Hyde Park Population: 25,700 (47% white, 33% black, 11% Asian, 6% Hispanic) Median household income: $48,600 Median sales price (house): $715,000 Median sales price (condo): $154,000 Violent crime rate: 4.6 per 1,000 (vs. 9.3 citywide) Transportation: Three Metra stops If you get bored in Hyde Park, you have only yourself to blame. It’s home … Read more
Edgewater Includes: Andersonville, Lakewood Balmoral Population: 56,500 (53% white, 16% Hispanic, 15% black, 12% Asian) Median household income: $48,300 Median sales price (house): $490,000 Median sales price (condo): $150,000 Violent crime rate: 3.3 per 1,000 (vs. 9.3 citywide) Transportation: Four el stops Talk to residents and you’ll hear them describe a near-magical place: broad … Read more
Beverly Population: 20,000 (58% white, 35% black, 5% Hispanic) Median household income: $90,200 Median sales price (house): $223,000 Violent crime rate: 4.0 per 1,000 (vs. 9.3 citywide) Transportation: Five Metra stops Knees accustomed to pancake-flat Chicago terrain will be unprepared for Beverly’s glacial ridge, wedged between a string of five Metra stations and the … Read more
Lincoln Park Population: 64,100 (82% white, 7% Hispanic, 6% Asian, 4% black) Median household income: $92,600 Median sales price (house): $1,350,000 Median sales price (condo): $425,000 Violent crime rate: 2.9 per 1,000 (vs. 9.3 citywide) Transportation: Four el stops The biggest downside of this historic lakefront area may be its sheer popularity. Last year … Read more
North Center Includes: Roscoe Village Population: 31,900 (79% white, 13% Hispanic, 4% Asian, 1% black) Median household income: $69,900 Median sales price (house): $875,000 Median sales price (condo): $355,000 Violent crime rate: 2.0 per 1,000 (vs. 9.3 citywide) Transportation: Three el stops Formerly a magnet for hipster couples toting hipster babies, Roscoe Village has … Read more
Barrington Population: 10,300 (89% white, 5% Hispanic, 4% Asian, 1% black) Median household income: $106,000 Median sales price (house): $438,000 Violent crime rate: 0.4 per 1,000 (vs. 2.1 countywide) Transportation: One Metra stop Founded in 1865, this horsy northwestern suburb offers plenty of room for families to spread out—and feels far more removed from … Read more
Wilmette Population: 27,100 (83% white, 11% Asian, 3% Hispanic, 1% black) Median household income: $130,000 Median sales price (house): $635,000 Violent crime rate: 0.3 per 1,000 (vs. 2.1 countywide) Transportation: One el stop; one Metra stop Wilmette—which ranked No. 2 on that DePaul study of the metro area’s most transit-friendly towns—offers a near-perfect combination … Read more
Hinsdale Population: 16,800 (87% white, 6% Asian, 4% Hispanic, 1% black) Median household income: $166,000 Median sales price (house): $930,000 Violent crime rate: 0.1 per 1,000 (vs. 0.8 countywide) Transportation: Three Metra stops “When I take the kids out here, it just feels right,” says PR firm owner Melissa Skoog Dunagan, a Gold Coast … Read more
Wheaton Population: 52,900 (84% white, 5% Hispanic, 5% Asian, 4% black) Median household income: $86,000 Median sales price (house): $336,000 Violent crime rate: 0.4 per 1,000 (vs. 0.8 countywide) Transportation: Two Metra stops If you’re religious about Sunday services, you may have come to the right place. The seat of DuPage County is part … Read more
Highland Park Population: 29,800 (87% white, 7% Hispanic, 3% Asian, 2% black) Median household income: $115,000 Median sales price (house): $491,000 Violent crime rate: 0.8 per 1,000 (vs. 1.8 countywide) Transportation: Four Metra stops The current home of former Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan (and the former home of Bulls legend Michael Jordan, … Read more
