7.3 out of 10

North Center

Ranked 21st best neighborhood in Chicago
41.954631238556 -87.6852040761892
Great for
  • Public Transport
  • Peace & Quiet
  • Eating Out
  • Resale or Rental Value
  • Internet Access
Not great for
  • Schools
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
Who lives here?
  • Professionals
  • Families with kids
  • Singles
  • Retirees
  • Hipsters

Reviews

4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 4/5
  • Safe & Sound 4/5
  • Clean & Green 4/5
  • Pest Free 4/5
  • Peace & Quiet 4/5
  • Eating Out 5/5
  • Nightlife 3/5
  • Parks & Recreation 5/5
  • Shopping Options 5/5
  • Gym & Fitness 4/5
  • Internet Access 5/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 3/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 4/5
  • Public Transport 5/5
  • Medical Facilities 4/5
  • Childcare 4/5
2yrs+

"A very liveable part of town"

North Center is an interesting area located on the North Side of the city of Chicago. North Center is a notable neighborhood in Chicago in that it has a great deal of activity and business, yet, it also maintains a lot of residential housing and quiet streets. Although housing prices are going up, this is still an attractive area to live in due to its easy access to a wide variety of activities and the fact that much of the city's best attractions are a quick ride away. One of the North Center's most popular areas is Roscoe Village, which is often sited for its interesting architecture.

The WGN television network, which is carried nationally via cable, is located in the North Center area and is quite prominent. The DeVry Institute of Technology can also be found in this area and maintains a large campus.

The number of restaurants and entertainment options is one of the big reasons that the North Center and areas like Roscoe Village stand out. The area's interest in art and music and its relatively large percentage of independently owned businesses help make North Center an interesting area to visit and live in.
Pros
  • Easy access to El lines
  • Location
  • Quiet
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
  • LGBT+
  • Hipsters
  • Trendy & Stylish
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 4/5
  • Safe & Sound 5/5
  • Clean & Green 4/5
  • Peace & Quiet 5/5
  • Eating Out 3/5
  • Nightlife 2/5
  • Shopping Options 2/5
  • Parking 2/5
  • Public Transport 4/5
2yrs+

"North Center - Friendly & Family-oriented"

North Center is a really nice neighborhood for couples and families. I have a friend with 2 young kids who lives there and loves it. It’s fairly quiet, safe, and still has a lot to do.

A lot of the restaurants in the area are bar & grill/pub type places. Orange Garden has been in the neighborhood FOREVER and is a really good Chinese place. Mrs. Murphy and Sons is an awesome Irish restaurant that will totally change the way you feel about Irish food. They also have a great whiskey list.

I’ve mostly been to the bars in the area. Martyr’s is a nice place to see live music – they have all kinds of different bands play, including a lot of international/world music. The Globe Pub has been a favorite of mine since it opened. They have tons of different beers, good food and open REALLY early for soccer games (which is what they’re known for). The Black Rock also has decent bar food and is a good spot to hang out with friends.

If you have a day to kill, stop by Architectural Artifacts. It’s a salvage shop that has old furniture, doors, tiles, pillars, fireplaces – random stuff from demolished buildings around the world. They have a museum too. Poking around here can be really fun if you like antiques or home décor. It’s really expensive, but fun to just look around.
Pros
  • great for families
  • Quiet
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Families with kids
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 4/5
  • Safe & Sound 4/5
  • Clean & Green 4/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 5/5
  • Eating Out 4/5
  • Nightlife 3/5
  • Parks & Recreation 3/5
  • Shopping Options 4/5
  • Gym & Fitness 4/5
  • Internet Access 4/5
  • Lack of Traffic 3/5
  • Parking 4/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 4/5
  • Public Transport 4/5
  • Medical Facilities 3/5
  • Schools 4/5
  • Childcare 4/5
2yrs+

"Family Friendly & Convenient"

North Center is a popular area, which also encompasses Roscoe Village and St. Bens. Its location in the North Side makes it convenient to all of Chicago’s hot spots, many of which are found right here. The boundaries of North Center are Ravenswood Avenue on the east, the Chicago River on the west, Montrose Avenue on the north, and Diversey Parkway on the south.

My favorite area of North Center is Roscoe Village, which is where I live. All of North Center is filled with fun eateries, bars, and tons of family-friendly areas. Just a hop, skip, and a jump from Wrigley Field, Lincoln Park, and many other points of interest, North Center is far enough away from the hectic life of the city without giving up the convenience many people crave.

Families will find North Center and all of its sub-neighborhoods to be quite family-friendly. There are many prominent schools in the area for all ages. You’ll also find a few boutiques that cater to families, including Be By Baby, which fea
Pros
  • Location
  • Quiet
  • Easy access to El lines
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Families with kids
  • Hipsters
  • Trendy & Stylish
4/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 4/5
  • Safe & Sound 4/5
  • Clean & Green 3/5
  • Pest Free 3/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 3/5
  • Nightlife 4/5
  • Parks & Recreation 3/5
  • Shopping Options 2/5
  • Gym & Fitness 3/5
  • Internet Access 3/5
  • Lack of Traffic 4/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 3/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 4/5
  • Public Transport 3/5
  • Medical Facilities 3/5
  • Schools 4/5
  • Childcare 3/5
2yrs+

"Nice, but lacking in interest"

North Center is a nice, safe area that's close to the more happening areas while still removed enough to be a quieter neighborhood. I feel like you could really raise a family there, and I know a lot of the younger professional crowd as started to flock there, although I wouldn't say it has that much to hold my interest.
One place I would recommend for dinner is Sola, which is a nicer restaurant with some great food. I've visited North Center more than once just to eat there, so it is certainly a highlight.
Walking around, you'll see a number of stores that seem interesting, but for me, they just don't seem like the places you'll want to see all the time. Some art galleries and furniture stores where you can find something unique, but really, after you furnish your place, do you really need a furniture store nearby? I don't. Art galleries are nice, and certainly add an air of class to the area, but again, not terribly helpful if you ask me.
Transportation is good, with access to the Kennedy and the El stops here, but that can be said of most neighborhoods, so it's nothing special.
Overall, I don't think North Center would be a half bad place to live. It's safe and pretty quiet, and you're close enough to the more exciting areas to make it a good resting place.
Pros
  • Safe
  • Some Good Restaurants
  • Quiet
  • great for families
Cons
  • Not exactly exciting
  • I feel North Center is a bit stale, like it's been bleached
  • Not much shopping
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Families with kids

Travelling to North Center?

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Unranked Streets in North Center

"An up-and-coming street in a great neighborhood!"
41.9523231900622 -87.6823483353897
"Fresh to Your Family, From Across the Alley"
41.9540930459025 -87.6836131778126
"Lively street with lots to do"
41.9541966138234 -87.6787796847695
"Pothole city, by the bridge"
41.9549416330433 -87.6884943886538
"Railroad tracks on the right of me, gastropub on the left, here I am, stuck in the middle with you."
41.9532622560427 -87.6757939456839

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