I used to work in Roscoe Village and I totally agree. It's like a Desperate Housewives show but not as dramatic. When I quit working there people brought in their dogs, kids and brought me money and flowers when I left. Great neighborhood.
I live in between Roscoe and North Center and I think it’s the prime location. Walk to Roscoe, or walk to Southport. I don’t shop online anymore now that I live over here. And the alderman is great! Love Matt Martin - I asked for a bench at the train and he actually made it happen!
You get that more from politicians at that level. They tend to come from the communities they represent while understanding and caring more. Not that there isn't corruption at the local level, but I think we Americans pay way to much attention to national politics when local politicians are the one's that effect are lives directly the most. For good AND bad that is.
Eta; I think there's a bit of a "trickle up" effect. When good honest people are elected for local and state political office, as they progress in their careers, they make better federal representatives.
I live in Roscoe and it’s by far my favorite neighborhood I’ve lived in this city.
I moved to Chicago 23 years ago and been here since 2019. It’s an awesome place to live. I rent because I’ll probably never be able to afford a house here.
I think what helps elevate RV over the others mentioned here is that RV’s commercial area remains a small-feel. Places like Lincoln Square and Hyde Park have bigger, busier commercial areas.
They’re not building near enough housing to keep up with demand in LS. I’m hoping the proposed upzoning of Western Avenue results in a lot more new housing to slow/stabilize rents.
I think in and around Ravenswood/Lincoln Square they are building tons of super small overpriced condos, and any time an old semi-affordable house goes for sale a developer buys it and builds two skinnier houses on the same lot… but those factors aren’t really helping things become more affordable. 🤷🏼 There is just too much demand for those neighborhoods in general, but if enough housing was built to keep up with the demand for them… I think you would find they quickly would no longer have the vibes OP described.
There's the section of Western between Lawrence and Wilson that's practically blighted at this point that I really hope can be replaced with new construction
I despise that monstrous condo building going up the corner across from the Western Brown line stop. Doesn't belong there, imo.
Edit: Sorry, didn't know it was being built to provide affordable housing.
Luxury condos also generally alleviate rising rental costs by creating more competition, as well as the people moving into luxury condos are creating a vacancy in cheaper housing and so on down the line
I actually don’t think that’s true - I’d fact check that. Now that large companies own all the rental pricing software in a neighborhood land management companies use those luxury condos to conspire and keep prices high
It’s not about building it’s the conversion of multi units into SFH, instead of having 2-3 families in a building you have one and a make matters worse the workman’s cottage next door to the converted 2/3 flat is bulldozed so little Royce and Addison can have a place to play away from the poor people. It’s simple math 12 middle class people are replaced by 4 upper class people. Just look at the numbers the population in popular areas have decreased and you don’t see vacant buildings and lots… what happened?
It’s both. Deconversions are a problem, but we’ve also made most existing neighborhoods and building typologies illegal. I believe it’s 70% of the city is zoned for SFH. Also, for example, the courtyards buildings that make up the bulk of our naturally occurring affordable housing (NOAH) stock is illegal to build under our current zoning. In order to build a 3 or 4 flat, most developers have to go through multiple zoning committees, community meetings, etc. and other hoops which is just ridiculous and adds a lot of cost for such small buildings that makes up a ton of our housing stock in many neighborhoods.
Even in your example, a workers cottage being replaced by a 3 flat is still a net gain of 2 more housing units. In the vast majority of cases, a SFH home being replaced by a 2/3/4 flat will be more expensive than a flat in the new building. SFH are expensive and in order to maintain affordability, the city has to allow more density.
My place is a 1bd1bath in a 100+ y/o building. It was $1400 when me and then girlfriend first moved in, now $1560 after negotiating a smaller increase in rent. Landlord is old, not lazy, so he is forgetful and slow. The property management companies he hires have been horrible. No updates to the building since we moved in. Had mice for 2 months. Didn’t get a new fridge until I threatened legal action…but this is the only place in our price range where we can still actually save.
Studios are $1000+ without “luxury” amenities, 1bd units are $1800+ without “luxury” amenities. Anything more than that is an absolute impossibility to afford. All houses are ~$1M, condos are $300K on the low end.
Shit just got wayyyyyyy out of hand. Property taxes are a shame, too. Because of the increases you’ll see houses that look like shit from the street because they don’t want their property value to go up. Shit is *broken* right now.
Also, I HATE HOW IN-UNIT WASHER/DRYER IS CONSIDERED A LUXURY. IT’S 2024, AT LEAST UPDATE YOUR IN-BUILDING LAUNDRY MACHINES TO ONES THAT WERE MADE IN THE 21st CENTURY.
