Chicago/Compare
Lincoln Park vs Lincoln Square
Lincoln Park and Lincoln Square are two official community areas in Chicago. Lincoln Square is the calmer Part I map (84 vs 58). Lincoln Park wins the errand count. Lincoln Square has the lower ACS median ($1,576).
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 | Lincoln Park | Lincoln Square |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | 58 | 84 |
| Schools | 100 | 80 |
| Walk | 25 | 5 |
| Cost fit | 100 | 100 |
| Vibe | 25 | 4 |
| Median rent | $2,128 | $1,576 |
| Median home | $724,714 | $473,031 |
| Population | 67,987 | 41,651 |
| Commute to The Loop | 20 min | 51 min |
| Commute to North Side | 6 min | 38 min |
| Commute to West Loop | 40 min | 46 min |
Living numbers
Who rents, how old, how much crime, how many shops — beside the scores.
| Fact | Lincoln Park | Lincoln Square |
|---|---|---|
| Renters | 55% | 59% |
| Median age | 31.9 | 37.1 |
| Median income | $149K | $92K |
| Part I per 1k | 32.8 | 21.7 |
| Groceries / 800m | 24 | 14 |
| Transit stops / 800m | 176 | 143 |
| Parks / 800m | 272 | 60 |
| 311 last 14 days | 1,288 | 342 |
Rent
Rent since 2014
ACS 5-year median gross rent for Chicago city. Up 50% since 2014. Linc Pk is 48% above the 2024 city median. Linc Sq is 9% above 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 Lincoln Park if you want the cafes and the night and the shorter ride to The Loop is the point. Vibe is 25 vs 4. 20 vs 51 minutes to The Loop. Schools score 100 vs 80. Read both pages before you decide.
Pick Lincoln Square if the quieter map matters more than the scene and the rent gap is the point. Safety is 84 vs 58. ACS median rent is $1,576 vs $2,128. Read both pages before you decide.
Lincoln Park
Zoo, zoo-adjacent rents, and DePaul. The park is the brand; the side streets are the product.
$2,128 median rent · safety 58 · walk 25
Lincoln Square
Ravenswood porches and a German plaza. The family read of the North Side without giving up a Brown Line stop.
$1,576 median rent · safety 84 · walk 5
Common questions
Same pair, said in questions. The numbers are in the tables.
Which is cheaper, Lincoln Park or Lincoln Square?
Lincoln Square is the lower ACS median: $2,128 vs $1,576. About 59% rent in Lincoln Square vs 55% in Lincoln Park. Survey medians, not a listing you can message tonight.
Is Lincoln Park more walkable than Lincoln Square?
Lincoln Park wins the errand count (walk 25 vs 5). Groceries inside 800 meters: 24 vs 14. Not a Walk Score license.
Which is safer on this map, Lincoln Park or Lincoln Square?
Lincoln Square is the calmer Part I read (84 vs 58). Combined rate 21.7 vs 32.8 per 1,000. Visitors count in those numbers.
Which scores higher for families, Lincoln Park or Lincoln Square?
Lincoln Park leads the school axis (100 vs 80). Nearby rating is 8.8 / 10 vs 8.2 / 10. Median age 31.9 vs 37.1. Lincoln Square has more of the night. Neither number is a school assignment.
Which has the shorter commute to The Loop?
20 minutes from Lincoln Park to The Loop, 51 from Lincoln Square. Lincoln Park is the shorter weekday. Not this hour's traffic.
If you drop both
Closest official community area that is not Lincoln Park or Lincoln Square: Lake View. Wrigley, Broadway, and the lakefront path. Nightlife is the tax; the Red Line is the amenity.
Scores are relative among official Chicago community areas with the same editorial weights. Read the method.