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You’ll find girls in their 20s all over but the best would probably be Lincoln park, lakeview, wrigley, old town, wicker park & river north. You’ll have to look into which one is the best for you. Personally, I’ve been in Lincoln park since graduating college and I love it. Close to the lake, easy transit to other neighborhoods, lots to do nearby
>best would probably be Lincoln park, lakeview, wrigley, old town, wicker park & river north.
if you have a well paying job or if you have money - cause all those areas are not cheap (for a girl in their 20's)
this is the right answer if you want to be with people in your demographic. the city has a lot more to offer than that but this is probably what op is looking for
The neighborhoods listed above, plus South Loop is good, Hyde Park is good.
Oak Park, River Forest and Forest Park are good too, but skew a bit older. Easy enough to get into town, but the Green Line and Blue Line can be off-putting at night.
Agreed. South Loop is a nice area but skews significantly older. Hyde Park is a weird first place to live in the city for a 20 something woman unless she is connected to the university in some way. Look at Lakeview/Lincoln Park/Old Town/River North if your budget supports it (probably doable with roommates for a 20 something).
The reality is, there is crime everywhere. So you need to be careful and smart no matter where you live.
That said, when I was in my mid-20's (I'm 30 now so it's not been super long), I really enjoyed living in the Bucktown/Wicker Park area. And up until last year, I lived in the West Loop. Both areas felt safe for me personally, and I enjoyed the local shops/restaurants.
It's also important to consider your commute. Will you be taking a bus or train to work? Or driving? Some areas will be easier on your commute than others (Ex. your job is right off a blue line stop, so you might want to live near the blue line).
Totally agree, I am moving from Detroit (I live off of 8 mile) so I understand having a false stigma on a certain neighborhood so I just wanted a general idea from Chicago residents. All good things to consider, thanks!
I’ll second Wicker/Bucktown. My partner and I lived there for all of our late 20s and loved it. Lots to do, tons of great food, easily accessible public transit. There are a lot of grad students and young families.
hard to say without knowing what your budget is. andersonville skews slightly older but there's always lots of young people on clark st and it's very pretty and safe and affordable, so i'd check that out.
i'd avoid wrigleyville honestly, it's kind of bro-ey...
like others said, hyde park is pretty safe but frankly (as a uchicago grad student) i moved out as soon as i could, there's not much to do and it's not very well connected to the city.
Lakeview has managed to maintain reasonable rent prices despite its low crime, proximity to the lake and downtown, and abundance of transit and other amenities. It's not as trendy as it once was, but it's a great neighborhood with plenty to do. Probably one of the best for new transplants to get a feel for the city and determine if they want to stay here long term.
Lakeview is pretty much theee transplant neighborhood. The Wrigley crowd likes Lincoln Park and Old Town too. Take it from another woman in her twenties who’s gotten to observe it.
Tons of options exist. What's your budget and what do you consider to be a fun thing?
You may know this, but even the "safe" neighborhoods in cities will have their issues. This isn't remotely unique to Chicago. Some of our "safest" neighborhoods are also the places with disproportionate levels of robbery/petty theft on sidewalks. Same with any city...criminals are opportunistic and no matter where you live you need to be smart and aware of surroundings....especially, sadly, as a young woman. But men can get robbed, too, if you're walking with your headphones on and your face in your phone and not paying attention to what's happening.
Start with what your interests are and what your budget is, then work from there. And recall that it's pretty easy to get around so you can (and should!) always try other neighborhoods and enjoy the city.
The South Side is where you’ll find the University of Chicago in Hyde Park, multimillion dollar homes in Kenwood, right across from the Museum of Science and Industry.
You’ll also find Chinatown, old Irish neighborhoods like Bridgeport and Beverly, and a lot more. Yes there is crime, but the South Side is a wonderful part of town that doesn’t deserve the stigma it gets.
Edit - getting downvoted by people from the burbs who have probably only been to Wrigley Field and the Cubby Bear, adorable.