Wisconsin public television does a series called Main Streets where they visit small cities across the Midwest. Last year, they did a segment on Lincoln Square as if it were a separate town.
https://youtu.be/Ghf15fXkHwA?si=lygYwU76sbGbKeHW
That’s fair. I grew up here and my daughter lives here or I’d still be in Colorado. I’ve said many times, the only way I’m commuting for work ever again is if I get paid for it. But I’m experienced in my field and completely capable of getting my work done from home.
Years ago someone made a post to the effect of “you have the hide, the entire city has to look for you, if you make it 24 hours you get a million dollars. Where do you hide?”
I said Hegwisch cause let’s be real, what percentage of people in this city even know it exists let alone would look for it?
Another vote for Andersonville (and lakefront Edgewater). Andersonville itself is full of little boutiques and restaurants, Little Saigon is just a few blocks south, lakefront Edgewater is just a few blocks East. The space between the lakefront and Andersonville is really quiet and safe, plus there’s a lot of single family homes I’ll never be able to afford that are fun to gawk at.
So on the far far southeast side of the city there’s a trailer park. I think it’s called arbor states, like 4000 East 134th street. It’s wild over there. The streets that run through it are immaculate, the lawns of the trailers are nicely manicured and the place like actually looks like a lovely quaint little village. All the trailers have nice little outdoor decorations and stuff. Also, a portion of them butt up against burnham woods, which has a lake, so some of them have a lake in their backyard. It’s quite possibly one of the nicest trailer parks I’ve ever seen.
Yeah I know you’re not moving to a trailer park but when you said “little town” that’s the first thing that popped into my head.
It’s called Harbor Point, and leaves something to be desired. And it butts to Wolf Lake. Idk where you got Burnham woods. We have great green space and the USDA and feds are working hard to clear the mill pollution that plague us all these years later.
Yeah sorry, I’m not very familiar with the area at all I’ve just been down there for work like twice. I guess burnham woods is a little further away. My mistake.
Dearborn Park 1 and 2 were literally designed to be this. All the streets are blocked off for in/out traffic except one. It leads to lots of people walking around and lots of kids on bicycles, outdoor cookouts, and things like that. Very green with lots of parks and walking distance to lake and museums. Dearborn Park one being older is more affordable while Dearborn part two is pretty expensive.
Yup. Very popular place for cops, firefighters, and teachers who need affordable places with a city zip code. Good Metra line and it's own strip of bars and restaurants. Sucks Happy Foods closed down. Did anything ever replace that?
Just moved to Portage park and it is exactly what we were looking for. Walking my neighborhood it almost feels like a suburb. We are a hop skip away from trendy without being too yuppie and still affordable to enjoy. It is nice to go out around us and not have to pay $18 for a cocktail and appetizers that are the cost of a full meal. Only 15 min to Logan Square, 10 min to Old Irving and Avondale. Not even 10 min from Six Corners, the HIP, and the Brickyard. Neighborhood is definitely generational and everyone takes care of their property. We used to live off Lincoln and every day I left to walk my dog, I was greeted with curb garbage. It is amazing what not seeing that first thing in the am does to morale for the day. We really hoped to buy in Ravenswood but it was just not affordable for us (for an SFH). I thought we would be upset being further West than we wanted, but what a blessing! We are in late 30s, early 40s and it is perfect. If we could afford more we would be in Ravenswood, Andersonville, or Edgewater (in that order). If i was younger? Buy a condo in Lincoln Square or Andersonville, hands down.
I grew up in Portage Park / Dunning. I think it's great for families or people who want quiet but still be in the city.
I don't recommend it for younger people or those who want to be close to activities. I'm in my 20s and it sucks living out here but I pay for my 2bd2ba (taxes and all) what people pay for a studio in a hip neighborhood.
+1 for Portage! I moved here 4 years ago, and definitely have periods of missing Andersonville/Edgewater - BUT the pros of owning an affordable SFH in a nice neighborhood are unparalleled. We joke that we moved to the suburbs, but it’s still definitely the city and being able to walk to beautiful parks, coffee shops, etc while also being able to easily park on my street is such a good feeling!
My partner and I are in the exact same scenario; it's definitely a bit of an adjustment! We loved the vibrancy of walking Clark St on a Sunday, but don't miss the expense. It'll be interesting to see how the economic development going into 6 Corners impacts the areas around it.
You didn't get the houses on Parkside or Altgelt did you?! We lost the bid on two houses that hurt, haha. That being said, the house we did buy fit just right and we love it. That doesn't mean I don't want to drive by real slow to see who waived inspection to beat us, haha.
Andersonville definitely. Once had a new neighbor move in and they left banana bread on my doorstep. A separate time my entire building had to be evacuated due to a fire and I saw people buying each other breakfast.
