Chicago/Compare
Bridgeport vs Lower West Side
Bridgeport and Lower West Side are two official community areas in Chicago. Bridgeport is the calmer Part I map (89 vs 37). Lower West Side wins the errand count. Bridgeport has the lower ACS median ($1,364).
Data vintage. ACS 2024 5-year · CPD Sep 2025 – Aug 2026 · OSM Aug 2026 · updated Sep 2026
Scores
Fit axes among official Chicago community areas.
| Axis | Bridgeport | Lower West Side |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | 89 | 37 |
| Schools | 47 | 23 |
| Walk | 0 | 7 |
| Cost fit | 100 | 100 |
| Vibe | 2 | 4 |
| Median rent | $1,364 | $1,370 |
| Median home | $435,734 | $359,114 |
| Population | 33,675 | 33,446 |
| Commute to The Loop | 30 min | 47 min |
| Commute to North Side | 41 min | 54 min |
| Commute to West Loop | 24 min | 20 min |
Living numbers
Who rents, how old, how much crime, how many shops — beside the scores.
| Fact | Bridgeport | Lower West Side |
|---|---|---|
| Renters | 50% | 68% |
| Median age | 38.1 | 34.7 |
| Median income | $79K | $77K |
| Part I per 1k | 21.6 | 38.1 |
| Groceries / 800m | 8 | 19 |
| Transit stops / 800m | 119 | 169 |
| Parks / 800m | 51 | 59 |
| 311 last 14 days | 284 | 380 |
Rent
Rent since 2014
ACS 5-year median gross rent for Chicago city. Up 50% since 2014. Bridgpt is 5% below the 2024 city median. Pilsen is 5% below the 2024 city median.
Overlapping 5-year ACS windows (B25064), not asking rent. Census does not publish a rent series for each official neighborhood, so the line is the city place. Dashed marks are each area’s ACS 2024 median.
Which to pick
The same numbers as the table, in sentences. Nobody wins the city.
Pick Bridgeport if the quieter map matters more than the scene and the school rating nearby is the point. Safety is 89 vs 37. Schools score 47 vs 23. 30 vs 47 minutes to The Loop. Read both pages before you decide.
Pick Lower West Side if you want the cafes and the night. Vibe is 4 vs 2. Read both pages before you decide.
Bridgeport
Sox territory, bungalows, and a Chinatown-adjacent grid. South Side without a lakefront premium.
$1,364 median rent · safety 89 · walk 0
Lower West Side
Pilsen murals and 18th Street. The official name is Lower West Side; everyone searches Pilsen.
$1,370 median rent · safety 37 · walk 7
Common questions
Same pair, said in questions. The numbers are in the tables.
Which is cheaper, Bridgeport or Lower West Side?
Bridgeport is the lower ACS median: $1,364 vs $1,370. About 50% rent in Bridgeport vs 68% in Lower West Side. Survey medians, not a listing you can message tonight.
Is Bridgeport more walkable than Lower West Side?
Lower West Side wins the errand count (walk 0 vs 7). Groceries inside 800 meters: 8 vs 19. Not a Walk Score license.
Which is safer on this map, Bridgeport or Lower West Side?
Bridgeport is the calmer Part I read (89 vs 37). Combined rate 21.6 vs 38.1 per 1,000. Visitors count in those numbers.
Which scores higher for families, Bridgeport or Lower West Side?
Bridgeport leads the school axis (47 vs 23). Nearby rating is 7.2 / 10 vs 6.5 / 10. Median age 38.1 vs 34.7. Lower West Side has more of the night. Neither number is a school assignment.
Which has the shorter commute to The Loop?
30 minutes from Bridgeport to The Loop, 47 from Lower West Side. Bridgeport is the shorter weekday. Not this hour's traffic.
If you drop both
Closest official community area that is not Bridgeport or Lower West Side: Douglas. Bronzeville history on the official Douglas map. Boulevards, new builds, and a short ride to the Loop.
Scores are relative among official Chicago community areas with the same editorial weights. Read the method.