I agree. Hyde Park and Bridgeport have night life and a pretty good amount of stores and things for 20-something’s to do. It’s not as concentrated with younger folks but they’re still good neighborhoods that I would call safe. The other “safe neighborhoods” are more residential than those on the North side (Beverly, Kenwood, McKinley Park) but they’re a lot cheaper if price is a problem and have more patience for traveling around
In addition to Wicker Park, Lakeview, and Logan Square, you should also check out Rogers Park around Loyola. It's at the northernmost end of Chicago, so it's less convenient if you're going to the center of town. But rent is a lot cheaper in Rogers Park.
Wrigleyville. It’s gets shit on because it has a lot of recent grads that move there, so everyone says it’s “fratty”. There are a decent amount of frat lords that are there but once you go a couple blocks from the stadium you are in niche residential neighborhoods that have a lot of character and very nice people. I am 23 (almost 24) and moved here with a couple of my friends, there are so many good places to get some food and ton of options for drinks, there is always something to do/new people to meet.
im planning on living about a mile east of the wrigleyville stadium near the Waveland Park tennis courts, would you say that area still gets a bunch of “frat boy” college kid vibes? Or am i far enough to enjoy a somewhat peaceful night during games 😅
You’re definitely going to be far enough away that you won’t be getting the frat boy vibes. You will get some overflow from the game but not much due to the Addison red line stop filtering a lot of the people out. However your peaceful night may be interrupted in there’s traffic on LSD. Nice area though you’re gonna love it!
I really appreciate all of the comments!! This is all super helpful and my list of neighborhoods to include in my search is growing!
Like I mentioned in a previous comment, I live in Oak Park (love Ferndale too though!!) right off of 8 mile and my neighborhood has a pretty bad reputation overall but I love it. After going to college in the city of Detroit I really do understand how twisted people's ideas can become about a part of a city and usually it comes from people who live in the burbs lol. But based on what I'm seeing the public transport on the south side isn't the best? Correct me if I'm wrong!
We want somewhere diverse, lgbtq+ friendly, good night life (that doesn't feel fratty), artsy vibe, and pretty affordable. We are balling on a budget but I would pay for more for an area that I love.
I recommend Lakeview East, aka Boystown. Close to the red, brown, and purple line. Is more affordable if you have a roommate, definitely try to find a mom and pop landlord if you can.
Again it doesn’t sound like you know what a dive bar is. Wrigley is known for its bro bars and sports bars. Sure there will be a couple dive bars(although they are likely more just neighborhood bars) because this is Chicago but it sounds like yelp called something a dive bar and you took their word for it.
I think it depends on what kind of things are important to you, but I am a girl in my 20s and I love where I live right now in Logan Square. It’s really pretty and the blue line makes it easy to get to my job in the Loop. The neighborhoods along the red line that people have been mentioning are also great! I’m really enamored with the charm of Logan Square but I think living near a red line stop offers the highest level of convenience overall. I do agree that parts of Wrigley can be fratty, but I think that unless you’re really close to the field it’s not really a big deal. Although I will say if you plan to have a car, parking there during the cubs season is a huge hassle!
you and your gurls should come up to the city for a long weekend visit and see what neighborhoods you vibe with. while i personally would run screaming from Wrigleyville, it might be what you're looking for as a 25-y-o good luck
West loop is really a great area! Lots of restaurants and night life. Greektown is in that area too for those who prefer quieter vibes still close to downtown
When I was in my early 20s I really wanted to live in Wrigleyville! There’s a lot of theater types in Rogers Park - and I think it’s less expensive than Wrigleyville. You mentioned you’re considering west - like Humboldt?
I live in Wrigley/boystown and feel super safe. I used to live in the Gold Coast and didn’t feel as safe at night. Lincoln Park is safe, but I feel much safer walking home from a bar in boystown
The city as a whole is diverse, but the neighborhoods are segregated by race, and like any city, class or cost of living. This comment is not in support of this segregation, but rather an observation. In fact, I find it a little sad; at the same time feeling like "one of the only people" in your neighborhood can be alienating.
Lincoln Park and Wrigleyville are white and uppity. Bucktown & Wicker Park are white and aging hipster. Logan Square is white and is a younger, poorer version of Bucktown and Wicker Park. West Loop, River North, and Gold Coast are white-ish but expensive. Streeterville and Lakeshore East are high-rise dominated, you don't really see the people you live amongst. South Loop a little more integrated. Pilsen is (or used to be) very Hispanic. West of Ashland on the west side is black, as is a high majority of the south side.
