Where in Chicago is the best area to live for a 29 year old single girl: fun, safe and not to expensive?

Question

I want to live in the city, not to far from downtown, Somewhere fun, safe, and not crazy expensive. I have friends that just moved one week ago to the Wrigleyville/ Lakeview area. So they are no help as yet. Maybe somewhere a walk or a short cab ride from their area.

Answer 1

www.apts.com

www.chicagoreader.com

my neighborhood list would be

lincoln park

lakeview

lincoln square

bucktown/wicker park

While I would love to list Gold Coast/Streeterville, it is too expensive.

Check out the condo's, they have good deals for rentals.

Answer 2

While I can appreciate the fact that your friends moved to the northside of town in the Wrigleyville area - it's not a cheap place.  The northside is known for being "safer" than the southside, but that's mostly people thinking that the northside is for caucasians and the southside is for African-Americans and whatnot.  It's just not so.

I frankly live on the southside, a few blocks away from US Cellular Field, in a nice college town known as Bridgeport.  While it's not a "college town" in the sense that college kids flood the area and make noise and get drunk all the time - it's in the sense that IIT is a few blocks north of the stadium and the surrounding area west of the college has cheap and safe apartments that college kids can afford and walk to and from their classes feeling safe.

I know that this neighborhood is safe (between 31st and 35th, extending from State to Halsted) because everywhere I walk, there are police cars and officers around.  Partially because there's a major police station at 35th and Michigan, and partially because there are great places to eat, and officers frequent them.

And if you're worried that your friends are on the opposite side of the city, remember that this area is right next to the Sox/35th stop on the Red Line that takes you all the way north to the Wrigleyville area rather quickly (and cheaper than a taxi).  And the rent?  Well, let's just say that I landed a 2-bedroom apartment for $525/mo and don't plan on leaving it for a while, and my friends landed a 3-bedroom apartment for $800/mo as well.  Always places to rent here, and most are cheaper than anything you'd find where your friends are staying.

Let me know if you need any more information, okay?