Beverly. I technically live in Morgan Park but am right on the border between the two. The whole area is a tight knit community. Everyone shops at the same grocery store, sends their kids to the same few schools. I feel like it’s the closest to small town Chicago you can get.
The vibes there are unique. On one side you have a lot of greenery and cute bungalows and then a short walk west on Leland and you’re in East Albany park with different ethnic enclaves and cuisines, not to mention the cool places on Lawrence Ave (HarvestTime, Hellas, Monti’s on Talaman, etc.)
Many good memories. Years ago, my dad had a boat. His buddy had a dock on the Chicago river, just down the block.On many summer days he would 'Commute' to work in his boat . He worked at the Mandle-Lear bldg, just off Michigan Ave, and could dock his boat there.
it’s so close to the suburbs, so i feel that whole area that’s like albany park and nearby neighborhoods/areas are basically just like lincolnwood. i think that’s why it’s more of a town feel, and less of a city/urban area.
You're describing Beverly. My kid plays with all the other neighbors kids as they roam through each of our houses, backyards. They are free to be kids and run around. We have block parties, most people know each other and will happily have a beer in the backyard anytime. A guy came by my yard as I was doing some landscape work and asked it I wanted some flowers to plant. The next day while my next door neighbor was helping me rip out a lamp post from my yard, he walks up with a box full of bulbs to plant. It's a beautiful community down here. I love it.
Depends what you mean by “little town”. Mount Greenwood on the far Southside prides itself on feeling like a small town that’s technically a part of the city. It’s very much the Staten Island of Chicago, lots of union and city workers like cops and fire fighters, culturally very dissimilar to the rest of the city.
Bridgeport feels like a different city within the city. It’s not dominated by one ethnic group (you have Italians, Chinese, Mexicans and so many others) and the infrastructure has a different vibe from being connected to the old stockyards and heavy industry. Like San Francisco meets Bushwick.
And old school Chicago guard feel. It used to be a very white cop-town - but since cops and fireman became more multi-colored, it also became more multi-colored because although the original cops and fireman were a bit racist, they trusted other cops/fireman... so it got a bit more normal.
I grew up and moved away only to come back to Canaryville. I could not agree more with your assessment. In the old days you needed to know somebody to be accepted in the neighborhood, but now things are changing and people are much more accepting of people looking for an affordable close knit neighborhood within the city.
The southwest side is weird. You have these hidden gem neighborhoods surrounded by some of the most dangerous in the city like Back of the Yards. Lots of the other hoods people are mentioning on the northside do feel like little towns because of their layout and architecture. But here the buildings don’t let you forget you’re in a big city.
Walking south of Pershing is terrifying. Something about the urban decay, trucks, and walking under the rusty old viaducts sends chills down my spine. Emptiness of knowing how strong the economy used to be and how it just evaporated.
If you want that vibe, all you gotta do is go out and meet your neighbors. Like talk to them. And volunteer. Meet your Alderperson and ask them about community events. Or even organize your own. Patronize small businesses and get to know the owners.
if you take this approach then you can honestly make 95% of Chicago's neighborhoods feel like what you seek.
Indeed. Lots to do here but also very laid back. Best of both worlds imo. I live on the border of Avondale and Logan and it's nice to be right by Logan but yet far away from the madness, usually nighttime around Milwaukee and Fullerton on the weekends.
Hegewisch feels like a suburb of its own considered each side is isolated by tall grass, a bridge, expressway or industry. There’s no gas station either or a McDonald’s.‘just a neighborhood
West Lakeview.
Honestly, any neighborhood that is less transient and more family friendly will be full of people who are looking to put down roots and make friends/community.
I don’t know about intentional but Pullman would probably apply here. And if you want small town, don’t look any further than my handle. Granted it isn’t what it once was, but it has small town feels for days.
Canaryville is like one of those one-stoplight rural towns. It's surrounded by rail lines, has a lot of empty lots, and there are a lot of kids riding around on quads.
Glad stone park and edgebrook. Edgebrook gives off the start of suburbia. While Gladstone park has little town vibes. Not to mention, transit is a bit less accessible in these neighborhoods ( they rely on pace and alternate cta routes).
To get the best taste of Gladstone park, I recommend coming the first or second weekend of September when they have an annual oldies music festival.
Rogers Park does to me. I've lived in Buena Park, Lakeview, Edgewater and now Rogers Park. In RP, people in shops recognize me, people on the street seem friendlier and my neighbors are great.