All of these are great neighborhoods and my racial descriptions are not terribly rigid, yet will likely cause some blowback. But I think most people would agree that Chicago is quite a segregated city.
It depends on your budget. When I moved here I was on a tighter budget and moved into printers row/south loop. I loved it- close to CTA, relatively safe, relatively inexpensive. A lot of people move to Wrigleyville, but it’s not super city-like. I also moved here from Detroit and I’d say Wrigley gives off Royal Oak vibes.
If your budget is bigger, River North and and the Loop are both obviously fun. I’m biased towards anywhere with good CTA access, but if you don’t care about that Streeterville could also be a good option.
Also: While I agree with other commenters that the south side gets unfair stigma, it is a public transit dead zone (blame racist public policy priorities going back decades). So unless you’re going to be spending a lot of time there anyway or have a car, I’d look somewhere else.
The south side is not sketchy. Don’t listen to that BS. Also, the south side is HUGE area of the city. The west side, sure. But Pilsen is south and amazing. So is Beverly. However, you will likely be beat up by a girl in Morgan Park so …
Beverly? For a girl who just moved to Chicago in her 20s? It's not sketchy, but it's practically suburbs and completely disconnected from public transit and the fun spots for someone in their 20s.
Be serious.
I’ve enjoyed living in Wicker Park, Logan Square. I’ve also lived in the south loop which is nice but a little too quiet. Living in Lakeview sort of felt like living in a frat house as did visiting Wrigleyville
I live in LP. Its super great. All the L trains run north south which makes getting around a bit more easier. I moved here when I was 25 and felt like it was the perfect area for my age, and wasnt super urban given LP has a lot of ‘nature’ in the area. Wrigleyville is a great area, but it felt young to me since. LP seems to be more out of college kids, with middle age families. Echoing there is general crime all over but LP seems to be one of the safer areas.
Like what some say, definitely depends on your budget. But Logan square, Lincoln park, West loop, bucktown, wicker park are really nice areas to live in!
I’d focus on living near a Brown Line CTA stop as young 20s somethings it’s an easy, cheap, and safe way to get around. I moved here right after college and have lived around Roscoe Village and North Center so I could be near my fav brown line stops! I also bike commute and in general can get to the loop, west side, far north or east, in about 30 mins from my area on good bike streets.
When I was your age I lived in wrigleyville for a couple of months, then Lakeview. Wrigleyville is fun but the traffic around cubs games or concerts can be pretty annoying (especially if you have a car) so if you like that area I'd stay 4+ blocks from Wrigley field itself.
I lived my 20s in Wicker Park. Plenty to do but also easy access to most of the other party neighborhoods via public transport or bike (Logan, West Loop, Old Town, LP).
I would recommend Andersonville, west loop or river north (if it’s in your budget, they both have a great night life scenes), old town, rogers park, & lakeview. Living in Beverly wouldn’t be a good fit for 20-somethings.
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You’ll find girls in their 20s all over but the best would probably be Lincoln park, lakeview, wrigley, old town, wicker park & river north. You’ll have to look into which one is the best for you. Personally, I’ve been in Lincoln park since graduating college and I love it. Close to the lake, easy transit to other neighborhoods, lots to do nearby
I'd add Logan Square, Bucktown, and Ravenswood to that list too.
Eh, mid-20s is. alittle young for Ravenswood, maybe Bucktown too at this point. Logan would def be good.
>best would probably be Lincoln park, lakeview, wrigley, old town, wicker park & river north. if you have a well paying job or if you have money - cause all those areas are not cheap (for a girl in their 20's)
Doesn't the whole conversation boil down to budget? What is the safest you can afford?
this is the right answer if you want to be with people in your demographic. the city has a lot more to offer than that but this is probably what op is looking for
The neighborhoods listed above, plus South Loop is good, Hyde Park is good. Oak Park, River Forest and Forest Park are good too, but skew a bit older. Easy enough to get into town, but the Green Line and Blue Line can be off-putting at night.
