Chicago/Compare
Logan Square vs Near West Side
Logan Square and Near West Side are two official community areas in Chicago. Logan Square is the calmer Part I map (42 vs 5). Near West Side wins the errand count. Logan Square has the lower ACS median ($1,823).
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 | Logan Square | Near West Side |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | 42 | 5 |
| Schools | 60 | 40 |
| Walk | 22 | 65 |
| Cost fit | 100 | 100 |
| Vibe | 14 | 55 |
| Median rent | $1,823 | $2,013 |
| Median home | $630,156 | $483,709 |
| Population | 72,375 | 68,165 |
| Commute to The Loop | 43 min | 37 min |
| Commute to North Side | 37 min | 40 min |
| Commute to West Loop | 24 min | 6 min |
Living numbers
Who rents, how old, how much crime, how many shops — beside the scores.
| Fact | Logan Square | Near West Side |
|---|---|---|
| Renters | 61% | 65% |
| Median age | 32.9 | 32.3 |
| Median income | $113K | $121K |
| Part I per 1k | 33.9 | 74.4 |
| Groceries / 800m | 44 | 40 |
| Transit stops / 800m | 235 | 404 |
| Parks / 800m | 113 | 622 |
| 311 last 14 days | 719 | 477 |
Rent
Rent since 2014
ACS 5-year median gross rent for Chicago city. Up 50% since 2014. Logan is 27% 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 Logan Square if the quieter map matters more than the scene and the school rating nearby is the point. Safety is 42 vs 5. Schools score 60 vs 40. Vibe is 14 vs 55. 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 22. Vibe is 55 vs 14. 37 vs 43 minutes to The Loop. Read both pages before you decide.
Logan Square
The boulevard, the farmers market, and Bucktown on the eastern edge. North-west Chicago's walkable default.
$1,823 median rent · safety 42 · walk 22
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, Logan Square or Near West Side?
Logan Square is the lower ACS median: $1,823 vs $2,013. About 61% rent in Logan Square vs 65% in Near West Side. Survey medians, not a listing you can message tonight.
Is Logan Square more walkable than Near West Side?
Near West Side wins the errand count (walk 22 vs 65). Groceries inside 800 meters: 44 vs 40. Not a Walk Score license.
Which is safer on this map, Logan Square or Near West Side?
Logan Square is the calmer Part I read (42 vs 5). Combined rate 33.9 vs 74.4 per 1,000. Visitors count in those numbers.
Which scores higher for families, Logan Square or Near West Side?
Logan Square leads the school axis (60 vs 40). Nearby rating is 7.6 / 10 vs 7.0 / 10. Median age 32.9 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?
43 minutes from Logan Square to The Loop, 37 from Near West Side. Near West Side is the shorter weekday. Not this hour's traffic.
If you drop both
Closest official community area that is not Logan Square or Near West Side: Avondale. The next stop past Logan. Still industrial edges, still cheaper, still a Belmont bus.
Scores are relative among official Chicago community areas with the same editorial weights. Read the method.