McKinley Park, Chicago

Found on the city’s southwest side, McKinley Park is a distinctly residential area with an ethnic population and strong community feeling. One of the best things about the neighborhood is the park of the same name, which is almost 70 acres of wooded areas, including a swimming pool, walking paths, and a lagoon. With much in the way of community improvements over the past few years, McKinley Park is becoming a more desirable area.

The ethnic diversity of the area can certainly be felt through its many eateries and festivals. Making the trek here in the summer is not uncommon for me because of the well-known and fun food-based festivals held here. If you like diversity, McKinley Park is worth a visit. Many city-dwellers might find the area to be a little too residential, but families in search of a quiet place to call home should consider this affordable neighborhood with a lot of potential for the future.

Travel to the area is easy via the orange line or I-55. For me, McKinley Park is certainly a place to visit, but not a place to live. It has a strong working-class energy, which makes it a great place for retirees, families, and couples ready to settle down a bit.

McKinley Park is a really good residential type neighborhood with nice homes that for the quality of the house and the neighborhood, are reasonably priced. I say for what you get because the homes aren't really cheap, but similar accommodations would be priced higher in other parts of the city.
McKinley Park is fairly safe and the main park in the Neighborhood, named (you guessed it) McKinley Park, is one of the better parks in the city. There's a fair amount of space, lots of greenery, and a swimming pool in the summer and ice skating rink in the winter. I'd say the park is one of the main attractions in the area.
Dining is not exactly great, but that doesn't mean it's terrible. There are some decent places to grab a bite to eat. My dad's a big fan of chili, and he really likes Lindy's Chili. I'm not as big a fan of chili, but even I like eating there. You can also get some good ice cream. Most of the options for dining are affordable, which is nice, and I'd say that much like the real estate, it's a steal for what you get.
The biggest drawback to McKinley Park would be the nightlife, which is virtually nonexistent, and the traffic can be really bad. Outside of the purely residential streets, you'll have a very hard time finding parking, and you can get utterly gridlocked in traffic as well. It is close to the Loop, so you can take the train for a short trip, but if you want to drive it can be a real pain.
Dependent on what you're looking for, McKinley Park might be perfectly suited for you. I'm giving it 3 stars because it doesn't have the nightlife or finer dining options that I'd like in a neighborhood. But it could be a nice place to raise a family.