Oakland
Ranked 24th best neighborhood in Chicago
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Great for
- Parks & Recreation
- Parking
- Cost of Living
- Lack of Traffic
- Gym & Fitness
Not great for
- Eating Out
- Shopping Options
- Safe & Sound
- Schools
- Nightlife
Who lives here?
- Professionals
- Singles
- Families with kids
- Beach Lovers
- Retirees
Got a burning question? Why not ask the locals! Simply ask your question below
Reviews
Oakland
rating details
2yrs+
- Neighborly Spirit
- Safe & Sound
- Clean & Green
- Pest Free
- Peace & Quiet
- Eating Out
- Nightlife
- Parks & Recreation
- Shopping Options
- Gym & Fitness
- Internet Access
- Lack of Traffic
- Parking
- Cost of Living
- Resale or Rental Value
- Public Transport
- Medical Facilities
- Schools
- Childcare
"Art and Culture in Chicago's South Side"
Oakland is a mostly African American neighborhood that is situated near the lake in South Chicago. While this is a pretty poor area overall, there are some interesting things to note about this neighborhood. You can see some interesting artistic and cultural attractions. Also this part of town has some homes that were designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. Like many of Wright's homes, the ones in Oakland have a very interesting and diverse style.
Little Black Pearl Art and Design Center is place dedicated to displaying art from those living in the neighborhood. This is one of those places that shows a lot of local spirit and gives the neighborhood its own unique charm. There is also the Hyde Park Art Center. This center provides various programs and promotes modern art and relationships between mentors and students.
There are also some very famous people who have lived in Oakland. You can find Nation of Islam's founder Louis Farrakhan's house on Woodlawn Avenue. It is a rather impressive home to behold! Not too far away is Mohammad Ali's former home too. There are some new developments including modern homes and condos. This neighborhood is different from what you will find in virtually any city and is definitely interesting to check out.
Little Black Pearl Art and Design Center is place dedicated to displaying art from those living in the neighborhood. This is one of those places that shows a lot of local spirit and gives the neighborhood its own unique charm. There is also the Hyde Park Art Center. This center provides various programs and promotes modern art and relationships between mentors and students.
There are also some very famous people who have lived in Oakland. You can find Nation of Islam's founder Louis Farrakhan's house on Woodlawn Avenue. It is a rather impressive home to behold! Not too far away is Mohammad Ali's former home too. There are some new developments including modern homes and condos. This neighborhood is different from what you will find in virtually any city and is definitely interesting to check out.
Recommended for
- Families with kids
- Tourists
- Students
- Beach Lovers
Oakland
rating details
2yrs+
- Neighborly Spirit
- Eating Out
- Nightlife
- Shopping Options
"Call it What You Want, but It's Not There Yet."
Once upon a time a friend told me that Oakland was the next big thing in Chicago. She insisted that the area was going to grow quickly and everything that was being done to slow the crime rate and remove the projects would transform Oakland into the place to be. Well, that doesn't seem to be happening. Sure, the housing projects are being converted and nicer homes and apartments are being built, but there is little in Oakland to draw the upper crust in and there is little night life to draw in young trendies to jump start the area.
What Oakland appears to be is a project that grew in the wrong direction without outside support. You can build all the homes you want, but people need something to be drawn too, and sadly no one wants to buy a home with a housing project in close proximity. They either need to clear this place out or consider it a lost cause project. Either way the big swing isn't coming to Oakland anytime soon, buyer beware!
What Oakland appears to be is a project that grew in the wrong direction without outside support. You can build all the homes you want, but people need something to be drawn too, and sadly no one wants to buy a home with a housing project in close proximity. They either need to clear this place out or consider it a lost cause project. Either way the big swing isn't coming to Oakland anytime soon, buyer beware!
