Chicago/Compare
Lincoln Park vs Uptown
Lincoln Park and Uptown are two official community areas in Chicago. Lincoln Park is the calmer Part I map (58 vs 47). Lincoln Park wins the errand count. Uptown has the lower ACS median ($1,326).
Data period. ACS 2024 5-year (2020-2024) · CPD Sep 2025 – Aug 2026 · OSM Aug 2026. ACS and CPD retrieved 2026-08-31; OSM retrieved 2026-08-31. Editorial copy last revised Sep 2026.
Scores
Fit axes among official Chicago community areas.
| Axis | Lincoln Park | Uptown |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | 58 | 47 |
| Schools | 100 | 33 |
| Walk | 25 | 17 |
| Cost fit | 100 | 100 |
| Vibe | 25 | 14 |
| Median rent | $2,128 | $1,326 |
| Median home | $724,714 | $331,132 |
| Population | 67,987 | 56,344 |
| Commute to The Loop | 20 min | 37 min |
| Commute to North Side | 6 min | 22 min |
| Commute to West Loop | 40 min | 49 min |
Living numbers
Who rents, how old, how much crime, how many shops — beside the scores.
| Fact | Lincoln Park | Uptown |
|---|---|---|
| Renters | 55% | 71% |
| Median age | 31.9 | 37.4 |
| Median income | $149K | $74K |
| Part I per 1k | 32.8 | 33.6 |
| Groceries / 800m | 24 | 24 |
| Transit stops / 800m | 176 | 185 |
| Parks / 800m | 272 | 188 |
| 311 last 14 days | 1,288 | 352 |
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. Uptown is 8% below 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 33. Vibe is 25 vs 14. 20 vs 37 minutes to The Loop. Read both pages before you decide.
Pick Uptown if the rent gap is the point. ACS median rent is $1,326 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
Uptown
Argyle, the Uptown Theatre, and a lakefront that never quite gentrified all the way. Density without Lake View prices.
$1,326 median rent · safety 47 · walk 17
Common questions
Same pair, said in questions. The numbers are in the tables.
Which is cheaper, Lincoln Park or Uptown?
Uptown is the lower ACS median: $2,128 vs $1,326. About 71% rent in Uptown vs 55% in Lincoln Park. Survey medians, not a listing you can message tonight.
Is Lincoln Park more walkable than Uptown?
Lincoln Park wins the errand count (walk 25 vs 17). Groceries inside 800 meters: 24 vs 24. Not a Walk Score license.
Which is safer on this map, Lincoln Park or Uptown?
Lincoln Park is the calmer Part I read (58 vs 47). Combined rate 32.8 vs 33.6 per 1,000. Visitors count in those numbers.
Which scores higher for families, Lincoln Park or Uptown?
Lincoln Park leads the school axis (100 vs 33). Nearby rating is 8.8 / 10 vs 6.8 / 10. Median age 31.9 vs 37.4. Uptown 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 Uptown. 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 Uptown: Near North Side. River North restaurants, Gold Coast towers, Streeterville walks to the lake. Official name is the community area — search the nicknames.
Scores are relative among official Chicago community areas with the same editorial weights. Read the method.