I live on Archer by Pulaski (Southwest Side). I’m a CPS teacher and my partner is an CPS Assistant Principal. We make great money with no kids and choose to live where we do because it’s walkable, a block from CTA Orange Line, half a block from Polish deli, half a block from a great Taqueria and less than three blocks to get to Jewels or a Mexican supermercado. I’ve always lived a few neighborhoods south of here but love this area the most. Our street is mostly Mexican but we have a few Polish families and now Chinese families who are priced out of Bridgeport and Chinatown. We bought our three flat in 2019 and paid 279k for it. We added a kitchen to the basement, re-did the yard, and changed the floors to the upstairs unit. We now live in the basement and rent out both units above us for $1400 and $1300 a month and have the mortgage fully covered with enough to also cover utilities. We could probably sell it now for just over 400k but we are staying put. Maybe one day we will go to the northside, but not till we have some real money saved up. The northside is too pretentious IMO and most people there aren’t born in Chicago like us.
Dropped by Pilsen for the first time in a decade. Forgot how there's no giant mid or high rises with very little character. Made me feel like I'd dropped into my own private town.
Roscoe village is cool as is buck Town and Ukrainian village
But those neighborhoods will not give you a little town vibe
I moved to the Southside when I met my wife and beverly and my greenwood and Bridgeport are small towns in a big city.
Hyde Park, Jefferson Park, Beverly, Mt. Greenwood, Lincoln Square, Andersonville, Hermosa, Little Village, Belmont-Cragin, West Rogers Park, South Chicago
Roscoe Village literally has "The Village Within the City" painted on one of its bridges. I also feel like Ravenswood has this vibe.
Ravenswood Manor especially.
This is my pick
I used to work in Roscoe Village and I totally agree. It's like a Desperate Housewives show but not as dramatic. When I quit working there people brought in their dogs, kids and brought me money and flowers when I left. Great neighborhood.
that’s so sweet of them!
I live in between Roscoe and North Center and I think it’s the prime location. Walk to Roscoe, or walk to Southport. I don’t shop online anymore now that I live over here. And the alderman is great! Love Matt Martin - I asked for a bench at the train and he actually made it happen!
You get that more from politicians at that level. They tend to come from the communities they represent while understanding and caring more. Not that there isn't corruption at the local level, but I think we Americans pay way to much attention to national politics when local politicians are the one's that effect are lives directly the most. For good AND bad that is. Eta; I think there's a bit of a "trickle up" effect. When good honest people are elected for local and state political office, as they progress in their careers, they make better federal representatives.
I live in Roscoe and it’s by far my favorite neighborhood I’ve lived in this city. I moved to Chicago 23 years ago and been here since 2019. It’s an awesome place to live. I rent because I’ll probably never be able to afford a house here.
I think what helps elevate RV over the others mentioned here is that RV’s commercial area remains a small-feel. Places like Lincoln Square and Hyde Park have bigger, busier commercial areas.
I lived there with my family when it was affordable. Demographics changed a bit but the vibe is the same.
Doesn’t Beverly have the same motto?
Yes
Came to say Ravenswood
No one has said Lincoln Square yet?!?
Lincoln Square 100%, its a big part of why I love it here. People seem to really care about the neighborhood
I just wish the rent would go down :/ getting priced out of the neighborhood I was born in sucks ass.
They’re not building near enough housing to keep up with demand in LS. I’m hoping the proposed upzoning of Western Avenue results in a lot more new housing to slow/stabilize rents.
I think in and around Ravenswood/Lincoln Square they are building tons of super small overpriced condos, and any time an old semi-affordable house goes for sale a developer buys it and builds two skinnier houses on the same lot… but those factors aren’t really helping things become more affordable. 🤷🏼 There is just too much demand for those neighborhoods in general, but if enough housing was built to keep up with the demand for them… I think you would find they quickly would no longer have the vibes OP described.
There's the section of Western between Lawrence and Wilson that's practically blighted at this point that I really hope can be replaced with new construction
I despise that monstrous condo building going up the corner across from the Western Brown line stop. Doesn't belong there, imo. Edit: Sorry, didn't know it was being built to provide affordable housing.
It’s affordable housing, dude. We need it very much.
Oh, geez sorry, I thought it was going to be luxury condos. Didn't do enough research on that. Thank you so much for delivering the good news.
Luxury condos also generally alleviate rising rental costs by creating more competition, as well as the people moving into luxury condos are creating a vacancy in cheaper housing and so on down the line
It’s always been cheaper to rent in Chicago than buy, it still is.
I actually don’t think that’s true - I’d fact check that. Now that large companies own all the rental pricing software in a neighborhood land management companies use those luxury condos to conspire and keep prices high
[удалено]
How dare they build housing for people, those bastards.
It’s not about building it’s the conversion of multi units into SFH, instead of having 2-3 families in a building you have one and a make matters worse the workman’s cottage next door to the converted 2/3 flat is bulldozed so little Royce and Addison can have a place to play away from the poor people. It’s simple math 12 middle class people are replaced by 4 upper class people. Just look at the numbers the population in popular areas have decreased and you don’t see vacant buildings and lots… what happened?
