Logan Square/Bucktown? (Chicago, Elgin, Arlington Heights: apartment, homes, employment)

[Brianne82]

Hi all. I am a 27 year old single female moving to Chicago in the next month. I've been looking around the Bucktown/Wicker Park area and came across a place on N. Campbell about 2 blocks north of Milwaukee. From what I've been told this is more the Logan Square neighborhood but all that aside...

I'm wondering about if this neighborhood is relatively safe and good for a single girl moving across the country (I'm from California), that doesn't know anyone. Is there a lot to do in the neighborhood that I would be able to meet people fairly easily? Do I need to worry about walking home (other than normal caution that you would use in any city of course)?

I'm kinda nervous about such a big move and not really sure where to look or where to live! I'm going to be working out in Elgin, but would rather live in the city because it seems like I would have a better shot at meeting people there than out in the suburbs.

[Avengerfire]

1. These threads will be of use to you:

http://www.city-data.com/forum/chica...oldt-park.html
http://www.city-data.com/forum/chica...n-western.html
http://www.city-data.com/forum/chica...an-square.html
http://www.city-data.com/forum/chica...cker-park.html
http://www.city-data.com/forum/chica...re-safety.html
http://www.city-data.com/forum/chica...und-north.html


2. The commute to Elgin is not going to be fun from Milwaukee and Western.

[Drover]

I've given this same advice to several people who want to live in the city and work way out by where you're working: the only way to make it work is to strike a compromise. And that compromise is this: find a neighborhood that is much further up the O'Hare branch of the Blue Line and look for an apartment there. Here's why:

1) Traffic on the Kennedy Expressway SUCKS until you get to Harlem Avenue, after which it should be relatively free-flowing all the way out to Elgin;

2) When it's time to play, the Blue Line will take you to a number of decent nightlife areas and give you easy connections via bus to several other nightlife areas.

The commute you're facing from Logan Square is easily 90 minutes. By living just 5 miles northwest, you can cut about 30 minutes off your commute. I would recommend looking near the Jefferson Park and Harlem stations in particular. Apartment pickin's get pretty slim much further out (more single family homes up that way) but maybe you'll get lucky. And yes, you wouldn't be living in a particularly sexy or youthful neighborhood, but you'd have a manageable commute while still having reasonably easy access to several nightlife neighborhoods.

That said, there are some suburbs that have a decent amount of young singles. Consider Schaumburg and Arlington Heights. They're not as exciting and glamrous s the city and you have to drive everywhere to get to anything, but there's lots of 20- and 30-somethings out that way. And it would be a much less painful commute to Elgin.

[dumpstermcnuggets]

If you want to live in the city, I would suggest checking out the neighborhoods(namely West Town, Ukranian Village, and Humboldt Park) north of the Western Ave. stop on the Milwaukee West(Elgin) Metra line. That way, you're still in the city, you'd have (at most) a short bus ride north to the Blue Line(whenever you may need to use the 'L), and finally have a one-seat ride out to Elgin for your job! Don't forget getting a Metra monthly pass, either, and that the North Central(Antioch) and Milwaukee North(Fox Lake) lines also stop at that same station, just FYI.

Good luck with your residential search.

[Drover]

You presume the train will whisk her right to her job. It's highly unlikely she works near the train station; downtown Elgin is not a major employment hub. But in the event that I'm wrong... good call.

[Basekamp]

I drive this every single day, it takes me 35-50 minutes worst ever WAS 90 minutes it happened one time on a Friday... Not going to happen every night.

Originally Posted by Drover

I've given this same advice to several people who want to live in the city and work way out by where you're working: the only way to make it work is to strike a compromise. And that compromise is this: find a neighborhood that is much further up the O'Hare branch of the Blue Line and look for an apartment there. Here's why:

1) Traffic on the Kennedy Expressway SUCKS until you get to Harlem Avenue, after which it should be relatively free-flowing all the way out to Elgin;

2) When it's time to play, the Blue Line will take you to a number of decent nightlife areas and give you easy connections via bus to several other nightlife areas.

The commute you're facing from Logan Square is easily 90 minutes. By living just 5 miles northwest, you can cut about 30 minutes off your commute. I would recommend looking near the Jefferson Park and Harlem stations in particular. Apartment pickin's get pretty slim much further out (more single family homes up that way) but maybe you'll get lucky. And yes, you wouldn't be living in a particularly sexy or youthful neighborhood, but you'd have a manageable commute while still having reasonably easy access to several nightlife neighborhoods.

That said, there are some suburbs that have a decent amount of young singles. Consider Schaumburg and Arlington Heights. They're not as exciting and glamrous s the city and you have to drive everywhere to get to anything, but there's lots of 20- and 30-somethings out that way. And it would be a much less painful commute to Elgin.

[Basekamp]

BTW Logan Square Bucktown is awesome. Lifestyle is huge. Revolution Brewing coming soon in addition to Maproom, Quenchers, and Bar Logan.

Originally Posted by Basekamp

I drive this every single day, it takes me 35-50 minutes worst ever WAS 90 minutes it happened one time on a Friday... Not going to happen every night.

[Drover]

Originally Posted by Basekamp

I drive this every single day, it takes me 35-50 minutes worst ever WAS 90 minutes it happened one time on a Friday... Not going to happen every night.

Pal, you can't get from Logan Square to Elgin in 35 minutes at 3 in the morning, much less during rush hour. 50 minutes sounds about right though -- at 3 in the morning.

I live 3 miles further northwest along the Kennedy than someone living in Bucktown/Logan Square, and my wife works in Schaumburg, literally across the street from the mall. On the days she goes in during off-peak times, her absolute best time is 30 minutes, and 35-40 is more common. If she had to drive all the way out to Elgin, it would take her an additional 15-20 minutes. When she goes in standard commute times, it takes her an hour -- and that's just to get to Schaumburg, never mind Elgin. And she has quite a bit less backed-up traffic to fight than someone living in the Bucktown/Logan Square area.

[Basekamp]

I stand by my claim! I do leave at 6AM usually, and if you get caught in the traffic leaving morearound 7:00AM, it will take you more towards 50.