Humboldt Park - No longer a Puerto Rican nieghborhood (Chicago: houses, neighborhood)

[James_Carmona]

Humboldt Park is no longer a prodimenietly Puerto Rican neighborhood. I grew up around Austin on the other side of the tracks from Humboldt Park. I'm from Puerto Rican decent myself so I can tell you from experience. When I was growing up I remember that it looked so much different from what it does today. I remember you could walk down Division and North Avenue and almost every store had a Puerto Rican flag in it. Spanish advertisement, Puerto Rican music. But that was way back in the late 80s. Now ever since around the mid and late 90s the neighborhood has changed so much its amazing. The neighborhood is alot cleaner, alot nicer, the park is cleaned up, new buildings, less open lots, less crime. Ever since around that Ive known literally hundreds and hundreds of Puerto Rican families who have left the area, and every year hundreds if not thousands more leave.

Today, I read somewhere that Puerto Ricans make up only around 10 percent of the neighborhood, when a decade ago they used to be the majority. Today Mexicans and Whites are flooding into Humboldt Park. Back than I couldn't remember that many Mexicans in Humboldt Park and you almost never saw a white person. But today Mexicans outnumber Puerto Ricans by a couple thousand, and whites are starting to outnumber Puerto Ricans as well.

My opinion is, its amazing how so much changed within a decade. I honestly don't really care much about Humboldt Park being Puerto Rican or not since its not really the greatest place to live in anyways.

[quigboto]

Do you have a link to some demographic info to support this?
I live in Humboldt Park, and while I agree that the demographics are changing, I don't see it happening as drastically as you have stated. My street is still mostly Puerto Rican families that have been here for a long time. In the last few years, I have seen more white faces, but I find the assertion that they outnumber the Puerto Ricans dubious.

[tonythetuna]

Originally Posted by quigboto

I have seen more white faces, but I find the assertion that they outnumber the Puerto Ricans dubious.

I agree, however if he is talking about the entire Humboldt Park community area, it is somewhat on track.

There are huge amounts of blacks there now in the south and west ends.

[Jesse69]

Whites invaded Wicker Park and turned it upscale. Humbolt Park is logically next because it so close by. But often the original houses in Humbolt Park are a dump.

[tonythetuna]

Originally Posted by Jesse69

But often the original houses in Humbolt Park are a dump.

Yeah, all those greystones suck.

[Irishtom29]

Originally Posted by quigboto

I have seen more white faces, but I find the assertion that they outnumber the Puerto Ricans dubious.

Yeah, but now they're calling Wicker Park "Humboldt Park East".

[quigboto]

Originally Posted by Irishtom29

Yeah, but now they're calling Wicker Park "Humboldt Park East".

Good one!

[Savoir Faire]

According to the 2000 census, the Black population in Humboldt Park was almost 50%. Same for the 1990 census. So it seems like it hasn't been a Puerto Rican neighborhood for awhile.

[Attrill]

Originally Posted by Savoir Faire

According to the 2000 census, the Black population in Humboldt Park was almost 50%. Same for the 1990 census. So it seems like it hasn't been a Puerto Rican neighborhood for awhile.

Humboldt Park as a whole has never been a majority Puerto Rican neighborhood, never even near it. A good section of it (Paseo Boricua centered along Division) has been the center of the Chicago Puerto Rican community since at least the 60's, but even that area has been seeing a decline in it's Puerto Rican population since the 80's. I worked as a tutor at Roberto Clemente in the early 90's and there were far more Mexican than Puerto Rican students.

[Chicagoland60426]

I will guess Humboldt Park is about 20% Puerto Rican

Here are the zip codes and demographics that covers Humboldt Park, Logan Square, and West Town(Wicker Park). This is 10 year old data btw

60651(I think Austin and Humboldt Park)-77,583

70.6% Black
13.5% Mexican
10.3% Puerto Rican
2.4% White

60622(most/all of Wicker Park and the park of Humboldt Park)-76,015

40% White
23.8% Mexican
16.3% Puerto Rican
10.9% Black

60647(Logan Square and a little bit of Humboldt)- 98,769

33.4% Mexican
24.2% Puerto Rican
23.1% White
9% Other Latino
6.8% Black

So it looks like Mexicans are the largest hispanic group in all of Chicago, even in self proclaimed Boricua HP. I think the reasons its consider Puerto Rican because of the PR flag poles and the festivals.