Best Neighborhood in Chicago for Young Professionals (Lincoln, Manhattan: condos, neighborhoods)

[PsychDoc]

Hi-

I just turned 30. I'm looking to move to Chicago. I'm a straight male and looking to move to a neighborhood filled with lots of young, single professionals (lots of single women). Money won't be an issue. Any advice? I've lived in NYC before, and I'm basically looking for the equivalent of Hoboken to NYC.

Thanks in advance.

Oh yeah, should I bring a car? I've heard conflicting thoughts on this.

[sbd78]

I'm not familiar with Hoboken but Lincoln Park is always a great choice, as is Gold Coast, Old Town, Lakeview (Halsted street between Belmont and Irving Park is a gay neighborhood, but the rest of Lakeview is generally straight), Wrigleyville, Bucktown, and Wicker Park. You really won't need a car. If you want a car, prepare to pay for parking. Many highrises offer parking garages for a monthly fee. Sometimes 2 and 3 flats will have parking spaces in the back alleys for a fee or rarely, included in the rent. Street parking can be tough in the more popular neighborhoods (although there are some exceptions), especially those close to the lake.

[lenniel]

Try Lincoln Square. Lots of brand new condos with premium details. A great strip of bars/rests, shops, parks between Wilson/Lawrence on Lincoln. Parking isn't bad, it's 20 minutes (non rush hour) to Ohare and an L stop makes for a quick trip to the Loop.

[UnderTheLiveOaks]

Based on what you've said, I'm thinking Old Town.

Cars are useful, but not essential, and can be a pain in the ass in a lot of neighborhoods unless you have a garage space.

[JeniLee10]

hey,

i came across your post and wonder if you made a decision? i too, am moving to chicago from ny, am 29, and looking for a neighborhood similar to what you described. i've been told i would like old town, bucktown, wicker park, wrigleyville, lincoln park, ukranian village.... it just goes on and on. there are so many neighborhood!

if you don't mind, i would love to hear of your discoveries.
***jeni

Originally Posted by PsychDoc

Hi-

I just turned 30. I'm looking to move to Chicago. I'm a straight male and looking to move to a neighborhood filled with lots of young, single professionals (lots of single women). Money won't be an issue. Any advice? I've lived in NYC before, and I'm basically looking for the equivalent of Hoboken to NYC.

Thanks in advance.

Oh yeah, should I bring a car? I've heard conflicting thoughts on this.

[Avengerfire]

^ The OP posted his thread 2 years ago. :-) ^

[5Lakes]

Originally Posted by JeniLee10

hey,

i came across your post and wonder if you made a decision? i too, am moving to chicago from ny, am 29, and looking for a neighborhood similar to what you described. i've been told i would like old town, bucktown, wicker park, wrigleyville, lincoln park, ukranian village.... it just goes on and on. there are so many neighborhood!

if you don't mind, i would love to hear of your discoveries.
***jeni

I'm not the OP, but here is a run down. You should know that Chicago's core neighborhoods are more on the scale of Brooklyn or Queens. You will have to live downtown if you want a slice of Manhattan. The neighborhoods you listed are all popular with your demographic.

If you like Hoboken, as the OP did, then you will like lincoln Park. They have a similar vibrancy and people (yuppies, young professionals, frat/sorority types).

Lakeview is like Lincoln Park, but with a gay sub-district. Not quite as upscale though. Wrigley Field is also located there and is the city's sports bar mecca.

Old town is an older yuppie crowd. Probalby most like Brooklyn Hts.

Wicker Park/Bucktown is more trendy/hipster instead of the frat/soriety vibe. It is not on the lakefront and mostly a late 20's/30's crowd (early 20's types usually frequent Lincoln Park or Lakeview).

Ukranian Village is like a less upscale Wicker Park with some blue collar types and Ukranians mixed in. It does not have a subway stop and is not on the lakefront.

[Basekamp]

You are seeking Bucktown or Logan Square (Bucktown is a subset of Logan Square) if you are seeking the Hoeboken. Chicago doesn't compare directly to NYC though, if you are seeking where all of the 25-30 year old women go to party it is mostly in Old Town/Wicker Park/Lincoln Park.

Originally Posted by PsychDoc

Hi-

I just turned 30. I'm looking to move to Chicago. I'm a straight male and looking to move to a neighborhood filled with lots of young, single professionals (lots of single women). Money won't be an issue. Any advice? I've lived in NYC before, and I'm basically looking for the equivalent of Hoboken to NYC.

Thanks in advance.

Oh yeah, should I bring a car? I've heard conflicting thoughts on this.

[sxr71]

Originally Posted by 5Lakes

I'm not the OP, but here is a run down. You should know that Chicago's core neighborhoods are more on the scale of Brooklyn or Queens. You will have to live downtown if you want a slice of Manhattan. The neighborhoods you listed are all popular with your demographic.

If you like Hoboken, as the OP did, then you will like lincoln Park. They have a similar vibrancy and people (yuppies, young professionals, frat/sorority types).

Lakeview is like Lincoln Park, but with a gay sub-district. Not quite as upscale though. Wrigley Field is also located there and is the city's sports bar mecca.

Old town is an older yuppie crowd. Probalby most like Brooklyn Hts.

Wicker Park/Bucktown is more trendy/hipster instead of the frat/soriety vibe. It is not on the lakefront and mostly a late 20's/30's crowd (early 20's types usually frequent Lincoln Park or Lakeview).

Ukranian Village is like a less upscale Wicker Park with some blue collar types and Ukranians mixed in. It does not have a subway stop and is not on the lakefront.

This is the feeling I'm getting. The neighborhoods are basically Park Slope or something like that - at best.

You could live downtown if you wanted to live in the Financial District and get that feel, but I never wanted to live in FiDi. It's dead after 8 or 9 and I suspect save for some pockets downtown Chicago is the same.

Is there anything like a Murray Hill or East Village or West Village or Greenwich Village out there? I am beginning to suspect there isn't.

[Lookout Kid]

Hah, my ex-girlfriend grew up in Murray Hill. The closest thing in Chicago is the eastern edge of the Gold Coast and Lincoln Park, though Lincoln Park West and Lake View Terrace feel more like the Upper West Side to me. Greenwich Village has no real Chicago competitor. Our gay district is in eastern Lake View. Our "rich intellectual" concentration is spread through River North, Old Town, Lincoln Park, and the Gold Coast. Wicker Park and Bucktown are close to what the East Village used to be, but now are probably closer to the sparkly clean gentrified version of Williamsburg. And the feel of the actual built neighborhood is very different (less dense, more ordered, different architectural style).