Is Berwyn a safe town to live in? (Chicago, Oak Park: home, neighborhood)

[BRU67]

Originally Posted by twodoor2

My friend just moved from Berwyn and said it was pretty dangerous. I know that's hearsay, but why would she lie? She also has a young child, and moved for that reason as well.

I think it's a fine place to invest in, but live there??? My friend bought an extremely cheap condo there, and is making a decent profit from rent.

Hopefully it is on the upswing, so we'll see.

Posting this from the Berwyn Starbucks. It really doesn't seem all That dangerous. Maybe your friend wrongly associated Hispanics with certain stereotypes?

[twodoor2]

Originally Posted by BRU67

Posting this from the Berwyn Starbucks. It really doesn't seem all That dangerous. Maybe your friend wrongly associated Hispanics with certain stereotypes?

She never mentioned anything to me about people's ethnic background in regards to Berwyn. She's bi-racial herself (half Native American/half Caucasian), and her daughter is half Black.

[BRU67]

Originally Posted by twodoor2

She never mentioned anything to me about people's ethnic background in regards to Berwyn. She's bi-racial herself (half Native American/half Caucasian), and her daughter is half Black.

Well, I'd still like to see some crime statistics showing that Berwyn is dangerous. Stats I've seen in the past have shown that Berwyn had a relatively low crime rate (lower than Oak Park).

[twodoor2]

Originally Posted by BRU67

Well, I'd still like to see some crime statistics showing that Berwyn is dangerous. Stats I've seen in the past have shown that Berwyn had a relatively low crime rate (lower than Oak Park).

I was just passing on what I heard. She commonly referred to it as the ghetto. I don't know, maybe one person's "ghetto" is another person's "dream location." ????

I asked her if it was like places I was more familiar with, like the nasty part of Elgin, or Waukegan, and she said it was.

[BRU67]

Originally Posted by twodoor2

I was just passing on what I heard. She commonly referred to it as the ghetto. I don't know, maybe one person's "ghetto" is another person's "dream location." ????

I asked her if it was like places I was more familiar with, like the nasty part of Elgin, or Waukegan, and she said it was.

Well, it isn't.

[ToriaT]

No. Many people think the old buildings and old style architecture of Berwyn is "ghetto". Its not a split level or Mc Mansion sanitized dream home place or even for wanna be s that aspire to that. Its an urbanized, rather old vintage kind of atmosphere with a dash of city like grit. Tiny postage stamp yards and lots of bungalows and two flats. And yes it has a lot of brown people and some folks get scared of that. It does not seem "dangerous" to me, its a hell of a lot safer than most places in Chicago. Still you do need to watch your back and be careful when you are out and about. It does have a lot of garage theft and car break ins. Shootings, murder, rapes, armed robbery...not so much.

[David2300]

Berwyn is a great place to live! Very walkable and public transit is great. Great, diverse, and very affordable housing. Crime is low. The people are friendly. The future looks good for Berwyn.

The only problem is the schools, which are average, but not bad enough to cross them off the list. If you really hate an average rating, the town's affordability won't cost you too much for private school tuition.

If you're looking for an extremely lively downtown, you won't find it here, but fear not! Riverside is only a short walk away!

Bottom line, yes, Berwyn is safe.

[David2300]

Originally Posted by twodoor2

I was just passing on what I heard. She commonly referred to it as the ghetto. I don't know, maybe one person's "ghetto" is another person's "dream location." ????

I asked her if it was like places I was more familiar with, like the nasty part of Elgin, or Waukegan, and she said it was.

To quote BRU67, "Well, it isn't".

Not at all, in fact.

[David2300]

Originally Posted by RonES

I grew up in the surrounding area from the early 70 to just recently. I went to grade school and high school in Oak Park in the 70's. After I was discharged from the Marine Corps I moved to the Cicero and Berwyn area. Then it was a safe area to live and bring up your kids. As the 80's moved in the Latin explosion took over in Cicero, and slowly crept towards Berwyn. Towards the end of the 80's Berwyn was slowly becoming as Hispanic as Cicero. The neighborhoods slowly got grimier and grimier. I just recently left Berwyn because of the decline that it has been going through. Before me and my wife left Berwyn I was accosted several times by Hispanic and black teens and young twenty somethings. It got so bad in my area I registered for concealed carry and I have to say that saved my heiny on more than one occasion. The police in Berwyn have no clue on what they should be doing. So is Berwyn safe to live in? No it is not. I have several years of incidents that involved the police and just as many where the police turned their back on the situation. If you keep saying that it is safe than you are sadly delusioned. The neighborhoods in north Berwyn are all slowly turning into the new Stone Park and Maywood. The neighborhoods in south Berwyn are following closely to the northern end. I lived in Berwyn for over 30+ years its slowly becoming trashed and no better than some of the Chicago public housing areas. Now all the blacks are moving and I am seeing gang graffiti around the area. I washed graffiti tags off my garage several times. As I did I was threatened twice too leave it up. We left because it is no longer safe, for anyone.

No, you don't seem like a racist at all

Berwyn is definitely getting better. Crime is steadily decreasing. A new shopping center at Cermak/Harlem is being built. More development is coming. I think the future for Berwyn is good.

[David2300]

Originally Posted by newsites

Berwyn WAS a great town to live till the mid 80s
Good places to eat, good shopping ,good Bohunk bakeries.
Lots of industry & jobs there and in near by Cicero
The home owners where immuculate and kept there property pristine.
My son went to and graduated from Morton East H-S...no gangs there back then.
Was a super place to live when we moved out in 1977 to buy our first home in Villa Park.
Now I hear the Mexican gangs have overrun the schools, crime and drugs are common place.
A dangerous town for caucasions. Going to hell like Cicero did in the 70s......
What a shame !!!!!!!!

I just hate comments like this!

Seriously, have you ever BEEN to Berwyn?? I lived there for 5 years and NEVER had a problem. EVER!!! And I lived in North Berwyn!!

The crime rate is LOWER than your Oak Park!!! LOOK IT UP!! That is violent AND property crimes.

Don't believe what people say! Visit Berwyn yourself!