, they were only about 5% of the population, whereas in Berwyn and Summit at that time the stats said they were between 25-50%.

And of course the huge differences in population density between north side upscale neighborhoods and north shore suburbs certainly makes the lifestyle significantly different.

[thePR]

There are so many different inner ring suburbs and so many parts of Chicago that you can't get a concrete answer with a question like that. But, the Chicago and suburbs in my area are very similar.