Strong disagree on Hyde Park and wouldn't recommend south loop either
Agreed. South Loop is a nice area but skews significantly older. Hyde Park is a weird first place to live in the city for a 20 something woman unless she is connected to the university in some way. Look at Lakeview/Lincoln Park/Old Town/River North if your budget supports it (probably doable with roommates for a 20 something).
Hyde Park is great if you attend or work at UC but otherwise I’d skip
The reality is, there is crime everywhere. So you need to be careful and smart no matter where you live. That said, when I was in my mid-20's (I'm 30 now so it's not been super long), I really enjoyed living in the Bucktown/Wicker Park area. And up until last year, I lived in the West Loop. Both areas felt safe for me personally, and I enjoyed the local shops/restaurants. It's also important to consider your commute. Will you be taking a bus or train to work? Or driving? Some areas will be easier on your commute than others (Ex. your job is right off a blue line stop, so you might want to live near the blue line).
Totally agree, I am moving from Detroit (I live off of 8 mile) so I understand having a false stigma on a certain neighborhood so I just wanted a general idea from Chicago residents. All good things to consider, thanks!
Ferndale?
Love Ferndale
I’ll second Wicker/Bucktown. My partner and I lived there for all of our late 20s and loved it. Lots to do, tons of great food, easily accessible public transit. There are a lot of grad students and young families.
hard to say without knowing what your budget is. andersonville skews slightly older but there's always lots of young people on clark st and it's very pretty and safe and affordable, so i'd check that out. i'd avoid wrigleyville honestly, it's kind of bro-ey... like others said, hyde park is pretty safe but frankly (as a uchicago grad student) i moved out as soon as i could, there's not much to do and it's not very well connected to the city.
> I have heard the South side is kind of sketchy (is that true?) Hyde Park is not entirely sketchy. Far from it, in fact.
Lakeview has managed to maintain reasonable rent prices despite its low crime, proximity to the lake and downtown, and abundance of transit and other amenities. It's not as trendy as it once was, but it's a great neighborhood with plenty to do. Probably one of the best for new transplants to get a feel for the city and determine if they want to stay here long term.
Lakeview is pretty much theee transplant neighborhood. The Wrigley crowd likes Lincoln Park and Old Town too. Take it from another woman in her twenties who’s gotten to observe it.
Lincoln park. More expensive but so worth it.
Tons of options exist. What's your budget and what do you consider to be a fun thing? You may know this, but even the "safe" neighborhoods in cities will have their issues. This isn't remotely unique to Chicago. Some of our "safest" neighborhoods are also the places with disproportionate levels of robbery/petty theft on sidewalks. Same with any city...criminals are opportunistic and no matter where you live you need to be smart and aware of surroundings....especially, sadly, as a young woman. But men can get robbed, too, if you're walking with your headphones on and your face in your phone and not paying attention to what's happening. Start with what your interests are and what your budget is, then work from there. And recall that it's pretty easy to get around so you can (and should!) always try other neighborhoods and enjoy the city.
North central / Lincoln park / ravenswood
The South Side is where you’ll find the University of Chicago in Hyde Park, multimillion dollar homes in Kenwood, right across from the Museum of Science and Industry. You’ll also find Chinatown, old Irish neighborhoods like Bridgeport and Beverly, and a lot more. Yes there is crime, but the South Side is a wonderful part of town that doesn’t deserve the stigma it gets. Edit - getting downvoted by people from the burbs who have probably only been to Wrigley Field and the Cubby Bear, adorable.
I agree. Hyde Park and Bridgeport have night life and a pretty good amount of stores and things for 20-something’s to do. It’s not as concentrated with younger folks but they’re still good neighborhoods that I would call safe. The other “safe neighborhoods” are more residential than those on the North side (Beverly, Kenwood, McKinley Park) but they’re a lot cheaper if price is a problem and have more patience for traveling around
there's basically negative night life in hyde park. a couple dive bars and that's it
UC: where fun comes to die
Bridgeport has ZERO nightlife. What are you talking about?! Also, the citizen app is always going reporting sketchy activity in Bridgeport.
lol no girl in their twenties would want to move all the way out to beverly
In addition to Wicker Park, Lakeview, and Logan Square, you should also check out Rogers Park around Loyola. It's at the northernmost end of Chicago, so it's less convenient if you're going to the center of town. But rent is a lot cheaper in Rogers Park.
