Safe and Affordable areas for students in Chicago? (Lincoln, Columbia: affordable apartments, to rent)

[desiladki104]

Hi, I'm a college student in the Chicago area looking for safe and affordable apartments (studios or 1 bedrooms) to rent for the upcoming school year. I'm having some difficulty finding places that are both affordable and in a good area for a college girl walking back from night class around 10PM. I found a decent place on Dearborn St, but i've heard some sketchy things about that area. I know I should expect sketchy being in the city, but I just want to make sure I'm not landing myself in a totally terrible place not knowing much about each neighborhood well. I go to school in the loop and would prefer taking the El. Does anyone know of any affordable and safe neighborhoods in the city? By affordable, I'm looking at $800 and below.

[marothisu]

Where are you looking? Dearborn is a long street - not having a cross street or where you're going to school is meaningless at this point.

[desiladki104]

I'm sorry. I'm a student at DePaul University with most of my classes around the Jackson and Adams area. The apartment I found was the Dearborn Plaza Apartments. The location they provide is: We are located on the West side of Dearborn Street, North of Oak Street and one block East of Clark

[marothisu]

The area Dearborn Plaza is in is completely fine. The building across the street has multi million dollar condos in it. I have friends who live in the buildings right near it and I live 2-3 blocks south and am around there quite a bit because of a few friends. Don't know why you'd think it's a shady area. Division Street has some weirdness, but overall the area is completely fine and it's a great area. That whole area is fairly wealthy - I know what apartments you're talking about and they're an absolute steal for the area. Most studios in the area start at around $1000/month except for that building. About 1 block east of there is the Viagra Triangle area, where it's not uncommon to see celebrities and people in Lamborghinis, Ferraris, and Bentleys in the warmer months.

Otherwise, you could go up to Lincoln Park or Lakeview and find studios for under $800/mo that is only 15-20 minutes ride to the Loop campus of DePaul.

[ToriaT]

Most of the DePaul students live somewhat around the DePaul area at least initially...my son was one. And usually to defray costs, they live with other DePaul or at least students from area colleges like Columbia, etc. Many of them choose to live in somewhat farther areas once they get the lay of the land such as Logan Square, Wicker Park, Ukrainian Village, etc. Make sure you live within walking distance of the L. Popular streets to live near are Fullerton or Armitage because you can catch a bus and get east to DePaul easily. Dearborn street does not sound like a place that students tend to live around...that Rush street area...most would not be caught dead there near the Viagra Triangle. Also my son was a business student with courses in the same area and some on campus north too but he still did not want to live farther south near the loop.

[desiladki104]

I've lived in the Lincoln Park area for 2 years but am looking for something away from the DePaul residence halls here in LP because of how pricey they can get. I know many DePaul students at the loop tend to live around the UIC area. Do you happen to know of any safe and affordable areas around there, close enough for me to take the Blue link to Jackson for school?

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by desiladki104

I've lived in the Lincoln Park area for 2 years but am looking for something away from the DePaul residence halls here in LP because of how pricey they can get. I know many DePaul students at the loop tend to live around the UIC area. Do you happen to know of any safe and affordable areas around there, close enough for me to take the Blue link to Jackson for school?

Why not live in Dearborn Plaza? The area is great

[desiladki104]

The Dearborn Plaza is definitely an option. It seems great, but I'd love to have alternatives backed up, and since the UIC area isn't too far from the loop either, I would be fine looking for a safe area there, as well.

[ToriaT]

The area around UIC is fine and a lot of UIC students. Try streets that are near the intersection of Taylor and Racine going more north of Taylor and east and west of Racine. Check on how close these are to the L line. Lots of students around there.