White male looking at moving into the Auburn Gresham neighborhood... (Bridgeport: affordable, summer)

[ChicagoMeO]

Originally Posted by Drover

It's not uncommon on the south side for the residential streets to look well-maintained even if the neighborhood has pretty serious crime problems.

So true and ironic you said that. I have driven thru some neighborhoods that look very nice, but apparently there is crime. This was like around 165th St area.

[ChiNaan]

Originally Posted by Drover

It's not uncommon on the south side for the residential streets to look well-maintained even if the neighborhood has pretty serious crime problems.

This is not uncommon anywhere in the city. Conversely, it's also not uncommon for some lower crime neighborhoods to have appearances that are a little on the dirty/gritty side. Fortunately there are neighborhood crime statistics available from numerous sources online. That's the only way to find out what's really going on.

[jonnynonos]

I was in McKinley Park recently and we were going to get at the Ashland Orange line stop at night and a local told us not to because it is filled with crack dealers, by the way. She told us to walk back to the one just further west. Fortunately we finally got a cab.

[urza216]

When you see groups of guys hanging around on street corners doing a whole lot of nothing, it doesn't matter how "gritty" or not the buildings look.

[rparz]

Originally Posted by ChicagoMeO

So true and ironic you said that. I have driven thru some neighborhoods that look very nice, but apparently there is crime. This was like around 165th St area.

That had to be Cal City or South Holland that far south. I think the city stops at around 130th by altgeld gardens or so.

[urza216]

You are right. 165th is definitely not the city limits. I mean jeez, that's south of 159th. Orland Square Mall is on 151st street. 159th is a major road in the south and southwest burbs. 167th is the last exit on I-57 before I-80. So yeah, you are very much in the burbs on 165th..

I'm very curious What neighorhood Chicagomeo was talkin about. Actually, think south of Cal City and Dolton. 165th runs through Country Club Hills.

[ChiNaan]

Originally Posted by jonnynonos

I was in McKinley Park recently and we were going to get at the Ashland Orange line stop at night and a local told us not to because it is filled with crack dealers, by the way. She told us to walk back to the one just further west. Fortunately we finally got a cab.

I've never used that stop, but it's sort of wedged between the river and the tracks in a weird no-man's-land in-between Bridgeport and McKinley Park, so it doesn't surprise me even though I've not heard of any problems. The stop to the west of that (35th and Archer) is right in the middle of McKinley Park and totally fine (I've used it many times), so I can see why that one was recommended.

The Orange Line in general has some of the lowest crime of the whole el system (along with the Pink Line) according to a report that was posted here a few weeks ago.

[ChiNaan]

Originally Posted by urza216

I'm very curious What neighorhood Chicagomeo was talkin about. Actually, think south of Cal City and Dolton. 165th runs through Country Club Hills.

165th goes through Cal City. Lansing doesn't start 'til around around 170th.

My guess he was talking about Cal City or possibly even Hammond. Both have some decent-looking areas (well maintained houses and lawns) in the general vicinity of 165th. That's very near Munster, which is generally considered a nice suburb.

[rparz]

As far as 'neighborhoods that have crime,' that pretty covers pretty much all of them within a 15 mile radius of the loop.

[summer22]

Originally Posted by Drover

It's not uncommon on the south side for the residential streets to look well-maintained even if the neighborhood has pretty serious crime problems.

That's very true. There's a lot of senior citizens who own bungalows, and either they or their children maintain it as meticulously as ever.

79th Street that far east hasn't been a good neighborhood for a long time. Your street-smart alarms should be going off, big time.

Back to the OP: How about Bridgeport, Canaryville, or some parts of McKinley Park? There are also a few old Polish neighborhoods around 47th/Pulaski and although they are surrounded by some bad areas, there are a few blocks around the Catholic parish that have maintained fairly well.

If you want to be more adventurous, look at Beverly but out at the edges of the community. You could help stabilize an area (not because you're white, but because you have an interest in being a good homeowner/neighbor.)

There would be more support for you, and more community resources and organizations, not to mention shopping and entertainment.

Hometown or Burbank would also be two inner-ring suburbs where you might find what you're looking for... a solid brick bungalow on a transitional-but-okay kind of block.