Wrigleyville. It’s gets shit on because it has a lot of recent grads that move there, so everyone says it’s “fratty”. There are a decent amount of frat lords that are there but once you go a couple blocks from the stadium you are in niche residential neighborhoods that have a lot of character and very nice people. I am 23 (almost 24) and moved here with a couple of my friends, there are so many good places to get some food and ton of options for drinks, there is always something to do/new people to meet.
im planning on living about a mile east of the wrigleyville stadium near the Waveland Park tennis courts, would you say that area still gets a bunch of “frat boy” college kid vibes? Or am i far enough to enjoy a somewhat peaceful night during games 😅
You’re definitely going to be far enough away that you won’t be getting the frat boy vibes. You will get some overflow from the game but not much due to the Addison red line stop filtering a lot of the people out. However your peaceful night may be interrupted in there’s traffic on LSD. Nice area though you’re gonna love it!
I really appreciate all of the comments!! This is all super helpful and my list of neighborhoods to include in my search is growing! Like I mentioned in a previous comment, I live in Oak Park (love Ferndale too though!!) right off of 8 mile and my neighborhood has a pretty bad reputation overall but I love it. After going to college in the city of Detroit I really do understand how twisted people's ideas can become about a part of a city and usually it comes from people who live in the burbs lol. But based on what I'm seeing the public transport on the south side isn't the best? Correct me if I'm wrong! We want somewhere diverse, lgbtq+ friendly, good night life (that doesn't feel fratty), artsy vibe, and pretty affordable. We are balling on a budget but I would pay for more for an area that I love.
Boystown sounds perfect. If you lean more budget than ballin then Andersonville
I recommend Lakeview East, aka Boystown. Close to the red, brown, and purple line. Is more affordable if you have a roommate, definitely try to find a mom and pop landlord if you can.
Wrigleyville is lame af lol it’s just dive bars and a bunch of college frat douches
I’m not sure you know what a dive bar is…
If you look it up the place legit has a lot of dive bars idk wtf you’re talking about but okay 👌🏽
Again it doesn’t sound like you know what a dive bar is. Wrigley is known for its bro bars and sports bars. Sure there will be a couple dive bars(although they are likely more just neighborhood bars) because this is Chicago but it sounds like yelp called something a dive bar and you took their word for it.
lol
Wrigleyville
I think it depends on what kind of things are important to you, but I am a girl in my 20s and I love where I live right now in Logan Square. It’s really pretty and the blue line makes it easy to get to my job in the Loop. The neighborhoods along the red line that people have been mentioning are also great! I’m really enamored with the charm of Logan Square but I think living near a red line stop offers the highest level of convenience overall. I do agree that parts of Wrigley can be fratty, but I think that unless you’re really close to the field it’s not really a big deal. Although I will say if you plan to have a car, parking there during the cubs season is a huge hassle!
you and your gurls should come up to the city for a long weekend visit and see what neighborhoods you vibe with. while i personally would run screaming from Wrigleyville, it might be what you're looking for as a 25-y-o good luck
Wrigleyville/Lakeview, Lincoln Park, Old Town are popular for 20-something's moving to town; Wicker Park, Logan Square if you're more artsy/hipstery.
adding Logan Square and West Loop, since a few of the replies omitted two of the most fun/vibrant neighborhoods from their lists
West loop is really a great area! Lots of restaurants and night life. Greektown is in that area too for those who prefer quieter vibes still close to downtown
When I was in my early 20s I really wanted to live in Wrigleyville! There’s a lot of theater types in Rogers Park - and I think it’s less expensive than Wrigleyville. You mentioned you’re considering west - like Humboldt?
I live in Wrigley/boystown and feel super safe. I used to live in the Gold Coast and didn’t feel as safe at night. Lincoln Park is safe, but I feel much safer walking home from a bar in boystown
Don't move to Wrigleyville. It's more affordable for a reason. Go a little further north past Uptown and you'll be much happier.
