{"id":37309,"date":"2020-11-20T07:16:29","date_gmt":"2020-11-20T15:16:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/?p=37309"},"modified":"2026-01-23T03:06:00","modified_gmt":"2026-01-23T11:06:00","slug":"living-in-wicker-park-a-culturally-diverse-walkable-chicago-community-with-varied-housing-options","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rentcafe.com\/blog\/local-resources\/living-in-wicker-park-a-culturally-diverse-walkable-chicago-community-with-varied-housing-options\/","title":{"rendered":"Living in Wicker Park, a Culturally Diverse, Walkable Chicago Community with Varied Housing Options"},"content":{"rendered":"

The neighborhood of Wicker Park<\/a>, located in Chicago<\/a>\u2019s West Town community, has been one of the most desirable areas to live in for many years now. It was hip before it was trendy and it\u2019s been trendy for an awful long time. This area south west of the fashionable Lincoln Park community has been a magnet for those seeking affordable housing in a culturally diverse neighborhood in close proximity to downtown Chicago<\/a>. As with\u00a0its equally popular neighborhood to the north,\u00a0Bucktown<\/a>,\u00a0Gen-X\u2019ers and Millennials have gravitated to the area due to its preponderance of nightlife venues and its rich artistic profile.<\/p>\n

Location<\/h2>\n

Wicker Park is situated in the northwest corner of the West Town community<\/a>, and is bordered on the north by the Bloomingdale Trail\u00a0(although historically it went as far north as Armitage Avenue), on the south by Division Street, on the west by Western Avenue, and on the east by Ashland Avenue.<\/p>\n

\"Map<\/a><\/p>\n

The Kennedy Expressway (I-94) runs just to the east of Wicker Park\u00a0and gives its residents, like Bucktown’s, easy access by car to the greater Chicagoland area. Damen Avenue<\/strong> is one of two main arteries, continuing a\u00a0chain of restaurants and entertainment spots south from Bucktown<\/a>. The other is North Avenue<\/strong>, running east and west the entire breath of the neighborhood, where one can find an abundance of nightlife. However, there are many popular venues also along Milwaukee Avenue<\/strong>, which cuts transversely through the heart of the neighborhood. All in all, it becomes quite obvious that Wicker Park, with its numerous pockets of shopping, dining, and entertainment opportunities, is a highly walkable community.<\/p>\n

\"Milwaukee<\/a><\/p>\n

History<\/h2>\n

What\u2019s with the “wicker” in Wicker Park? Well, it\u2019s not about basket weaving. What it is about is two brothers – Charles and Joel\u00a0Wicker<\/a> – who put\u00a0down roots in the area in the mid-nineteenth century, and for whom the neighborhood is named. They were both businessmen, but Charles was also a City Council alderman (3rd Ward – Near South Side) from 1865 – 1869. During his tenure the city sought to build a park just west of Milwaukee Avenue and south of North Avenue, in an area which today is Chicago Park District land and is named Wicker Park<\/strong>. Being an alderman and being privy to the city\u2019s proposal, Charles purchased 80 acres along Milwaukee Avenue with his brother Joel and began to develop the area into residential lots. It was also about this time that the neighborhood was incorporated into the city (1868).<\/p>\n

\"Charles<\/a><\/p>\n

Another piece of\u00a0good fortune for them, financially, was that a few years later the city would suffer the worst catastrophe in its history – the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. The northwest side in which Wicker Park is located was spared this conflagration and thus benefited from the influx of citizens looking to build their new homes. Germans and Norwegians would be the first ethnic groups to settle in the area and would be followed later in the early twentieth century by Poles and Jews. Such notable Chicago families as the Pritzker\u2019s<\/strong> and the Crown\u2019s<\/strong> lived in the area, and the literary giants Saul Bellow<\/strong> and Nelson Algren <\/strong>grew up around here. Wicker Park would continue to prosper until the Great Depression, after which it suffered a slow decline well into the 1970s and 1980s. At that point the neighborhood was rediscovered as a hip place to live – not to mention being quite affordable – and so began a long, slow gentrification process which continues\u00a0to this day<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Transportation<\/h2>\n

Only two miles from Downtown, commuting to Chicago’s CBD is fast and loaded with options. Public transportation is plentiful, with easy access to a number of bus routes (72 North Avenue<\/a>, 70 Division<\/a>, 49 Western Avenue<\/a>, 50 Damen Avenue<\/a>, and 73 Armitage<\/a>) which connect to CTA rapid transit lines. There is also the 56 Milwaukee Avenue<\/a> bus which goes directly into Downtown. There are CTA Blue Line stops at Division<\/a>\u00a0and at Damen<\/a> which connect to Downtown, suburbs and O\u2019Hare airport. Just to the northeast is the\u00a0Clybourn Avenue<\/a>\u00a0stop on the Metra commuter railroad which connects to Downtown as well as the north suburbs. The nearby Kennedy Expressway is a great option fro drivers and, last but not least, there are numerous bike lanes along all the major streets if you prefer cycling.<\/p>\n

Schools<\/h2>\n

Wicker Park is overflowing with great schools, both public and private, including three parochial elementary schools (St. Nicholas Cathedral<\/a>, St. Stanilslaus Kostka<\/a>, and St. Helen<\/a>) and a Catholic High School of note, Holy Trinity<\/a>, which has served the community for over 100 years. Among the public schools, to name a few, are the A.N. Pritzker<\/a>\u00a0and Jos\u00e9 de Diego<\/a> elementary schools and the\u00a0Roberto Clemente High School<\/a>. As in most neighborhoods across the city, there is a healthy mix of public, selective enrollment, and charter schools in Wicker Park providing numerous options to families with children.<\/p>\n

Cost of Living<\/h2>\n

Though there are pockets of expensive housing, Wicker Park offers much more by way of\u00a0affordable apartments. With all the various shopping options in the neighborhood, it\u2019s possible for one to live economically here\u00a0while still being conveniently close to Downtown.<\/p>\n

\"Wicker<\/a><\/p>\n

Shopping and Dining<\/h2>\n

Whether you\u2019re eating out or eating in, you\u2019ll find a plethora of places to patronize<\/a> both in Wicker Park and in its adjoining<\/a> neighbor, Bucktown. Of course there\u2019s the old stand-by Jewel Foods, and there’s Aldi, but it wouldn\u2019t be Wicker Park without some of the quality locals such as Go Grocer<\/a> and Goddess & Grocer<\/a> (technically in Bucktown but also serving the Wicker Park area).<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Photo courtesy of Urbanbelly.<\/em><\/p>\n

If cooking isn\u2019t an option for you, there are plenty of restaurants of all types and prices to cater to every foodie’s dream. Urbanbelly<\/a> is a Wicker Park staple which has been serving Asian casual food in the neighborhood for 12 years now. From dumplings and bowls, to pho and ramen, this charming eatery will delight your taste buds whether you want to enjoy their treats at the restaurant or at home, since the food travels particularly well (noodles and broth are delivered separately, for example).<\/p>\n

\n
\n

 <\/p>\n

\n
<\/div>\n
\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\n
View this post on Instagram<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

A post shared by Alliance Bakery (@alliancebakery)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n