Chicago/Compare
Douglas vs Lower West Side
Douglas and Lower West Side are two official community areas in Chicago. Lower West Side is the calmer Part I map (37 vs 11). Lower West Side wins the errand count. Douglas has the lower ACS median ($1,059).
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 | Douglas | Lower West Side |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | 11 | 37 |
| Schools | 7 | 23 |
| Walk | 2 | 7 |
| Cost fit | 100 | 100 |
| Vibe | 4 | 4 |
| Median rent | $1,059 | $1,370 |
| Median home | $330,291 | $359,114 |
| Population | 21,088 | 33,446 |
| Commute to The Loop | 27 min | 47 min |
| Commute to North Side | 36 min | 54 min |
| Commute to West Loop | 18 min | 20 min |
Living numbers
Who rents, how old, how much crime, how many shops — beside the scores.
| Fact | Douglas | Lower West Side |
|---|---|---|
| Renters | 80% | 68% |
| Median age | 34.2 | 34.7 |
| Median income | $53K | $77K |
| Part I per 1k | 62.4 | 38.1 |
| Groceries / 800m | 6 | 19 |
| Transit stops / 800m | 108 | 169 |
| Parks / 800m | 103 | 59 |
| 311 last 14 days | 64 | 380 |
Rent
Rent since 2014
ACS 5-year median gross rent for Chicago city. Up 50% since 2014. Bronzv is 26% 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 Douglas if the shorter ride to The Loop is the point and the rent gap is the point. 27 vs 47 minutes to The Loop. ACS median rent is $1,059 vs $1,370. Read both pages before you decide.
Pick Lower West Side if the quieter map matters more than the scene and the school rating nearby is the point. Safety is 37 vs 11. Schools score 23 vs 7. Vibe is 4 vs 4. Read both pages before you decide.
Douglas
Bronzeville history on the official Douglas map. Boulevards, new builds, and a short ride to the Loop.
$1,059 median rent · safety 11 · walk 2
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, Douglas or Lower West Side?
Douglas is the lower ACS median: $1,059 vs $1,370. About 80% rent in Douglas vs 68% in Lower West Side. Survey medians, not a listing you can message tonight.
Is Douglas more walkable than Lower West Side?
Lower West Side wins the errand count (walk 2 vs 7). Groceries inside 800 meters: 6 vs 19. Not a Walk Score license.
Which is safer on this map, Douglas or Lower West Side?
Lower West Side is the calmer Part I read (37 vs 11). Combined rate 38.1 vs 62.4 per 1,000. Visitors count in those numbers.
Which scores higher for families, Douglas or Lower West Side?
Lower West Side leads the school axis (23 vs 7). Nearby rating is 6.5 / 10 vs 6.0 / 10. Median age 34.7 vs 34.2. Neither number is a school assignment.
Which has the shorter commute to The Loop?
27 minutes from Douglas to The Loop, 47 from Lower West Side. Douglas is the shorter weekday. Not this hour's traffic.
If you drop both
Closest official community area that is not Douglas or Lower West Side: Bridgeport. Sox territory, bungalows, and a Chinatown-adjacent grid. South Side without a lakefront premium.
Scores are relative among official Chicago community areas with the same editorial weights. Read the method.