How safe is Chicago's Oak Park? What other areas are safe?

Question

I'm moving from Wrigleyville soon. I have only lived in Chicago for a few months, so I only know this area well. I feel safe here but the rent is ridiculously high. The cheaper places I'm looking at are in some areas that look sketchy to me. I found a fairly cheap place in Oak Park, but I don't know anything about that area. Also, how's Humboldt Park? What areas are safest?

Answer 1

You will love Oak Park. There is a constant police presence there, the people are friendly and it is clean. The schools are among the best in the state, the architecture is world renowned (home of Frank Lloyd Wright and his Unity Temple). It is also the home of Ernest Hemingway, Edgar Rice Burroughs and Percy Julian.
Oak Park was the place that rich Chicagoans went after the Chicago Fire of 1871.
Oak Park is well known for its diversity. Plus Oak Park has great access to public transportation with two el lines - The Green line that runs along Lake Street and the Blue Line that runs along the Eisenhower Expressway which is nice if you drive to downtown.
If you are looking for an apartment go to http://www.liveinoakpark.org/
There are tons of fine restaurants to go to or eclectic ones like Buzz Cafe on Lombard Avenue.
In any event, Oak Park is like Chicago but without the crime, noise, graffiti and overpopulation.

Answer 2

Oak Park is nice. It's technically a suburb, but as the L runs there (the Green Line) it feels like part of the city of Chicago. There's lots of nice houses, some of which were designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, and there's some nice restaurants and shops along Lake Street.

Humboldt Park is developing and gentrifying. A few years ago I would have told you to stay away, but now the park is pretty nice during the day and a lot of new housing is being built. It's still a bit iffy at night, however, and it's probably not as safe, overall, as Oak Park. Still, if you're careful, it's not so bad.

Additional areas you might consider are west of Wrigleyville, such as Roscoe Village, and north of Wrigleyville, like Edgewater. Both of those neighborhoods are safe (Edgewater a little less so compared to Roscoe Village), and cheaper than the very expensive Wrigleyville.

Answer 3

Humboldt Park...NO WAY!! not a good choice. Not a good area. Oak Park is nice and friendly. I live 5 minutes from Oak Park, I am west of Oak Park and Forest Park, Oak Park are good areas. Depending on how far west from the City you want to go, there is also Melrose Park, Elmhurst is a good area too. Oak Park is close to the "L" train and lots of shopping, very clean.

Stay away from Humboldt Park area and some west parts of Chicago. Those area are high on crime.

Answer 4

Oak Park is a fairly safe neighborhood. Forest Park is even cheaper than Oak Park and it is on the end of the blue line. You have to pay for parking but I lived there for 4 years. Oak Park has really good schools if that means anything to you.

Answer 5

Evanston, Oak Park, Skokie, Forest Park, and Berwyn have been established for more than a century. They have evolved into multi-racial, social, and educational communities (in economic order) that sit at the end of CTA rapid transit lines. Overnight parking is restricted in all but Berwyn. This apparently reduces crime but adds to the hassle of renting a space or having a garage. There are good and fair neighborhoods in each one.

A little farther out are higher-end suburbs, Wilmette, Riverside, Brookfield, Oakbrook, and Glenview. All and others tend to have Stepford-type communities with Metra service to the Loop.

Humboldt Park and Pilsen are re-gentrifying. Pockets of absent slumlords dot the area. Bargains aren't as available as before.

Answer 6

I would go to the north suburbs. Niles, Skokie, Morton Grove, Glenview, or Park Ridge.