"Too Old" For LP/Lakeview? (Chicago, Lincoln: apartments, condos)

[DiaVictoria]

Greetings all!

I'm sorry if this has been addressed before, I searched quite a bit before deciding to post this.

I'm from Ohio, and I've been taking steps to move to Chicago. I've done my research and whittled my favourite prospective neighborhoods down to Lincoln Park, Lakeview, or possibly Logan Square (though I keep getting conflicting info on the safety of LS).

Recently my boyfriend and I have made the decision that he is going to move with me. By the time we make it to Chicago, I'll be 25 and he'll be 28.

From what I've seen on this site and other forums, LP and Lakeview are very popular places for twenty-somethings...but we're pushing that twenty-something border. My question is, would we be considered "too old" for my ideal neighborhoods? Will we stick out in the bars and on the street?

At 25, I'm not really looking forward to feeling "too old" for something, honestly, so I'd really like to know if the crowd in LP and Lakeview is one of younger twenty-somethings and I'll have to move in a few years.

I'm sorry if this post is kind of unclear. I appreciate your input! Thank you so much!

~D

[chet everett]

Dear me, there are LOTS of people in their 60s that still work full time and enjoy living in LP. The only thing you have to worry about is being "too old" for the sort of "hook up scene" antics that dominate at a handful of night spots...

The cost factor means a lot more early 20s kids hit the bars than actually live in the nicer spots.

[Vlajos]

Originally Posted by chet everett

Dear me, there are LOTS of people in their 60s that still work full time and enjoy living in LP. The only thing you have to worry about is being "too old" for the sort of "hook up scene" antics that dominate at a handful of night spots...

The cost factor means a lot more early 20s kids hit the bars than actually live in the nicer spots.

Chet is 100% correct.

[ChiGuy2.5]

Your not too old to live in Lincoln Park! There are a lot of families as well in the area! The bars tend to attract single 20 somethings on weekends. Its not as diverse in age as River North or Wrigleyville would be. I think you would be fine regardless.

[Jandur]

The average age in LP is 32 I believe.

[FAReastcoast]

I never really considered LP or LV to be predominately an early 20 something neighborhood, that should't be a worry.

[Chicago60614]

Certainly not too old. There are tons of people in their 30's and 40's that go out all the time in that area. I'm 33 and I feel pretty average.

[SmartGXL]

To the OP - I am originally from Ohio myself as well, but I lived in Lakeview for 14 years. I left Ohio back in 98 and lived there until a month ago (I accepted a job transfer to TX). When I first moved to Lakeview, I was in my mid-20's, but when I left, I was 39...I never stuck out, or felt out of place at all, and if I were still in Chicago, I would have lived there forever. I even went to the aforementioned "hook up bars" and hooked up with girls who were 15 years younger than me, hahaha...anyway, Lakeview (and Chicago overall) is such a large place that there is really no "age limit" to living anywhere. I even still went to bars and clubs (Up to the very last day that I lived there!) and did want I wanted to do...no one ever judged me, questioned me or made me feel out of place, and actually there are people that I know who are pushing 50 who still party at downtown night clubs, party and drink all night, and hung out all over the city and have a youthful vibe to them! It is really all about how YOU feel. If you feel too old at any point, then that is up to you. But the city will never force to you to feel old, or to "leave the neighborhood"! However, I have to clarify, I look young for my age as well. Most people guess me to be in my late 20's or early 30's.

The main thing to realize, is that in Chicago, places like Lakeview or LP are fully functioning neighborhoods, not "entertainment districts", like we had back in Ohio. I grew up in dayton, and from what I remember, places like dayton and cleveland etc just had small nightlife districts where there was just a small footprint of younger people living nearby (usually college students) and most people leave those areas when they are done with college or when they "grow out of that phase"; whereas in Chicago, each neighborhood functions as its own small "city" (lakeview itself has a population over 100,000 people if I remembe correctly!) You can stay there your whole life and never have to leave. As a matter of fact, there are a number of high-rise retirement homes that are along lake shore drive in East Lake View. There are people who just enjoy the urban life there who swear they will never go back to suburban living ever again.

Having said that, I have seen a trend where some people seem to want to move over to the western edge of Lakeview as they start to have a family. Another popular area for that is the Lincoln Square neighborhood. And the thing abotu Lincoln park, is that property there is VERY expensive, so you tend to find older people (peopel in their mid-30's or older) buying condos or property there, as opposed to younger people. Its reputation as a neighborhood for peopel in their early 20's comes from it having Depaul University within its borders; a lot of the students who attend school there live in apartments nearby and there are a large number of bars that cater to that crowd. But overall, the LP/LV scene is large and diverse and you will both be fine there.

Have fun!!

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by DiaVictoria

Greetings all!

I'm sorry if this has been addressed before, I searched quite a bit before deciding to post this.

I'm from Ohio, and I've been taking steps to move to Chicago. I've done my research and whittled my favourite prospective neighborhoods down to Lincoln Park, Lakeview, or possibly Logan Square (though I keep getting conflicting info on the safety of LS).

Recently my boyfriend and I have made the decision that he is going to move with me. By the time we make it to Chicago, I'll be 25 and he'll be 28.

From what I've seen on this site and other forums, LP and Lakeview are very popular places for twenty-somethings...but we're pushing that twenty-something border. My question is, would we be considered "too old" for my ideal neighborhoods? Will we stick out in the bars and on the street?

At 25, I'm not really looking forward to feeling "too old" for something, honestly, so I'd really like to know if the crowd in LP and Lakeview is one of younger twenty-somethings and I'll have to move in a few years.

I'm sorry if this post is kind of unclear. I appreciate your input! Thank you so much!

~D

No, you aren't even close to running into the feeling of "too old" in those neighborhoods..I know TONS of 30+ year olds living in both areas, and numerous 40-50+ there. There are some people even more than that. You will definitely not feel too old there, trust me. Not even close. There are many college grads there, but it's not like when people hit 25 or 26 they move out. People stay. There are numerous families living in those areas too.

[soulful]

There are people in their 40's, 50's, 60's and 70's in Lakeview and Lincoln Park. These are fully formed neighborhoods and people don't necessarily evacuate when they turn a certain age. However, you will notice a different cohort on the street late at night (skewed younger but not exclusively so by any means). And you will see more older people who don't work during the daytime/weekdays.

Bottom line. You will be just fine in either Lakeview or Lincoln Park.