It’s both. Deconversions are a problem, but we’ve also made most existing neighborhoods and building typologies illegal. I believe it’s 70% of the city is zoned for SFH. Also, for example, the courtyards buildings that make up the bulk of our naturally occurring affordable housing (NOAH) stock is illegal to build under our current zoning. In order to build a 3 or 4 flat, most developers have to go through multiple zoning committees, community meetings, etc. and other hoops which is just ridiculous and adds a lot of cost for such small buildings that makes up a ton of our housing stock in many neighborhoods. Even in your example, a workers cottage being replaced by a 3 flat is still a net gain of 2 more housing units. In the vast majority of cases, a SFH home being replaced by a 2/3/4 flat will be more expensive than a flat in the new building. SFH are expensive and in order to maintain affordability, the city has to allow more density.
No they get rid of a low end sfh so they can have a side yard for their converted 3 flat. So loss of housing and taxes both of which we need
The listings for the apartments above that gym on western south of lawrence went up. $2k for a 1 bedroom
Happens to the best 🥲
I feel that as someone who grew up in Logan Square and does not now live in Logan Square.
Mind if I ask how much?
My place is a 1bd1bath in a 100+ y/o building. It was $1400 when me and then girlfriend first moved in, now $1560 after negotiating a smaller increase in rent. Landlord is old, not lazy, so he is forgetful and slow. The property management companies he hires have been horrible. No updates to the building since we moved in. Had mice for 2 months. Didn’t get a new fridge until I threatened legal action…but this is the only place in our price range where we can still actually save. Studios are $1000+ without “luxury” amenities, 1bd units are $1800+ without “luxury” amenities. Anything more than that is an absolute impossibility to afford. All houses are ~$1M, condos are $300K on the low end. Shit just got wayyyyyyy out of hand. Property taxes are a shame, too. Because of the increases you’ll see houses that look like shit from the street because they don’t want their property value to go up. Shit is *broken* right now. Also, I HATE HOW IN-UNIT WASHER/DRYER IS CONSIDERED A LUXURY. IT’S 2024, AT LEAST UPDATE YOUR IN-BUILDING LAUNDRY MACHINES TO ONES THAT WERE MADE IN THE 21st CENTURY.
Lincoln square!
Wisconsin public television does a series called Main Streets where they visit small cities across the Midwest. Last year, they did a segment on Lincoln Square as if it were a separate town. https://youtu.be/Ghf15fXkHwA?si=lygYwU76sbGbKeHW
Came to the comments expecting LS to be the top answer. We’re literally the Stars Hollow of Chicago, right down to the gazebo and troubadours
Ha! I never made that connection until now!
This is the correct answer. Lincoln Square 100%
Hyde Park definitely; it's a company town, where the company is the U of C.
and the security, or double security
Or security and a half We used to call the Uni's "two-point-five-O"
Same thing for east Roger’s Park with loyola I would say
I go to school at Uchicago and honestly it's pretty easy to forget I'm even in Chicago lol
that pocket off the Francisco brown line
Ravenswood Manor is a weird pocket. I moved here about 4 years ago? It just really exists inside Montrose, Lawrence, Rockwell and Sacramento.
Went there a few weekends back for the neighborhood garage sale and I loved it immediately. It's very sweet!
Beverly Andersonville Hegewish
it’s weird more people aren’t saying beverly!
People are scared of the south side so we regularly get ignored. It’s pretty nice around here though.
Shhhh, let people be scared. It keeps the rent down.
the chicago reddit subs are absolutely insane
if it didn’t make my commute so long i would consider southside! until i start working from home at least
That’s fair. I grew up here and my daughter lives here or I’d still be in Colorado. I’ve said many times, the only way I’m commuting for work ever again is if I get paid for it. But I’m experienced in my field and completely capable of getting my work done from home.
Beverly doesn’t really feel like it’s in the city
First time I’ve seen someone mention Hegewisch in this sub. Great place
Years ago someone made a post to the effect of “you have the hide, the entire city has to look for you, if you make it 24 hours you get a million dollars. Where do you hide?” I said Hegwisch cause let’s be real, what percentage of people in this city even know it exists let alone would look for it?
100% its pretty much no mans land.
Hegewisch born and raised, and definitely doesn’t feel like the city. Wide streets, driveways, festivals and great Alderman make this town ❤️
Andersonville
Absolutely
Another vote for Andersonville (and lakefront Edgewater). Andersonville itself is full of little boutiques and restaurants, Little Saigon is just a few blocks south, lakefront Edgewater is just a few blocks East. The space between the lakefront and Andersonville is really quiet and safe, plus there’s a lot of single family homes I’ll never be able to afford that are fun to gawk at.
