Chicago/Compare
Near North Side vs Near West Side
Near North Side and Near West Side are two official community areas in Chicago. Near North Side is the calmer Part I map (21 vs 5). Near North 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 | Near North Side | Near West Side |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | 21 | 5 |
| Schools | 40 | 40 |
| Walk | 72 | 65 |
| Cost fit | 100 | 100 |
| Vibe | 70 | 55 |
| Median rent | $2,277 | $2,013 |
| Median home | $554,887 | $483,709 |
| Population | 100,633 | 68,165 |
| Commute to The Loop | 12 min | 37 min |
| Commute to North Side | 13 min | 40 min |
| Commute to West Loop | 37 min | 6 min |
Living numbers
Who rents, how old, how much crime, how many shops — beside the scores.
| Fact | Near North Side | Near West Side |
|---|---|---|
| Renters | 64% | 65% |
| Median age | 36.2 | 32.3 |
| Median income | $121K | $121K |
| Part I per 1k | 55.6 | 74.4 |
| Groceries / 800m | 35 | 40 |
| Transit stops / 800m | 318 | 404 |
| Parks / 800m | 748 | 622 |
| 311 last 14 days | 1,043 | 477 |
Rent
Rent since 2014
ACS 5-year median gross rent for Chicago city. Up 50% since 2014. Near N is 58% 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 Near North Side if you want the cafes and the night and the shorter ride to The Loop is the point. Vibe is 70 vs 55. 12 vs 37 minutes to The Loop. Safety is 21 vs 5. Read both pages before you decide.
Pick Near West Side if the rent gap is the point. ACS median rent is $2,013 vs $2,277. Read both pages before you decide.
Near North Side
River North restaurants, Gold Coast towers, Streeterville walks to the lake. Official name is the community area — search the nicknames.
$2,277 median rent · safety 21 · walk 72
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, Near North Side or Near West Side?
Near West Side is the lower ACS median: $2,277 vs $2,013. About 65% rent in Near West Side vs 64% in Near North Side. Survey medians, not a listing you can message tonight.
Is Near North Side more walkable than Near West Side?
Near North Side wins the errand count (walk 72 vs 65). Groceries inside 800 meters: 35 vs 40. Not a Walk Score license.
Which is safer on this map, Near North Side or Near West Side?
Near North Side is the calmer Part I read (21 vs 5). Combined rate 55.6 vs 74.4 per 1,000. Visitors count in those numbers.
Which scores higher for families, Near North Side or Near West Side?
Near North Side leads the school axis (40 vs 40). Nearby rating is 7.0 / 10 vs 7.0 / 10. Median age 36.2 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?
12 minutes from Near North Side to The Loop, 37 from Near West Side. Near North Side is the shorter weekday. Not this hour's traffic.
If you drop both
Closest official community area that is not Near North Side 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.