44fit
West Town
$2K median rent
Wicker Park and Ukrainian Village live inside this community area. Division Street energy, brick two-flats behind it.
NightlifePlannedWalk 29Safety 26
Chicago/Near West Side
59fit
Near West Side
Official community area: Near West Side
Data vintage. ACS 2024 5-year · CPD Sep 2025 – Aug 2026 · OSM Aug 2026 · updated Sep 2026
Fulton Market restaurants, United Center nights, and new towers. Property crime follows the dinner rush.
west loopfulton marketgreektownnear westunited center
Best in Chicago for familiesWalkable ChicagoUnder $2,500 rent
Why this score
Safety
5
700 violent · 4372 property · 74.4 per 1k (Sep 2025 – Aug 2026)-45 vs city set
Schools
40
Rating 7.0 / 10 nearby-8 vs city set
Walk
65
OSM: 40 groceries · 59 cafes · 404 transit · 622 parks+44 vs city set
Cost
100
$2,013 ACS median vs your rent budget+1 vs city set
Vibe
55
OSM: 59 cafes · 370 restaurants · 65 bars · 622 parks+36 vs city set
Commute to work
From Near West Side, a typical weekday is 37 min to The Loop, 40 min to North Side, 6 min to West Loop. Not live traffic.
West Loop is the fastest of these three job centers from here.
The Loop
37 min
Offices, Grant Park · at the city-set median
North Side
40 min
Lincoln Park, hospitals · +4 min vs the city-set median
West Loop
6 min
Fulton Market · -31 min vs the city-set median · fastest of these three
Minutes are baked from neighborhood geography to three job centers — not Google, not this hour’s traffic.
Cost of living
ACS median gross rent is $2,013 across all occupied rental units — studios through large apartments mixed together, not a live 1-bed or 2-bed quote.
That is 20% of median household income — under the 30% HUD cost-burden line. A household at this area’s median income ($121K) could “afford” about $3,017 a month at 30% of gross pay.
65% of households rent. Median home value is $483,709.
ACS median rent
$2,013
30% income budget
$3,017
Rent / income
20%
Median home
$483,709
HUD treats 30% of gross household income as the cost-burden line. We do not split ACS median rent into 1-bed vs 2-bed — that table is all occupied rental units. Method.
Within a walk
Inside the official community area or within 800 meters of its centroid, OpenStreetMap maps 40 groceries, 59 cafes, 622 parks, and 404 transit stops.
Daily errands and coffee are realistic on foot. Parks are close — 622 mapped parks in that radius. Transit is dense (404 stops or stations).
59 cafes and 370 restaurants make this one of the busier food pockets in the Chicago set.
Counts from OpenStreetMap, 800 m. Not a Walk Score license. Groceries here beat 18 of 19 other areas in this city set.
Population
68,165
Median age
32.3
Median income
$121K
Renters
65%
Bachelor+
72%
Violent / 1k
10.3
Property / 1k
64.1
ACS 2024 5-year (2020-2024) · 20 census tracts · CPD Sep 2025 – Aug 2026 · OSM 2026-08-31
NightlifePlanned
Crime is CPD Part I reports per 1,000 ACS residents — not a judgment of who lives here. Home and rent figures are ACS medians, not live MLS. Read the method.
On the ground
What it is like to live here, beyond the scores.
Fulton Market restaurants, United Center nights, and new towers. Zillow’s West Loop notes Randolph’s restaurant row, lofts, and a market that used to be meat. Property crime follows the dinner rush, same downtown-visitor pattern as the Loop.
Daytime is offices and galleries; game nights are a different city. Walk scores are high because they should be. Weight vibe and walk; down-weight quiet. This is Chicago’s plated-food neighborhood, not its porch neighborhood.
Compiled from Zillow neighborhood guides, 5280 Magazine, Chicago and San Francisco resident guides, Mpls With Love, Eastside LA reporting, and local coverage, 2025–2026. Editorial — not part of the fit score.
Common questions
Answers from the same ACS, crime, and OSM figures on this page.
Is Near West Side safe?
On this map Near West Side has a higher Part I rate than most Chicago community areas in the set (safety 5 vs city 50). CPD logged 10.3 violent and 64.1 property incidents per 1,000 ACS residents — 74.4 combined. Rates mix residents and visitors. They are not a judgment of who lives here.
What is rent in Near West Side?
ACS median rent is $2,013. Median home value is $483,709. About 65% of households rent. These are survey medians, not this week's listings.
Is Near West Side walkable?
Walk scores 65 here vs 21 for the Chicago set — you can walk some errands, but it is not the densest pocket in the city. OpenStreetMap counts within 800 meters: 40 groceries, 59 cafes, 404 transit stops, 622 parks.
Is Near West Side good for families?
Nightlife and visitor traffic show up in the amenity mix — not the quietest family default. Nearby school rating is 7.0 / 10. Median age is 32.3.
How long is the commute from Near West Side?
Typical weekday minutes to The Loop: 37. Not live traffic. Open the neighborhood page for the other job centers in Chicago.
How many people live in Near West Side?
About 68,165 residents, median income $121K, 72% with a bachelor's or higher. ACS 2024 5-year (2020-2024) · CPD Sep 2025 – Aug 2026 · OSM.
What neighborhoods are next to Near West Side?
Closest on this map: Humboldt Park, Douglas, West Town. Compare Near West Side vs Humboldt Park if you are deciding between two official community areas.
Next door
Adjacent on the community area map, ranked with your weights.
Near West Side vs Humboldt ParkNear West Side vs DouglasNear West Side vs West Town
38fit
Bridgeport
$1K median rent
Sox territory, bungalows, and a Chinatown-adjacent grid. South Side without a lakefront premium.
Family streetsWalk 0Safety 89
31fit
Lower West Side
$1K median rent
Pilsen murals and 18th Street. The official name is Lower West Side; everyone searches Pilsen.
NightlifeWalk 7Safety 37
26fit
Humboldt Park
$1K median rent
The park is enormous; the streets around it are still working-class. Safety scores tell you to weight it honestly.
Walk 4Safety 32
24fit
Douglas
$1K median rent
Bronzeville history on the official Douglas map. Boulevards, new builds, and a short ride to the Loop.
PlannedWalk 2Safety 11