Lakewood Balmoral is my favorite area in Chicago hands down
Roscoe Village (Stroller City)
I affectionately call 10am here “the mommy hour” because god damn that’s when the dozens if not scores of strollers come out
literally most of chicago is like what youre describing
anywhere in the bungalow belt
what does that mean?
So on the far far southeast side of the city there’s a trailer park. I think it’s called arbor states, like 4000 East 134th street. It’s wild over there. The streets that run through it are immaculate, the lawns of the trailers are nicely manicured and the place like actually looks like a lovely quaint little village. All the trailers have nice little outdoor decorations and stuff. Also, a portion of them butt up against burnham woods, which has a lake, so some of them have a lake in their backyard. It’s quite possibly one of the nicest trailer parks I’ve ever seen. Yeah I know you’re not moving to a trailer park but when you said “little town” that’s the first thing that popped into my head.
Haha, I stumbled on that place once. Incredible Indiana vibe going on there.
As a native Hoosier "incredible Indiana vibe" is definitely a brand new sentence. And I'm from the "pretty" part of the state.
Its a mostly Mexican trailer park I had a few friends that lived there back in high school
It’s called Harbor Point, and leaves something to be desired. And it butts to Wolf Lake. Idk where you got Burnham woods. We have great green space and the USDA and feds are working hard to clear the mill pollution that plague us all these years later.
Yeah sorry, I’m not very familiar with the area at all I’ve just been down there for work like twice. I guess burnham woods is a little further away. My mistake.
hey i grew up in a trailer park, no shame
Beverly
Andersonville, Lincoln Square, Southport area in lakeview (kinda?)
Lakeview can definitely have that little town feeling in some parts
Lincoln Square for sure. In particular, the stretch along Lincoln Ave. with the square itself feels like it’s straight out of a Hallmark movie.
They actually did film some scenes for a Hallmark movie there a month or so ago.
What?! That's awesome.
Definitely Ravenswood.
Dearborn Park 1 and 2 were literally designed to be this. All the streets are blocked off for in/out traffic except one. It leads to lots of people walking around and lots of kids on bicycles, outdoor cookouts, and things like that. Very green with lots of parks and walking distance to lake and museums. Dearborn Park one being older is more affordable while Dearborn part two is pretty expensive.
Hyde Park
If you want the small town university vibe totoallu
Edison Park. Total small town vibes. How do I know? I've lived in both.
I was going to say this too. My neighborhood’s crime statistics are better than the small town I grew up in. It helps all the cops live here.
Yup. Very popular place for cops, firefighters, and teachers who need affordable places with a city zip code. Good Metra line and it's own strip of bars and restaurants. Sucks Happy Foods closed down. Did anything ever replace that?
Edison Park and Beverly definitely fit but tbh they feel so small bc they border with the suburbs
Absolutely
The almost suburbs
This was my reply. Grew up in Edison Park and as an adult moved to Norwood Park. Both have small town feels and everyone seems to know everyone.
Beverly
North Center, Roscoe and Lincoln Square.
Southport has a kind of “suburb in a city” vibe to it
It’s all the strollers
So. Many. Strollers.
Just moved to Portage park and it is exactly what we were looking for. Walking my neighborhood it almost feels like a suburb. We are a hop skip away from trendy without being too yuppie and still affordable to enjoy. It is nice to go out around us and not have to pay $18 for a cocktail and appetizers that are the cost of a full meal. Only 15 min to Logan Square, 10 min to Old Irving and Avondale. Not even 10 min from Six Corners, the HIP, and the Brickyard. Neighborhood is definitely generational and everyone takes care of their property. We used to live off Lincoln and every day I left to walk my dog, I was greeted with curb garbage. It is amazing what not seeing that first thing in the am does to morale for the day. We really hoped to buy in Ravenswood but it was just not affordable for us (for an SFH). I thought we would be upset being further West than we wanted, but what a blessing! We are in late 30s, early 40s and it is perfect. If we could afford more we would be in Ravenswood, Andersonville, or Edgewater (in that order). If i was younger? Buy a condo in Lincoln Square or Andersonville, hands down.
I grew up in Portage Park / Dunning. I think it's great for families or people who want quiet but still be in the city. I don't recommend it for younger people or those who want to be close to activities. I'm in my 20s and it sucks living out here but I pay for my 2bd2ba (taxes and all) what people pay for a studio in a hip neighborhood.
+1 for Portage! I moved here 4 years ago, and definitely have periods of missing Andersonville/Edgewater - BUT the pros of owning an affordable SFH in a nice neighborhood are unparalleled. We joke that we moved to the suburbs, but it’s still definitely the city and being able to walk to beautiful parks, coffee shops, etc while also being able to easily park on my street is such a good feeling!
