Chicago/Compare
Lincoln Park vs North Center
Lincoln Park and North Center are two official community areas in Chicago. North Center is the calmer Part I map (100 vs 58). Lincoln Park wins the errand count. North Center has the lower ACS median ($1,847).
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 | North Center |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | 58 | 100 |
| Schools | 100 | 90 |
| Walk | 25 | 3 |
| Cost fit | 100 | 100 |
| Vibe | 25 | 4 |
| Median rent | $2,128 | $1,847 |
| Median home | $724,714 | $733,385 |
| Population | 67,987 | 36,014 |
| Commute to The Loop | 20 min | 42 min |
| Commute to North Side | 6 min | 31 min |
| Commute to West Loop | 40 min | 36 min |
Living numbers
Who rents, how old, how much crime, how many shops — beside the scores.
| Fact | Lincoln Park | North Center |
|---|---|---|
| Renters | 55% | 43% |
| Median age | 31.9 | 36 |
| Median income | $149K | $147K |
| Part I per 1k | 32.8 | 17.7 |
| Groceries / 800m | 24 | 19 |
| Transit stops / 800m | 176 | 121 |
| Parks / 800m | 272 | 48 |
| 311 last 14 days | 1,288 | 301 |
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. N Ctr is 28% 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 you want the errands on foot. Vibe is 25 vs 4. Walk is 25 vs 3. 20 vs 42 minutes to The Loop. Read both pages before you decide.
Pick North Center if the quieter map matters more than the scene and the rent gap is the point. Safety is 100 vs 58. ACS median rent is $1,847 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
North Center
Roscoe Village strollers and high home values. Quiet streets with a short hop to the river.
$1,847 median rent · safety 100 · walk 3
Common questions
Same pair, said in questions. The numbers are in the tables.
Which is cheaper, Lincoln Park or North Center?
North Center is the lower ACS median: $2,128 vs $1,847. About 43% rent in North Center vs 55% in Lincoln Park. Survey medians, not a listing you can message tonight.
Is Lincoln Park more walkable than North Center?
Lincoln Park wins the errand count (walk 25 vs 3). Groceries inside 800 meters: 24 vs 19. Not a Walk Score license.
Which is safer on this map, Lincoln Park or North Center?
North Center is the calmer Part I read (100 vs 58). Combined rate 17.7 vs 32.8 per 1,000. Visitors count in those numbers.
Which scores higher for families, Lincoln Park or North Center?
Lincoln Park leads the school axis (100 vs 90). Nearby rating is 8.8 / 10 vs 8.5 / 10. Median age 31.9 vs 36. North Center 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, 42 from North Center. 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 North Center: 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.