Chicago/Compare
Lincoln Park vs Near South Side
Lincoln Park and Near South Side are two official community areas in Chicago. Near South Side is the calmer Part I map (68 vs 58). Walk is a wash (25 vs 21). 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 South Side |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | 58 | 68 |
| Schools | 100 | 47 |
| Walk | 25 | 21 |
| Cost fit | 100 | 100 |
| Vibe | 25 | 26 |
| Median rent | $2,128 | $2,403 |
| Median home | $724,714 | $462,687 |
| Population | 67,987 | 30,482 |
| Commute to The Loop | 20 min | 12 min |
| Commute to North Side | 6 min | 27 min |
| Commute to West Loop | 40 min | 38 min |
Living numbers
Who rents, how old, how much crime, how many shops — beside the scores.
| Fact | Lincoln Park | Near South Side |
|---|---|---|
| Renters | 55% | 50% |
| Median age | 31.9 | 35.4 |
| Median income | $149K | $124K |
| Part I per 1k | 32.8 | 29.8 |
| Groceries / 800m | 24 | 9 |
| Transit stops / 800m | 176 | 93 |
| Parks / 800m | 272 | 408 |
| 311 last 14 days | 1,288 | 97 |
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. S Loop is 67% 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 you want the cafes and the night. Schools score 100 vs 47. Vibe is 25 vs 26. ACS median rent is $2,128 vs $2,403. Read both pages before you decide.
Pick Near South Side if the quieter map matters more than the scene and the shorter ride to The Loop is the point. Safety is 68 vs 58. 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 South Side
South Loop towers facing the museum campus. Newer, rental-heavy, and a walk to the lake that skips Mag Mile.
$2,403 median rent · safety 68 · walk 21
Common questions
Same pair, said in questions. The numbers are in the tables.
Which is cheaper, Lincoln Park or Near South Side?
Lincoln Park is the lower ACS median: $2,128 vs $2,403. About 55% rent in Lincoln Park vs 50% in Near South Side. Survey medians, not a listing you can message tonight.
Is Lincoln Park more walkable than Near South Side?
Walk is basically a tie (25 vs 21). Count groceries if you care: 24 in Lincoln Park vs 9 in Near South Side, inside 800 meters.
Which is safer on this map, Lincoln Park or Near South Side?
Near South Side is the calmer Part I read (68 vs 58). Combined rate 29.8 vs 32.8 per 1,000. Visitors count in those numbers.
Which scores higher for families, Lincoln Park or Near South Side?
Lincoln Park leads the school axis (100 vs 47). Nearby rating is 8.8 / 10 vs 7.2 / 10. Median age 31.9 vs 35.4. Near South 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 South Side. Near South 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 South Side: Near North Side. River North restaurants, Gold Coast towers, Streeterville walks to the lake. Official name is the community area — search the nicknames.
Lincoln Park vs Near North SideNear South Side vs Near North Side
Scores are relative among official Chicago community areas with the same editorial weights. Read the method.