Recommended for
- Professionals
Oakland
rating details
2yrs+
- Neighborly Spirit
- Safe & Sound
- Clean & Green
- Pest Free
- Peace & Quiet
- Eating Out
- Nightlife
- Shopping Options
- Gym & Fitness
- Internet Access
- Lack of Traffic
- Cost of Living
- Resale or Rental Value
- Public Transport
"Caution, Chicago Newbies"
Empty lots have recently been transformed into new developments in Oakland, but in my opinion the neighborhood still has plenty of room to grow. And in the vernacular of the current economy, the phrase "new developments" often means new condos and high rise apartment buildings, which is true for this South Side, lakeside area. It’s not a cheap place to live, but the population remains pretty diverse – many of the African-American residents have been in Oakland for a long time.
The neighborhood has been on the up-and-up since a number of housing projects were razed to the ground in the late nineties (thanks, Obama), but it remains so residential that you have to travel outside of it for a lot of things.
Because of its South Side locale, I wouldn’t advise that any newbies just go strolling into the neighborhood without supervision. It isn’t the roughest neighborhood, but it’s not the best Chicago has to offer, either. Use caution when in the area. And, on a personal level, I would probably never move here myself. Houses – many of which are newly built or newly renovated – are pretty cheap out here, but with good reason.
The neighborhood has been on the up-and-up since a number of housing projects were razed to the ground in the late nineties (thanks, Obama), but it remains so residential that you have to travel outside of it for a lot of things.
Because of its South Side locale, I wouldn’t advise that any newbies just go strolling into the neighborhood without supervision. It isn’t the roughest neighborhood, but it’s not the best Chicago has to offer, either. Use caution when in the area. And, on a personal level, I would probably never move here myself. Houses – many of which are newly built or newly renovated – are pretty cheap out here, but with good reason.
Oakland
rating details
2yrs+
- Neighborly Spirit
- Safe & Sound
- Clean & Green
- Pest Free
- Peace & Quiet
- Eating Out
- Nightlife
- Parks & Recreation
- Shopping Options
- Gym & Fitness
- Internet Access
- Lack of Traffic
- Parking
- Cost of Living
- Resale or Rental Value
- Public Transport
- Medical Facilities
- Schools
- Childcare
"Go ahead, call it a comeback."
Oakland is an up and coming Chicago neighborhood. Not too long ago it was dominated by housing projects, and while there are still a fair number in the area, many have been torn down, and there are more nice condos and homes being built all the time.
I wouldn’t say that Oakland is the best neighborhood, but I see an upward trend for the most part. Still, there is some crime in the area, and you may find some people who worry about being mugged. At present, I’d say there’s still too much danger for most families. Too much can still go wrong.
That said, I like the potential Oakland has. There isn’t much in the way of restaurants. In fact, I can’t think of any place I’d recommend if you’re hungry. Not that the options are bad, it’s just that there’s next to nothing there. You certainly wouldn’t go to Oakland looking for restaurants.
Mandrake Park is definitely a highlight. There’s a good amount of room to participate in most fun activities, and the Movies in the Park event is a lot of fun. I had the pleasure of going a while back while on a date, and it was a night very well spent. There aren’t enough of these types of venues in Chicago, and I really wish there were more, so if for nothing else specifically, I do recommend Oakland for Movies in the Park.
I wouldn’t say that Oakland is the best neighborhood, but I see an upward trend for the most part. Still, there is some crime in the area, and you may find some people who worry about being mugged. At present, I’d say there’s still too much danger for most families. Too much can still go wrong.
That said, I like the potential Oakland has. There isn’t much in the way of restaurants. In fact, I can’t think of any place I’d recommend if you’re hungry. Not that the options are bad, it’s just that there’s next to nothing there. You certainly wouldn’t go to Oakland looking for restaurants.
Mandrake Park is definitely a highlight. There’s a good amount of room to participate in most fun activities, and the Movies in the Park event is a lot of fun. I had the pleasure of going a while back while on a date, and it was a night very well spent. There aren’t enough of these types of venues in Chicago, and I really wish there were more, so if for nothing else specifically, I do recommend Oakland for Movies in the Park.
Pros
- Its coming back from some bad times
- Mandrake Park is nice
- Affordable
Cons
- The bad times aren't over yet
- Still a bit unsafe
- Few restaurants/locations of interest
Recommended for
- Professionals
- Singles
