Chicago/Compare
Lower West Side vs Near West Side
Lower West Side and Near West Side are two official community areas in Chicago. Lower West Side is the calmer Part I map (37 vs 5). Near West Side wins the errand count. Lower West Side has the lower ACS median ($1,370).
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 | Lower West Side | Near West Side |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | 37 | 5 |
| Schools | 23 | 40 |
| Walk | 7 | 65 |
| Cost fit | 100 | 100 |
| Vibe | 4 | 55 |
| Median rent | $1,370 | $2,013 |
| Median home | $359,114 | $483,709 |
| Population | 33,446 | 68,165 |
| Commute to The Loop | 47 min | 37 min |
| Commute to North Side | 54 min | 40 min |
| Commute to West Loop | 20 min | 6 min |
Living numbers
Who rents, how old, how much crime, how many shops — beside the scores.
| Fact | Lower West Side | Near West Side |
|---|---|---|
| Renters | 68% | 65% |
| Median age | 34.7 | 32.3 |
| Median income | $77K | $121K |
| Part I per 1k | 38.1 | 74.4 |
| Groceries / 800m | 19 | 40 |
| Transit stops / 800m | 169 | 404 |
| Parks / 800m | 59 | 622 |
| 311 last 14 days | 380 | 477 |
Rent
Rent since 2014
ACS 5-year median gross rent for Chicago city. Up 50% since 2014. Pilsen is 5% below 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 Lower West Side if the quieter map matters more than the scene and the rent gap is the point. Safety is 37 vs 5. ACS median rent is $1,370 vs $2,013. 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 7. Vibe is 55 vs 4. Schools score 40 vs 23. Read both pages before you decide.
Lower West Side
Pilsen murals and 18th Street. The official name is Lower West Side; everyone searches Pilsen.
$1,370 median rent · safety 37 · walk 7
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, Lower West Side or Near West Side?
Lower West Side is the lower ACS median: $1,370 vs $2,013. About 68% rent in Lower West Side vs 65% in Near West Side. Survey medians, not a listing you can message tonight.
Is Lower West Side more walkable than Near West Side?
Near West Side wins the errand count (walk 7 vs 65). Groceries inside 800 meters: 19 vs 40. Not a Walk Score license.
Which is safer on this map, Lower West Side or Near West Side?
Lower West Side is the calmer Part I read (37 vs 5). Combined rate 38.1 vs 74.4 per 1,000. Visitors count in those numbers.
Which scores higher for families, Lower West Side or Near West Side?
Near West Side leads the school axis (40 vs 23). Nearby rating is 7.0 / 10 vs 6.5 / 10. Median age 32.3 vs 34.7. Lower West Side has more of the night. Neither number is a school assignment.
Which has the shorter commute to The Loop?
47 minutes from Lower West Side 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 Lower West Side or Near West Side: Bridgeport. Sox territory, bungalows, and a Chinatown-adjacent grid. South Side without a lakefront premium.
Scores are relative among official Chicago community areas with the same editorial weights. Read the method.