21 year old moving to Chicago from Seattle for my first full-time job. (Lincoln: transfer to, neighborhoods)

[ChikidII]

I would stick to Wicker Park, Ukraninan Village, Bucktown or even Logan Square. Wicker Park certainly has a lot of hipsters but I would not dare say it is a hipster neighborhood. I would say that Logan Square and Ukranina village are/becoming more hipster than Wicker Park/Bucktown. However Wicker Park is probably the most expensive of the ones I listed. I would say, just stick with the neighborhoods on the Blue Line. Since you will travel a lot it will just be a lot easier.

While Lincoln Park and Lakeview are nice, commuting to the airport will not be pleasant.

[Chi-town Native]

Originally Posted by aragx6

^Bucktown might be relatively pricey, but still very easily done on $1200 a month.

Wicker Park really isn't as hipster as a lot of people say -- it's certainly hipster-ish, but hang out at any of the trendier places on the weekend and there's plenty of Chads and Trixies out and about (that's a Chicago term for trendy, "shiny" types)

I'm definitely not a hipster, though neither am I a yuppy -- more what my SO and I call Yupsters. White collar jobs, Crate and Barrel tastes, but we prefer low-key bars to loud clubs. Kind of a mix really.

The easy access to O'Hare is a huge benefit to this area, and, as such, is somewhere I'd highly recommend looking more fully into.

Also, Piece has some of the best (non-Chicago style) pizza in the city. And their beer is pretty darn good as well.

Sure, but I think the early-twenties set long left Wicker Park, and even Bucktown.

Logan Square & Avondale are where the kids are flocking.

[ChikidII]

Originally Posted by Chi-town Native

Sure, but I think the early-twenties set long left Wicker Park, and even Bucktown.

Logan Square & Avondale are where the kids are flocking.

I agree people in their early 20's are flocking to Avondale and Logan Square, however Wicker Park and Bucktown still have plenty, plenty of people in their early 20's. While Logan Square has plenty to offer and Avondale is starting get better too, both neighborhoods still don't have the amount of places where most 20 year olds like to hangout.

Logan Square now has a decent nightlife but nothing to get excited over. Avondale's nightlife is still rather weak and pretty spread out. They are both getting there with time, but as of now that's how I see it.

[ChikidII]

I will say this much in regards to Avondale. That strip of Belmont between the Chicago River and the expressway has A LOT of potential. I think in 5-10 years that strip is going to be bustling with shops, restaurants and bars.

[Chi-town Native]

Originally Posted by ChikidII

I agree people in their early 20's are flocking to Avondale and Logan Square, however Wicker Park and Bucktown still have plenty, plenty of people in their early 20's. While Logan Square has plenty to offer and Avondale is starting get better too, both neighborhoods still don't have the amount of places where most 20 year olds like to hangout.

Logan Square now has a decent nightlife but nothing to get excited over. Avondale's nightlife is still rather weak and pretty spread out. They are both getting there with time, but as of now that's how I see it.

Logan is actually pretty nuts - we did a bar crawl last week from Revolution just to the Owl and were astonished how bustling everyplace was.

Avondale is definitely still spread out, but my angle was that a lot of younger people are *moving* here as it's cheap, and you still have very easy access to both Logan Sq (and Bucktown and Wicker Park) via the blue line and the Milwaukee bus. I call that "the best of both worlds."

[faintlyamused]

I agree with most of the posters-- you will most definitely want to live off of the blue line for easy access to O'Hare.

Bucktown, Wicker Park, or Logan Square very close to the California or Logan Square stops would all be great options for you. If you want the rent to be a bit cheaper, you could probably find a place near the Divison blue line stop, east of Ashland and south of Division in Ukrainian/East Village.

I think telling this person to live in Lincoln Park or Lakeview is crazy, especially considering their need to go to O'Hare frequently. Just my two cents.

[Chi-town Native]

Originally Posted by faintlyamused

I agree with most of the posters-- you will most definitely want to live off of the blue line for easy access to O'Hare.

Bucktown, Wicker Park, or Logan Square very close to the California or Logan Square stops would all be great options for you. If you want the rent to be a bit cheaper, you could probably find a place near the Divison blue line stop, east of Ashland and south of Division in Ukrainian/East Village.

I think telling this person to live in Lincoln Park or Lakeview is crazy, especially considering their need to go to O'Hare frequently. Just my two cents.

Haven't been a renter for many a moon, but I guess I had been thinking rent in Ukie Village was getting up there/was more than Logan Sq. Definitely worth a look.

[aragx6]

^Prices have seemed to stay a bit lower in UV because of the lack of easy access to the blue line for the most part. The parts of UV that are closer to the Ashland blue line stop are the more expensive in the neighborhood.

Pretty easy to have a short bike or bus ride to an el station though.

And I agree w ChiKidII that there are still an awful lot of 20-somethings in Wicker Park, though Bucktown, particularly around Holstein Park, seems to skew a bit older.

[ChikidII]

Originally Posted by Chi-town Native

Logan is actually pretty nuts - we did a bar crawl last week from Revolution just to the Owl and were astonished how bustling everyplace was.

Avondale is definitely still spread out, but my angle was that a lot of younger people are *moving* here as it's cheap, and you still have very easy access to both Logan Sq (and Bucktown and Wicker Park) via the blue line and the Milwaukee bus. I call that "the best of both worlds."

I guess what I was trying to say is Logan Square's nightlife isn't as developed yet and seems to be strongly gravitating towards hipsters. I went to the Owl and wanted to get the hell out! Talk about hell! They had a real cool bar though.

My point is that in Logan Square there isn't as a diverse of selection for nightlife as there is in Bucktown or Wicker Park. I live walking distance from Logan Square, but I prefer to go to Wicker Park and Bucktown for nightlife as there is more going on and a lot more opitions. I say in 5 years Logan Square will be a new nightlife center for the city (it's not quite yet, but getting there) and Avondale will follow after but will most likely be more low key like Bucktown and Ukranian Village.

Tons of young people are moving in. It's cheap, good transportation access, has several amenities (Target, Home Depot, Grocery Stores, Best Buy plenty of other places) and they just opened an X-Sport fitness in the hood. Regardless Avondale is next in line after Logan Square.

[ChikidII]

[quote=aragx6;21902617]^Prices have seemed to stay a bit lower in UV because of the lack of easy access to the blue line for the most part. The parts of UV that are closer to the Ashland blue line stop are the more expensive in the neighborhood.

Pretty easy to have a short bike or bus ride to an el station though.

And I agree w ChiKidII that there are still an awful lot of 20-somethings in Wicker Park, though Bucktown, particularly around Holstein Park, seems to skew a bit older.[/quote]

Yeah. A lot of 20 years olds are moving into Logan Square and Avondale but I am sure there are still many more in Wicker Park and Bucktown.