Chicago/Compare
Lincoln Park vs Near West Side
Lincoln Park and Near West Side are two official community areas in Chicago. Lincoln Park is the calmer Part I map (58 vs 5). Near West Side wins the errand count. Near West Side has the lower ACS median ($2,013).
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 West Side |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | 58 | 5 |
| Schools | 100 | 40 |
| Walk | 25 | 65 |
| Cost fit | 100 | 100 |
| Vibe | 25 | 55 |
| Median rent | $2,128 | $2,013 |
| Median home | $724,714 | $483,709 |
| Population | 67,987 | 68,165 |
| Commute to The Loop | 20 min | 37 min |
| Commute to North Side | 6 min | 40 min |
| Commute to West Loop | 40 min | 6 min |
Living numbers
Who rents, how old, how much crime, how many shops — beside the scores.
| Fact | Lincoln Park | Near West Side |
|---|---|---|
| Renters | 55% | 65% |
| Median age | 31.9 | 32.3 |
| Median income | $149K | $121K |
| Part I per 1k | 32.8 | 74.4 |
| Groceries / 800m | 24 | 40 |
| Transit stops / 800m | 176 | 404 |
| Parks / 800m | 272 | 622 |
| 311 last 14 days | 1,288 | 477 |
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. W Loop is 40% 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 5. 20 vs 37 minutes to The Loop. Read both pages before you decide.
Pick Near West Side if you want the errands on foot and you want the cafes and the night. Walk is 65 vs 25. Vibe is 55 vs 25. ACS median rent is $2,013 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
Near West Side
Fulton Market restaurants, United Center nights, and new towers. Property crime follows the dinner rush.
$2,013 median rent · safety 5 · walk 65
Common questions
Same pair, said in questions. The numbers are in the tables.
Which is cheaper, Lincoln Park or Near West Side?
Near West Side is the lower ACS median: $2,128 vs $2,013. About 65% rent in Near West Side vs 55% in Lincoln Park. Survey medians, not a listing you can message tonight.
Is Lincoln Park more walkable than Near West Side?
Near West Side wins the errand count (walk 25 vs 65). Groceries inside 800 meters: 24 vs 40. Not a Walk Score license.
Which is safer on this map, Lincoln Park or Near West Side?
Lincoln Park is the calmer Part I read (58 vs 5). Combined rate 32.8 vs 74.4 per 1,000. Visitors count in those numbers.
Which scores higher for families, Lincoln Park or Near West 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 32.3. Near West 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, 37 from Near West Side. 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 Near West Side: West Town. Wicker Park and Ukrainian Village live inside this community area. Division Street energy, brick two-flats behind it.
Scores are relative among official Chicago community areas with the same editorial weights. Read the method.