Chicago/Compare
Lincoln Park vs Near North Side
Lincoln Park and Near North Side are two official community areas in Chicago. Lincoln Park is the calmer Part I map (58 vs 21). Near North Side wins the errand count. Lincoln Park has the lower ACS median ($2,128).
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 | Near North Side |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | 58 | 21 |
| Schools | 100 | 40 |
| Walk | 25 | 72 |
| Cost fit | 100 | 100 |
| Vibe | 25 | 70 |
| Median rent | $2,128 | $2,277 |
| Median home | $724,714 | $554,887 |
| Population | 67,987 | 100,633 |
| Commute to The Loop | 20 min | 12 min |
| Commute to North Side | 6 min | 13 min |
| Commute to West Loop | 40 min | 37 min |
Living numbers
Who rents, how old, how much crime, how many shops — beside the scores.
| Fact | Lincoln Park | Near North Side |
|---|---|---|
| Renters | 55% | 64% |
| Median age | 31.9 | 36.2 |
| Median income | $149K | $121K |
| Part I per 1k | 32.8 | 55.6 |
| Groceries / 800m | 24 | 35 |
| Transit stops / 800m | 176 | 318 |
| Parks / 800m | 272 | 748 |
| 311 last 14 days | 1,288 | 1,043 |
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. Near N is 58% 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 the school rating nearby is the point and the quieter map matters more than the scene. Schools score 100 vs 40. Safety is 58 vs 21. Lincoln Park is tagged family on this map; Near North Side is not. Read both pages before you decide.
Pick Near North Side if you want the cafes and the night and you want the errands on foot. Vibe is 70 vs 25. Walk is 72 vs 25. 12 vs 20 minutes to The Loop. 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
Near North Side
River North restaurants, Gold Coast towers, Streeterville walks to the lake. Official name is the community area — search the nicknames.
$2,277 median rent · safety 21 · walk 72
Common questions
Same pair, said in questions. The numbers are in the tables.
Which is cheaper, Lincoln Park or Near North Side?
Lincoln Park is the lower ACS median: $2,128 vs $2,277. About 55% rent in Lincoln Park vs 64% in Near North Side. Survey medians, not a listing you can message tonight.
Is Lincoln Park more walkable than Near North Side?
Near North Side wins the errand count (walk 25 vs 72). Groceries inside 800 meters: 24 vs 35. Not a Walk Score license.
Which is safer on this map, Lincoln Park or Near North Side?
Lincoln Park is the calmer Part I read (58 vs 21). Combined rate 32.8 vs 55.6 per 1,000. Visitors count in those numbers.
Which scores higher for families, Lincoln Park or Near North Side?
Lincoln Park leads the school axis (100 vs 40). Nearby rating is 8.8 / 10 vs 7.0 / 10. Median age 31.9 vs 36.2. Near North Side 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, 12 from Near North Side. Near North Side is the shorter weekday. Not this hour's traffic.
If you drop both
Closest official community area that is not Lincoln Park or Near North Side: 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.