How prevalent is it to be able to find APARTMENTS in Chicagoland for up to $800.00/month or less (but no higher)? (Paris: real estate, 2015)

[UsAll]

I've been to Chicagoland 4 or 5 times over the decades and stayed for varying lengths of time but I've never taken it upon myself to investigate THE COST OF HOUSING there (i.e., apartment rentals: whether traditional apartments in multi-level multiple dwelling buildings or, much more desirably, a legal apartment unit in a two- or three-family home . . . whether owner-occupied or not). I had thought that, with Chicago being a first-tier world-class city and metro area just like New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boston, London, Paris, Toronto, et al, that it will have APARTMENT RENTAL PRICE LEVELS to reflect that, like those other cities/metro areas do. Yet varied persons on C-D.com over the course of time say that "No, Chicago is not nearly as expensive as those other places" and various individuals have referred me in the past to various real estate web sites (e.g., Trulia and the like) where they pointed out to me apartments in the $600's, $700's, or $800's per month and higher (sometimes even seeing a $500.00-something apartment here and there). And when I'd view the areas in Google Street View, the neighborhoods and areas looked reasonable enough if not outright very decent (i.e., not outright slum-y or ghetto-y or majorly blighted or wastelands but better than that . . . at least reasonable or acceptable enough to my view). I don't need to live in luxury or upscaleness but just basically presentable and with CTA train access and/or commuter rail access (CTA train access preferable) that is not too too far of a walk away from what would be my home. (It can be a working class or blue collar neighborhood or area; it just shouldn't be outright slum-y or ghetto-y or majorly blighted or wastelands and nor majorly occupied by the crime- and incivility-prone populations.)

The point is: I wonder if I just happened, by sheer luck, to find a few very rare exceptions in those listings I saw online. So the question is (for all you folks that are truly knowledgeable and experienced Chicagoland residents who are very familiar with Chicago itself and the CTA- and commuter rail-accessible cities - towns - suburbs around it):


In Chicagoland-at-large, just how prevalent is it to TRULY be able to find studio or one-bedroom apartments (if not even larger) in the range of $800.00-SOMETHING AND LESSER PER MONTH (i.e., $400.00-something, $500.00-something, $600.00-something, $700.00-something, $800.00-something) BUT NOT HIGHER THAN THAT? **And** in neighorhoods or areas of Chicago proper or in the cities or towns or suburbs of Chicagoland-at-large that are NOT outright slum-y or ghetto-y or majorly blighted or wastelands nor majorly occupied by the crime- and incivility-prone populations?

Or instead, is it rather the case that, at this present point in time of year 2015 in the 21st century, Chicagoland-at-large has gone the route of charging $1000.00/month and greater for the overwhelming majority of apartments OF ANY SIZE in any of the non-slum-y, non-ghetto-y, non-blighted areas?

(Note that I am talking about having MY OWN self-contained apartment with its own kitchen and bathroom ... not a rooming house with shared bathrooms in the hallways nor living with roommates or housemates in a regular apartment but rather living alone in a normal self-contained studio or one-bedroom apartment.)

[SubconsciousMe]

Originally Posted by UsAll

Or instead, is it rather the case that, at this present point in time of year 2015 in the 21st century, Chicagoland-at-large has gone the route of charging $1000.00/month and greater for the overwhelming majority of apartments OF ANY SIZE in any of the non-slum-y, non-ghetto-y, non-blighted areas?

That's a pretty broad generalization, I'd say.

So you don't want to pay more than $800, would like CTA access, and be reasonably safe? Just like about 3 or 4 other posts recently? Am I missing something?

Pretty easy, if you're flexible.

Here's what I do when I look for an apartment. I search padmapper search filtering by Chicago, IL with my budget and cross reference with a crime database.

Using your parameters, I found a ton.


With that said, Rogers Park, Edgewater, Pilsen, Bridgeport, Uptown, and many more that I can't think of right now are just a few of the neighborhoods. I have lived in Pilsen myself, in a 2 bedroom, for $700 and a few minute walk to the CTA. I was never shot at, seen or heard guns, or felt unsafe or threatened at any time.

[Planner15]

I live in Hyde Park for 600 a month. Safe and right next to a bus that goes downtown. My property manager has plenty that meet that same criteria.

[emathias]

Pretty prevalent unless you require a large apartment and/or an apartment in the trendiest neighborhoods.

[UsAll]

Originally Posted by SubconsciousMe

That's a pretty broad generalization, I'd say.

So you don't want to pay more than $800, would like CTA access, and be reasonably safe? Just like about 3 or 4 other posts recently? Am I missing something?

Pretty easy, if you're flexible.

Here's what I do when I look for an apartment. I search padmapper search filtering by Chicago, IL with my budget and cross reference with a crime database.

Using your parameters, I found a ton.


With that said, Rogers Park, Edgewater, Pilsen, Bridgeport, Uptown, and many more that I can't think of right now are just a few of the neighborhoods. I have lived in Pilsen myself, in a 2 bedroom, for $700 and a few minute walk to the CTA. I was never shot at, seen or heard guns, or felt unsafe or threatened at any time.

