Chicago/Compare
Near West Side vs West Town
Near West Side and West Town are two official community areas in Chicago. West Town is the calmer Part I map (26 vs 5). Near West 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 West Side | West Town |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | 5 | 26 |
| Schools | 40 | 53 |
| Walk | 65 | 29 |
| Cost fit | 100 | 100 |
| Vibe | 55 | 20 |
| Median rent | $2,013 | $2,055 |
| Median home | $483,709 | $612,626 |
| Population | 68,165 | 83,491 |
| Commute to The Loop | 37 min | 28 min |
| Commute to North Side | 40 min | 26 min |
| Commute to West Loop | 6 min | 19 min |
Living numbers
Who rents, how old, how much crime, how many shops — beside the scores.
| Fact | Near West Side | West Town |
|---|---|---|
| Renters | 65% | 58% |
| Median age | 32.3 | 33.2 |
| Median income | $121K | $141K |
| Part I per 1k | 74.4 | 47.2 |
| Groceries / 800m | 40 | 35 |
| Transit stops / 800m | 404 | 300 |
| Parks / 800m | 622 | 145 |
| 311 last 14 days | 477 | 708 |
Rent
Rent since 2014
ACS 5-year median gross rent for Chicago city. Up 50% since 2014. W Loop is 40% above the 2024 city median. W Town is 43% 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 West Side if you want the errands on foot and you want the cafes and the night. Walk is 65 vs 29. Vibe is 55 vs 20. Read both pages before you decide.
Pick West Town if the quieter map matters more than the scene and you want the cafes and the night. Safety is 26 vs 5. Vibe is 20 vs 55. Schools score 53 vs 40. Read both pages before you decide.
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
West Town
Wicker Park and Ukrainian Village live inside this community area. Division Street energy, brick two-flats behind it.
$2,055 median rent · safety 26 · walk 29
Common questions
Same pair, said in questions. The numbers are in the tables.
Which is cheaper, Near West Side or West Town?
Near West Side is the lower ACS median: $2,013 vs $2,055. About 65% rent in Near West Side vs 58% in West Town. Survey medians, not a listing you can message tonight.
Is Near West Side more walkable than West Town?
Near West Side wins the errand count (walk 65 vs 29). Groceries inside 800 meters: 40 vs 35. Not a Walk Score license.
Which is safer on this map, Near West Side or West Town?
West Town is the calmer Part I read (26 vs 5). Combined rate 47.2 vs 74.4 per 1,000. Visitors count in those numbers.
Which scores higher for families, Near West Side or West Town?
West Town leads the school axis (53 vs 40). Nearby rating is 7.4 / 10 vs 7.0 / 10. Median age 33.2 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?
37 minutes from Near West Side to The Loop, 28 from West Town. West Town is the shorter weekday. Not this hour's traffic.
If you drop both
Closest official community area that is not Near West Side or West Town: Humboldt Park. The park is enormous; the streets around it are still working-class. Safety scores tell you to weight it honestly.
Scores are relative among official Chicago community areas with the same editorial weights. Read the method.