Is Chicago really dangerous? (Cicero, Berwyn: estate, travel, houses)

[Avengerfire]

Yes and no. Simple answer. It is hard to tell you where to go and not to go. It is better when you have a guide. There are places that are mostly good, but a few blocks in that are can be very sketchy. There are places that are mostly bad, but at the same time have great blocks within them.

[Milliano]

Originally Posted by JesusisLord

Every big city has rough areas and nice peaceful areas.

That's the case with most American cities, but not necessarily true worldwide. There are many large US cities that have areas far more 'rough' than anything in much of the world, in terms of things like violent crime.

[russianmufuka]

damn, i grew up in he heart of harvey and its really not as bad as this forum is making it up to be, i have been a scrawny white kid my whole life and i had a great childhood growing up there ,yeah i got roughed up a lil bit through gradeschool but never anything out of the ordinary, it may be pretty "grimey" but i would much rather raise my children around ethnicity apposed to a rich white town where all kids grow up doing things for the wrong reason and learn the "N" word

[Love Cobb]

You mean they teach you to say the N word, Oh NO!!!!!

[j33]

Oh good God, not this crap again.

[tr0uble]

Originally Posted by Naya01

Depends on the neighborhood. Certain areas are very safe (downtown, Lincoln Park, Beverly) some are not (Englewood, K-Town, Little Village) all big cities have crime. We're pretty low on the list though compared to most cities as large as we are. However, no neighborhood is exempt from crime. The North and West burbs tend to be safer overall though. Chicago is also very segregated so depending on which Ethnic group you want to live around, you have to factor that into your equation as well.

Frankly, Lincoln Park is not a safe neighborhood. Due to its concentrated wealth, the presence of DePaul University, and close proximity to Lake Shore Drive as an escape route, Lincoln Park actually has high theft, burglary, robbery, assault, battery, and rape rates.

As an inspector for the second largest P&C carrier in Chicago, I get fed constant streams of statistical data on neighborhoods in the city.

For the record, I live in Roscoe Village.

Basically, there are pocket areas everywhere, except for the extreme NW side, as someone else had already mentioned. But, even then, there are always going to be "incidents." I grew up in Edison Park. The only time a car of mine has been broken into, was outside my parents' house... in Edison Park.

Things happen, no matter where you live. They happen more often when there are more people.

[dragoro]

Originally Posted by Milliano

That's the case with most American cities, but not necessarily true worldwide. There are many large US cities that have areas far more 'rough' than anything in much of the world, in terms of things like violent crime.

Obviously ya haven't seen much of the world cause that is patently untrue.

[Humboldt1]

I am not so familiar with the south side. However, on the west side you generally want to avoid;

Austin
East Garfield (news article saying it is most improving neighborhood is crap)
West Garfield Park
North Lawndale
South
Lawndale
Little Village
Most Humboldt Park, especially south of Grand
Western Logan Square
Hermosa (getting worse)
Cragin (getting worse)

For Suburbs, avoid;

Maywood
Berkley
Bellwood
Melrose Park
Stone Park
Northlake
Franklin Park (some is okay)
Villa Park
Addison (south of lake)
Cicero
Berwyn (close to cicero)
Hillside
North Riverside
Forest park (beoming more like maywood)

Be careful also in rolling meadows, parts of palatine, parts of hoffman estates, streamwood and hanover parkm
Even be careful in parts of schaumburg due to section 8 which is bringing down these other suburbs.

I am sure some posters will not agree with my assessments of these neighborhoods.

[Phl_Gd]

Originally Posted by AngelikaV

The best advice anyone can give you is to always be alert to your surroundings and don't go looking for trouble. Follow the same precautions any reasonable person would when in any big city. Stay off public transportation after 9:00 PM until you learn which routes are safe at night. After midnight always take a taxi or drive, and try to avoid a long walk to or from your car late at might. As much as possible, stay out of neighborhoods with which you are unfamiliar. You'll learn soon enough which ones are generally safe and which are not.

Great advice for the newcomers! Bottomline, it happens everywhere so take the same precautions. Yes, some areas have higher rates but don't be lulled into a false sense of security where crime is supposed to be lower.

One more thing: Avoid the neighborhood stigmas based purely on statistics. Go to the neighborhood and drive by for yourself when the weather is nicer, assess your personal comfort level and talk to those who live in the area who may have been at the same decision point that you are. You will be surprised...some neighborhoods appear more intimidating driving by than living in.

I have lived in East Humboldt (East of California) for the past several years as the new folks (ok "yuppies") and we have had no issues with vandalism (cars are garaged and parked on the street) or direct crime. In this neighborhood, most crime surrounds those involved in drugs, the random crime is highly unusual.

Good luck.

[neonwattagelimit]

Originally Posted by dragoro

Obviously ya haven't seen much of the world cause that is patently untrue.

Actually, it is true if you compare American cities to others in the developed world. Compared to other cities in nations with comparable per capita incomes (the only fair comparison, really), American cities are very dangerous, though the danger is typically highly concentrated. That's not to say there aren't bad areas in Western Europe or other places - we all know about the slums on the outskirts of Paris, for example - but American cities tend to have larger and more crime-infested slums. It's actually pretty astonishing - the murder rate in New York, the safest big American city, is something like five or six times that of London.

Of course, in comparison to cities in South America, Africa, and most of Asia and Eastern Europe, American cities are pretty safe. Though, surprisingly, the most dangerous have crime rates far closer to South American cities than European ones.