Oak Park vs. Evanston (Chicago, Wilmette: apartments, condos, crime rate)

[adele115]

I currently live in Oak Park but am considering relocating to Evanston for a job on the north shore. While I love all that is great about Oak Park, there is really a crime problem. While many find ways to justify/rationalize the issue, there are hundreds of bike thefts each summer, and more brazen assaults happening during the day. One wouldn't know this if they didn't read the local papers and visit the police website crime maps. I'm wondering, while I know Evanston also has crime issues, and I've read many posts here...HOW BAD IS IT?? I could go further north but find Wilmette/Winnetka etc to be less interesting to me. Thanks!

[noid_1985]

Originally Posted by adele115

I currently live in Oak Park but am considering relocating to Evanston for a job on the north shore. While I love all that is great about Oak Park, there is really a crime problem. While many find ways to justify/rationalize the issue, there are hundreds of bike thefts each summer

I own a chain and padlock you could have

[Anthera]

It would make me nervous to hang around the sw/Howard Street area at night. That said, 75% of Evanston is very safe. I know noone who would hesitate to go to downtown Evanston at any time. There is a rather vibrant nightlife, and lots of new condos and older apartments. People walk around the area. The SE and NE, and NW parts of Evanston are very safe.

I did hear about someone being mugged in Evanston about 12 years ago. Occasionally there will be a news story about some crime in Evanston, but crime is more of an occasional thing in Evanston, not constant. Any perception that Evanston is not safe is just relative to the surrounding areas which are uber quiet bedroom communities.


ETA - I wouldn't leave an unlocked bike out anywhere.

[JerichoHW]

Originally Posted by adele115

I currently live in Oak Park but am considering relocating to Evanston for a job on the north shore. While I love all that is great about Oak Park, there is really a crime problem. While many find ways to justify/rationalize the issue, there are hundreds of bike thefts each summer, and more brazen assaults happening during the day. One wouldn't know this if they didn't read the local papers and visit the police website crime maps. I'm wondering, while I know Evanston also has crime issues, and I've read many posts here...HOW BAD IS IT?? I could go further north but find Wilmette/Winnetka etc to be less interesting to me. Thanks!

Wow Oak Park is that bad, then again it's expected considering its proximity to Austin and Maywood.

[aragx6]

I think if you're that afraid of bike theft, you'd better just give up and move to the sticks now.

[Rusty_Shackleford]

Evanston tends to have at least 1 murder each year. If you think bike theft is bad, what about the hundreds of auto thefts that occur every year in both Evanston and Oak Park, or the 500-1000 burglaries per year? Both suburbs have over 100 robberies a year... Oak Park's robbery rate is almost twice as high as Evanston's, and twice as high as the national average.

[jessiegirl_98]

As others suggested, that majority of Evanston is nice! There are a few areas that aren't quiet as nice, but there are some great areas!

[adele115]

Thanks all. Aragx6, No, I am not daunted by simple "bike theft" as the sole reason to seek safer pastures. However, I am daunted by a community where hundreds of bikes are stolen each summer. This is not simply the "left our garage door open" thing. This is groups of kids stopping single child/teen riders, and intimidating, threatening, and sometimes displaying weapons to steal their bikes. How does one feel safe allowing their 12 year old to ride around town when they might be terrorized? I am daunted by people walking home from work and getting held up at gun point, blocks from the heart of Oak Park. Or, several shootings just on the borders at Austin/North, and Austin/Roosevelt. So, no, I am not a dainty flower who would feel most comfortable in Huntley - I value diversity, intellect, creativity and vibrancy. I'm just not so hot on getting out of my car and having a stranger pull up with a double barrel saying "give me your purse, *****" while unstrapping my toddler.

Sounds like Evanston wins.

[Nysee53]

Even in Wilmette you must be concerned about bike theft, so glad that doesn't bother you!

[Lookout Kid]

Evanston has a comparable index crime rate to Oak Park. If you want something safer than Oak Park, Evanston is NOT it. One year Evanston will be a bit better, and Oak Park will be better the next.

Evanston is more segregated than Oak Park, and the criminal element that victimizes Evanston mostly lives in Evanston, not in some adjacent neighborhood. People in Oak Park tend to blame most of the crime on residents of Austin or Maywood, I often wonder if this is really the case. Evanston's segregation means that the crime is more concentrated in certain parts of town, however. And northern Evanston is really very safe. Evanston is surrounded by some of the safest suburbs in Chicagoland, afterall. And Rogers Park is a little rough, but it's definitely no Austin!

The Evanston vs. Oak Park smackdown needed to happen on this site. I know many people in both suburbs, and they both like to talk smack to each other. Let's hear it.