any middle class Hispanic neighborhoods in the city? (Chicago, West Chicago: middle-class, low crime)

[Angel_TresPalacios]

Hello all,
I am relocating in a few weeks to Chicago and wanted to know are there any middle class hispanic neighborhoods in the city? I'll be coming with my wife and newborn child from Mexico. A cousin that used to live here in Chicago a few years back said to avoid Little Village, Back of The Yards, and areas around Pilsen. He lived around Markette park and said the area was starting to go bad. This was around 2000. Is it still bad? I was driving in Little Village this past weekend and all I saw was guys drinking beer in their front yards and almost no kids playing in front of their houses. So I'm most likely not going to bring my wife and child around that area. So are there any Mexican neighborhoods that are low in crime and middle class?

[Mister Mappy]

McKinley Park is a nice, majority Hispanic neighborhood. Basically middle class, and pretty quiet. It's southwest around 35th & Damen. It seems most like what you're looking for.

Marquette Park has gotten worse since 2000. Back of the Yards is pretty rough, so I'd avoid it. Parts of Pilsen are gentrifying. East Pilsen near Halsted St is better than west.

[Costa Rica Chica]

How about Albany Park?

[Chicagoland60426]

Originally Posted by Angel_TresPalacios

Hello all,
I am relocating in a few weeks to Chicago and wanted to know are there any middle class hispanic neighborhoods in the city? I'll be coming with my wife and newborn child from Mexico. A cousin that used to live here in Chicago a few years back said to avoid Little Village, Back of The Yards, and areas around Pilsen. He lived around Markette park and said the area was starting to go bad. This was around 2000. Is it still bad? I was driving in Little Village this past weekend and all I saw was guys drinking beer in their front yards and almost no kids playing in front of their houses. So I'm most likely not going to bring my wife and child around that area. So are there any Mexican neighborhoods that are low in crime and middle class?

You can try Albany Park on the northside, its middle class and is also racially diverse along with a large hispanic population. And if you don't mind living in the suburbs, you can check out West Chicago in the west suburbs. West Chicago is 50% hispanic and have a low crime rate and is middle class.

[Drover]

There is a lot of Hispanic integration into the middle-class neighborhoods of the Northwest Side such as Albany Park, Portage Park, Irving Park (east side of the neighborhood in particular), and Belmont-Cragin. The crime rate in Belmont-Cragin is a little higher than the other places but it's not out of control like it is in Little Village. McKinley Park is also a good place to look, as previously suggested. Pilsen isn't too bad either, though there is still a fairly notable gang presence there and if your newborn is a boy there may be some pressure on him to join as he gets older. Avoid Little Village at all costs, and Marquette Park has definitely not gotten any better since 2000.

[Costa Rica Chica]

Or some parts of Roger's Park?

[Mister Mappy]

Rogers Park is ok, but it's not the greatest area. West Ridge is nice, but it's more Asian than Hispanic.

Also, you could try Jefferson Park. It's bit further out, but pretty safe. It's majority Polish, but has a decent number of Hispanics, and Asians.

[skipcromer]

Originally Posted by Costa Rica Chica

Or some parts of Roger's Park?

I live in East Rogers park and think its overall pretty safe. I dont know if it would be considered a hispanic community. Im not sure where the Western boundary of Rogers Park is, but once you get around Clark there is a large hispanic presence.

[jessiegirl_98]

Originally Posted by skipcromer

I live in East Rogers park and think its overall pretty safe. I dont know if it would be considered a hispanic community. Im not sure where the Western boundary of Rogers Park is, but once you get around Clark there is a large hispanic presence.

I live close to clark and Devon and there is a large hispanic presence here, but not as much as in some of the other named areas. I also thought that I wouldn't like living here due to safety issues that people have named, but I LOVE it!!!!!

[i blame history]

Originally Posted by jessiegirl_98

I live close to clark and Devon and there is a large hispanic presence here, but not as much as in some of the other named areas. I also thought that I wouldn't like living here due to safety issues that people have named, but I LOVE it!!!!!

Wow, I am going to be living relatively close to you. I'm glad to hear you like it!