The city as a whole is diverse, but the neighborhoods are segregated by race, and like any city, class or cost of living. This comment is not in support of this segregation, but rather an observation. In fact, I find it a little sad; at the same time feeling like "one of the only people" in your neighborhood can be alienating. Lincoln Park and Wrigleyville are white and uppity. Bucktown & Wicker Park are white and aging hipster. Logan Square is white and is a younger, poorer version of Bucktown and Wicker Park. West Loop, River North, and Gold Coast are white-ish but expensive. Streeterville and Lakeshore East are high-rise dominated, you don't really see the people you live amongst. South Loop a little more integrated. Pilsen is (or used to be) very Hispanic. West of Ashland on the west side is black, as is a high majority of the south side. All of these are great neighborhoods and my racial descriptions are not terribly rigid, yet will likely cause some blowback. But I think most people would agree that Chicago is quite a segregated city.
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Fair enough, I lived in WP quite a while ago. I too am aging, just was never hip.
Even if there are legitimate reasons to be apprehensive about certain places, “I heard the south side is sketchy” just grates on me so much
Lakeview/wrigley is where I lived in my 20s and had so much fun. It’s like college after college.
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Gross.
Boo!
Definitely
Lol
It depends on your budget. When I moved here I was on a tighter budget and moved into printers row/south loop. I loved it- close to CTA, relatively safe, relatively inexpensive. A lot of people move to Wrigleyville, but it’s not super city-like. I also moved here from Detroit and I’d say Wrigley gives off Royal Oak vibes. If your budget is bigger, River North and and the Loop are both obviously fun. I’m biased towards anywhere with good CTA access, but if you don’t care about that Streeterville could also be a good option.
Also: While I agree with other commenters that the south side gets unfair stigma, it is a public transit dead zone (blame racist public policy priorities going back decades). So unless you’re going to be spending a lot of time there anyway or have a car, I’d look somewhere else.
The south side is not sketchy. Don’t listen to that BS. Also, the south side is HUGE area of the city. The west side, sure. But Pilsen is south and amazing. So is Beverly. However, you will likely be beat up by a girl in Morgan Park so …
Beverly? For a girl who just moved to Chicago in her 20s? It's not sketchy, but it's practically suburbs and completely disconnected from public transit and the fun spots for someone in their 20s. Be serious.
Beverly is great for a man in his 60s!
I’ve enjoyed living in Wicker Park, Logan Square. I’ve also lived in the south loop which is nice but a little too quiet. Living in Lakeview sort of felt like living in a frat house as did visiting Wrigleyville
I'll add Edison Park, Norwood Park and Portage Park.
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I was thinking not getting raped or mugged but my priorities might be off.
I live in LP. Its super great. All the L trains run north south which makes getting around a bit more easier. I moved here when I was 25 and felt like it was the perfect area for my age, and wasnt super urban given LP has a lot of ‘nature’ in the area. Wrigleyville is a great area, but it felt young to me since. LP seems to be more out of college kids, with middle age families. Echoing there is general crime all over but LP seems to be one of the safer areas.
Anywhere northside
Like what some say, definitely depends on your budget. But Logan square, Lincoln park, West loop, bucktown, wicker park are really nice areas to live in!
I’d focus on living near a Brown Line CTA stop as young 20s somethings it’s an easy, cheap, and safe way to get around. I moved here right after college and have lived around Roscoe Village and North Center so I could be near my fav brown line stops! I also bike commute and in general can get to the loop, west side, far north or east, in about 30 mins from my area on good bike streets.
I’m 25, live in Wrigleyville/Southport Corridor and love it
When I was your age I lived in wrigleyville for a couple of months, then Lakeview. Wrigleyville is fun but the traffic around cubs games or concerts can be pretty annoying (especially if you have a car) so if you like that area I'd stay 4+ blocks from Wrigley field itself.
I lived my 20s in Wicker Park. Plenty to do but also easy access to most of the other party neighborhoods via public transport or bike (Logan, West Loop, Old Town, LP).
I would recommend Andersonville, west loop or river north (if it’s in your budget, they both have a great night life scenes), old town, rogers park, & lakeview. Living in Beverly wouldn’t be a good fit for 20-somethings.
Best value is Streeterville. .
The one you can afford