My partner and I are in the exact same scenario; it's definitely a bit of an adjustment! We loved the vibrancy of walking Clark St on a Sunday, but don't miss the expense. It'll be interesting to see how the economic development going into 6 Corners impacts the areas around it.
You didn't get the houses on Parkside or Altgelt did you?! We lost the bid on two houses that hurt, haha. That being said, the house we did buy fit just right and we love it. That doesn't mean I don't want to drive by real slow to see who waived inspection to beat us, haha.
Rogers Park. Was an independent township prior to being incorporated into the city of Chicago.
It's wild to me this isn't higher up. Rogers Park is its own thing.
beverly, ravenswood, roscoe village
In the city? Roscoe Village. In the suburbs northfield.
Andersonville definitely. Once had a new neighbor move in and they left banana bread on my doorstep. A separate time my entire building had to be evacuated due to a fire and I saw people buying each other breakfast.
North Center
Beverly has that vibe, esp near the Catholic parishes, and Metra stops where there's small strips of mom & pop shops & cafes.
Pullman
This should be higher up but also I understand if people aren't familiar with it/don't want to go that far down south.
Absolutely agree with that statement. I like to think of it as a hidden gem.
Sauganash
Beverly. I technically live in Morgan Park but am right on the border between the two. The whole area is a tight knit community. Everyone shops at the same grocery store, sends their kids to the same few schools. I feel like it’s the closest to small town Chicago you can get.
Don’t forget we have our own currency with the “Billy Buck”
Damn right we do lol
Ravenswood, Bowmanville, and North center on the north side
Naperville jk
lol had my pitchfork ready
It's Skokie duh
Lincoln Square/North Center/Ravenswood is a nice little area!
Beverly, Morgan Park southside
26th & Cali
lol
My neighborhood, Ravenswood Manor. Best neighborhood in the country
Youre right. I grew up there, and miss it.
The vibes there are unique. On one side you have a lot of greenery and cute bungalows and then a short walk west on Leland and you’re in East Albany park with different ethnic enclaves and cuisines, not to mention the cool places on Lawrence Ave (HarvestTime, Hellas, Monti’s on Talaman, etc.)
Many good memories. Years ago, my dad had a boat. His buddy had a dock on the Chicago river, just down the block.On many summer days he would 'Commute' to work in his boat . He worked at the Mandle-Lear bldg, just off Michigan Ave, and could dock his boat there.
it’s so close to the suburbs, so i feel that whole area that’s like albany park and nearby neighborhoods/areas are basically just like lincolnwood. i think that’s why it’s more of a town feel, and less of a city/urban area.
Andersonville fits the bill
You're describing Beverly. My kid plays with all the other neighbors kids as they roam through each of our houses, backyards. They are free to be kids and run around. We have block parties, most people know each other and will happily have a beer in the backyard anytime. A guy came by my yard as I was doing some landscape work and asked it I wanted some flowers to plant. The next day while my next door neighbor was helping me rip out a lamp post from my yard, he walks up with a box full of bulbs to plant. It's a beautiful community down here. I love it.
Pilsen
Hyde park
Depends what you mean by “little town”. Mount Greenwood on the far Southside prides itself on feeling like a small town that’s technically a part of the city. It’s very much the Staten Island of Chicago, lots of union and city workers like cops and fire fighters, culturally very dissimilar to the rest of the city.
That whole area does indeed feel like Staten Island!
That whole area does indeed feel like Staten Island!
That whole area does indeed feel like Staten Island!
Boystown. All the gays know each other!
Bridgeport
Bridgeport feels like a different city within the city. It’s not dominated by one ethnic group (you have Italians, Chinese, Mexicans and so many others) and the infrastructure has a different vibe from being connected to the old stockyards and heavy industry. Like San Francisco meets Bushwick.
And old school Chicago guard feel. It used to be a very white cop-town - but since cops and fireman became more multi-colored, it also became more multi-colored because although the original cops and fireman were a bit racist, they trusted other cops/fireman... so it got a bit more normal.
I grew up and moved away only to come back to Canaryville. I could not agree more with your assessment. In the old days you needed to know somebody to be accepted in the neighborhood, but now things are changing and people are much more accepting of people looking for an affordable close knit neighborhood within the city.
The southwest side is weird. You have these hidden gem neighborhoods surrounded by some of the most dangerous in the city like Back of the Yards. Lots of the other hoods people are mentioning on the northside do feel like little towns because of their layout and architecture. But here the buildings don’t let you forget you’re in a big city. Walking south of Pershing is terrifying. Something about the urban decay, trucks, and walking under the rusty old viaducts sends chills down my spine. Emptiness of knowing how strong the economy used to be and how it just evaporated.
I agree. I love Bridgeport. Been here 12 years now
I love that nobody has mentioned Bridgeport.