I'm assuming that your quote of $700.00/month for a 2-bedroom apartmetn in Pilsen in a rather recent years? That is, the past 5 years or so? For rental costs often enough do go up over the course of time? Heck, I can tell you rents I paid living in Manhattan (New York City) and in Boston of $250 in both places and then each went up to around $400 per month when I moved from them (and they were each in quite-decent areas) but that was decades ago. The same $400.00 rent for a one-bedroom in Manhattan in that particular neightborhood and location would likely go for $3000.00-something now if not even more (no kidding!) or, if you're lucky, the high $2000's (e.g, $2800.00/month). And Boston too has risen to New York City-level prices by-and-large.

I recall the look-and-feel of Rogers Park (I stayed up there on the 7000 block of North Sheridan Road) and remember Morse Ave. Beach and Loyola University and other walks around the neighborhood. It is hard to believe that a super-city that is on the world stage like Chicago still allows one to live in decent-enough areas for rental rates that are quite much lower than the other first-tier cities of the USA. Simply amazing! I mean I know that Chicagoland, like everyplace else, is filled from top to bottom which apartment building owners and mutii-famiy home owners who are capitalists-at-heart (like everyone else is) and want to make as much money as they can to meet all their own costs and to live the good life for themselves . . . and yet they deem that asking only $500-something or $600-something or $700-something or $800-something for a studio or one-bedroom is sufficient for them? And yet in quite many cities, suburbs and metro areas around the U.S., everything or virtually everything has gone to be $1000.00 or more per month (and oftentimes quite much more than that) . . . and this is not referring to luxury housing but just basic presentable run-of-the-mill market-rate (i.e., not government-subsidized) housing.

You would think that, of all places, Chicago proper or Chicagoland-at-large would feel it has the justification to charge notably more for their rents across-the-board than this . . . and yet they don't do so (i.e., or at least not "across-the-board"). Well, that is my good fortune. I ain't complaining.

Thank you for your input.

[UsAll]

Originally Posted by Planner15

I live in Hyde Park for 600 a month. Safe and right next to a bus that goes downtown. My property manager has plenty that meet that same criteria.

Is that $600.00-per-month apartment a studio? or a one-bedroom? or is it even larger?

I've been to Hyde Park a number of times over the decades in my visits to Chicago (to visit the University of Chicago). Quite a nice neighborhood (along with Kenwood) . . . although surrounded on all sides (except on the east) by miles and miles of blight. But OK.

Unless my info is dated, it is interesting that, in the more-than-a-century span of time that the CTA has existed, it has never taken it upon itself to extend the subway into Hyde Park (although I do know that the commuter rail extends to Hyde Park). I wonder if it has been the case, over the course of time, that maybe the bulk of the residents and institutions residing in Hyde Park, by-and-large, would rather NOT have subway access to Hyde Park but to just keep it like it is (i.e., with only bus and commuter rail access to and from downtown Chicago and the rest of Chicagoland).

Thank you for your input.

[Planner15]

Originally Posted by UsAll

Is that $600.00-per-month apartment a studio? or a one-bedroom? or is it even larger?

I've been to Hyde Park a number of times over the decades in my visits to Chicago (to visit the University of Chicago). Quite a nice neighborhood (along with Kenwood) . . . although surrounded on all sides (except on the east) by miles and miles of blight. But OK.

Unless my info is dated, it is interesting that, in the more-than-a-century span of time that the CTA has existed, it has never taken it upon itself to extend the subway into Hyde Park (although I do know that the commuter rail extends to Hyde Park). I wonder if it has been the case, over the course of time, that maybe the bulk of the residents and institutions residing in Hyde Park, by-and-large, would rather NOT have subway access to Hyde Park but to just keep it like it is (i.e., with only bus and commuter rail access to and from downtown Chicago and the rest of Chicagoland).

Thank you for your input.

It's just a studio. But my property manager currently has 1 bedrooms on the market for under 750.

As for Hyde Park, your info is not outdated, there still is no L-line here. However, as you mentioned the commuter will take you to and from downtown for 3 bucks a pop. Also, the 6 and 2 busses both run express from Hyde Park to downtown and the 55 can take you directly to the green and red lines. I'm not sure having an L stop here would benefit us all that much.

[SubconsciousMe]

We moved out of our Pilsen apt 6 weeks ago.

[UsAll]

Originally Posted by SubconsciousMe

We moved out of our Pilsen apt 6 weeks ago.

Well, that is quite recent (compared to 5 years or 10 years or two or three decades ago). Quite a large place for quite a reasonable rent. I'll take your word for it that Pilsen is an agreeable-enough neighborhood to live in (i.e., not a crime- or violence-wracked war zone-- we all know that crime can prospectively happen in anyplace at all and at any time, even in the most upscale areas --and the civil order and upkeep is by-and-large maintained there).

[PerseusVeil]

It's still possible to get a studio for less than $800 in Lakeview. You won't find that many of them, and they probably won't be all that big or updated, but they still exist. You can also still get studios and one-bedrooms for the same price range in Uptown, Edgewater, and Rogers Park. It's the same story as Lakeview, but there's more availabilities in that price range the further north you go, generally speaking.

OP, if you want to play around by neighborhood to see what's available, try Domu. It's simpler than searching Craigslist, but you probably won't find as many availabilities this time of year in comparison to the spring/summer months.
Domu Chicago | Chicagoland Apartments