Where Do Blacks With A Little Money Live In Chicago?

[goillini8]

Originally Posted by BRU67

Oak Park or Evanston.

Not sure if the OP is asking specifically about the city proper, but those are two great choices, especially since he's working across from Union Station and the Metra would bring him to Ogilvy from either Oak Park or Evanston. Likewise, the "L" would get him very close to work.

[Dport7674]

Where ever the f**k they want.

[ckhthankgod]

Beverly and Morgan Park are mixed areas and are middle class in outer SW Chicago. Morgan Park is predominately Black and Beverly is predominate White with a strong Irish character.

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[green apple]

Your best bet is Hyde Park or South Loop. Oak Park and Evanston are suburbs and are not, nor considered colloquially, part of the city. You would be very very far from the city part of Chicago in either of those locations.

Anything south of 35th street (excluding the university) is going to be 90% black, but there will be few middle income families; there will be some, just the majority will be low income. Little Village is not black-friendly. Rogers Park is more African immigrant than black American, and is not a well to do area. Taylor street area is I think good for young black professionals due to its location near UIC, but I don't know about there being very many families there. Beverly is more of a mixed area (ie white faces) but generally I would not recommend going that far south if you are looking for an educated or professional atmosphere. It's a comparably "nicer" area as far as South Chicago is concerned, but doesn't have a yuppie professional vibe if that's what you're looking for.

If I were you looking for the upwardly mobile black scene, the obvious choice is Hyde Park. Yes, you will be enmeshed in the UC community vibe, but it is historically and continues to be family friendly and upwardly mobile for blacks. I have friends in their 20s, marriage-bound couples etc, that are buying condos there because it's the place to be for that social scene. South Loop is pricier and more for single households than families, so that would be your second-best option.

[ChicagoMeO]

Prairie District - that area that begins south of Roosevelt all the way to where I would feel comfortable, to 18th Street and the area east of Michigan Ave. Indiana and Prairie have some really nice buildings. Glass buildings and not too expensive.

[JacksonPanther]

All of Hyde Park is not ruled by the Univ of Chicago. The area of HP dominated by the school is from about 57th and further south. But interestingly enough, there are very few black folks down in that part of HP. Most of the black people are north of 56th. Obama is north of 51st.

[beaniemac]

has it been specified by the OP what "little money" means?

[tommy_407]

Why don't you just settle down somewhere in the South Loop or maybe the very close surrounding area on the edge of the South Loop. Here's the problems.

#1. We still don't know what your budget is.
#2. Hyde Park is sort of the answer, but it's fairly isolated from the rest of the city. Like was said life will also be dominated by the university. For someone new the city I'd vote no.
#3. The neighborhoods you're really seeking are in fact sub-neighborhoods; they are nice pockets of pre-dominantly black neighborhoods with previously blighted blocks being revitalized by black gentrifiers if you will. Perfect example would be parts of Bronzeville. Walk a few blocks in another direction and you're now running into rougher, run-down, troubled black sub neighborhoods. So therefore we cannot give you a perfect answer.

Like was mentioned; what you're looking for will also be pretty far South. Notice: Far South. While not as bad as its reputation, that is not the place for any professional of any color to settle into when first moving to the city working downtown and not knowing anyone. Trust me. If you want to live there; you make that decision later.

Unfortunately there is no "neighborhood" that fully encompasses this. The closest thing I could think of would be Harlem in Manhattan, New York. And New York is for the birds once you settle into Chicago.

Also, how "black" are you? You really need to live with a majority of black professionals? Maybe Atlanta has good examples of this. In Chicago just find a cool 'hood that's more than uptight white folks and you're good

[cordtwo]

Originally Posted by beaniemac

has it been specified by the OP what "little money" means?

I would assume the OP is referring to middle class African-Americans. A neighborhood that has decent AA's with limited criminal activity.