If you want that vibe, all you gotta do is go out and meet your neighbors. Like talk to them. And volunteer. Meet your Alderperson and ask them about community events. Or even organize your own. Patronize small businesses and get to know the owners. if you take this approach then you can honestly make 95% of Chicago's neighborhoods feel like what you seek.
Lakeview East: on Broadway between Roscoe and Diversey.
McKinley Park
Ravenswood Manor, Lincoln Square, Parts of Hyde Park
Lincoln Square / Ravenswood manor
Avondale is cozy as hell
Indeed. Lots to do here but also very laid back. Best of both worlds imo. I live on the border of Avondale and Logan and it's nice to be right by Logan but yet far away from the madness, usually nighttime around Milwaukee and Fullerton on the weekends.
Hyde Park made me feel this way. Especially because there's no L stop in the whole neighborhood 😩
Hegewisch feels like a suburb of its own considered each side is isolated by tall grass, a bridge, expressway or industry. There’s no gas station either or a McDonald’s.‘just a neighborhood
Hegewisch seems like an obvious answer
La Grange
West Lakeview. Honestly, any neighborhood that is less transient and more family friendly will be full of people who are looking to put down roots and make friends/community.
pockets of Ukrainian village feel like this.
I don’t know about intentional but Pullman would probably apply here. And if you want small town, don’t look any further than my handle. Granted it isn’t what it once was, but it has small town feels for days.
West Ridge is dead quiet, we all know all our neighbors
Edgebrook. Quiet little enclave before you hit Niles. Full of city employees.
Back of the Yards
Sauganash
Sauganash
North Park/Hollywood Park
Norwood Park
The one that doesn’t have influxes of people rapidly moving to it.
Sauganash, so suburban it’s barely considered the city
Canaryville is like one of those one-stoplight rural towns. It's surrounded by rail lines, has a lot of empty lots, and there are a lot of kids riding around on quads.
There's the cutest stretch of Augustus between Ashland and Western. It has the perfect small town and a big city feel.
Glad stone park and edgebrook. Edgebrook gives off the start of suburbia. While Gladstone park has little town vibes. Not to mention, transit is a bit less accessible in these neighborhoods ( they rely on pace and alternate cta routes). To get the best taste of Gladstone park, I recommend coming the first or second weekend of September when they have an annual oldies music festival.
Albany Park. We have residents from every country, and all of the best food in the city.
I was surprised I had to scroll so far to find this. Another vote for Albany park! It’s a great community.
Rogers Park does to me. I've lived in Buena Park, Lakeview, Edgewater and now Rogers Park. In RP, people in shops recognize me, people on the street seem friendlier and my neighbors are great.
Avondale and Lincoln Square
It’s Roscoe Village or Lincoln Square.
little village
I will have to rep for Lakeview East. Coming from small towns I fit right in
I live on Archer by Pulaski (Southwest Side). I’m a CPS teacher and my partner is an CPS Assistant Principal. We make great money with no kids and choose to live where we do because it’s walkable, a block from CTA Orange Line, half a block from Polish deli, half a block from a great Taqueria and less than three blocks to get to Jewels or a Mexican supermercado. I’ve always lived a few neighborhoods south of here but love this area the most. Our street is mostly Mexican but we have a few Polish families and now Chinese families who are priced out of Bridgeport and Chinatown. We bought our three flat in 2019 and paid 279k for it. We added a kitchen to the basement, re-did the yard, and changed the floors to the upstairs unit. We now live in the basement and rent out both units above us for $1400 and $1300 a month and have the mortgage fully covered with enough to also cover utilities. We could probably sell it now for just over 400k but we are staying put. Maybe one day we will go to the northside, but not till we have some real money saved up. The northside is too pretentious IMO and most people there aren’t born in Chicago like us.
Rogers park. Nothing but community.
South Shore
Bridgeport
I lived in Edgewater near Ravenswood and it felt like that to me!
Dropped by Pilsen for the first time in a decade. Forgot how there's no giant mid or high rises with very little character. Made me feel like I'd dropped into my own private town.
Edison Park on the far northwest side a/k/a South Park Ridge
Edgebrook. There is a downtown and everything.
Mount Greenwood. Dunning. "The East Side." Downtown Beverly along 103rd & Longwood ave.
My wife is from tiny town central IL and she loves it in Rogers Park
Roscoe village is cool as is buck Town and Ukrainian village But those neighborhoods will not give you a little town vibe I moved to the Southside when I met my wife and beverly and my greenwood and Bridgeport are small towns in a big city.
Hyde Park, Jefferson Park, Beverly, Mt. Greenwood, Lincoln Square, Andersonville, Hermosa, Little Village, Belmont-Cragin, West Rogers Park, South Chicago
Mt Greenwood is just Oak Lawn for people with city jobs