Evanston, IL

[Emdave]

Emdave, thanks much! I even printed out your post because there's lots of helpful info I will def need should I go to NW (still debating my choice). Wow, looks like life is rather inexpensive in Evanston and its nearby places.

 

Feel free to PM me if you have any more questions or want more specific help on where to live!

[Emdave]

Hi errbody,

 

A few things:

1) There is almost no graduate housing at NU, so don't worry about that. If anyone is telling you to live at Engelhardt, they must dislike you. DO NOT LIVE IN ENGELHARDT.

2) Many grads make the mistake of living in Rogers Park because they think it's actually Chicago and that it's safe and that it has more nightlife than Evanston. These three assumptions are all incorrect. If you're not going to live in Evanston (which has three new bars since last year!), live in *actual* Chicago. People who complain that there's nothing to do in Evanston haven't been to Rogers Park (which also isn't that safe).

3) Evanston apartments can be very nice! Most people I know who live in/around campus can get a decent 1BR apartment for around $1000/mo, which would be good for a couple. For kids, you might consider these two buildings: Evanston Place http://www.evanstonplaceapts.com/ and Park Evanston http://www.parkevanston.com/ unless you want to rent a full house somewhere in the northern burbs of Chicago.

4) Try to lock down a place as soon as you can because there is a severe shortage of undergraduate housing at NU, so there are tons of people apartment hunting at any given time. BUT, if you have to wait till almost the last minute, don't give up hope. Many people suddenly list their apartments at the beginning of the year when their sublet deals with friends/lovers/randos fall through. You can usually snap something up.

 

UPass is awesome, but only certain divisions of the graduate programs get them. You can't buy one unless your specific division (i.e. Kellogg/Weinberg/SESP/McCormick) has a deal with the city. They're awesome if you can get one, though.

 

As for cars: If you're a person on your own and you don't have any disabilities, don't bring a car. Even though Evanston has much more parking than the Loop, that's still not saying much. There's no free parking unless you have a residents sticker for you car (which costs lots $$$$$$$), and even then parking is limited. There are public garages you park in and get monthly passes to, but they're $85/mo. Some apartments have spaces that you can buy in conjunction with the apartment, but those also cost $$$$ and Evanston loves to charge huge fines for little parking infractions.

 

Overall, though, I've loved Evanston and most people I know have loved Evanston. Engelhardt is the pit of all sadness. Rogers Park becomes (for many people) the pit of all sadness. If you're going to come to NU, try to live in Evanston or go somewhere like Andersonville. The commute is approximately four minutes longer than if you lived in Rogers Park.

 

The L into Evanston (the purple line) stops at 2am. The bus that used to run all night (RIP the N201) has stopped running, which means that if you're out in the city at night and want to come back after 1:55am, you are going to have to take a cab or keep partying until the L starts again at 5:30am.

 

If you *do* live in Evanston, splurge on the fancier, higher priced apartments for two major reasons: 1) amenities you won't get anywhere else and 2) you won't wake up to an undergrad rager at 4am every night because undergrads are too broke to live in those apartments.

 

I hope that helps

[hiroshiman]

Is this true? If so, this is contrary to much of what I've heard about Roger's Park. In super-segregated Chicago, Roger's Park is the last bastion of diversity within a Chicago neighborhood. There are also a number of independent and experimental theaters, as well as an opera house and other live houses. Roger's Park seems to me much more attractive as a place of residence than Evanston, not to mention the affordability.

 

 

 A lot of grad students live in Rogers Park down a little on the Red Line. It's a cultural wasteland for the most part. There's not much to recommend it beyond the facts that you can get to the University on the L in under 20 minutes and that the rents are lower, e.g. $500-$700.

Edited March 31, 2013 by hiroshiman

[Emdave]

Is this true? If so, this is contrary to much of what I've heard about Roger's Park. In super-segregated Chicago, Roger's Park is the last bastion of diversity within a Chicago neighborhood. There are also a number of independent and experimental theaters, as well as an opera house and other live houses. Roger's Park seems to me much more attractive as a place of residence than Evanston, not to mention the affordability.

 

To address this specifically: no.

 

To be fair, Evanston is not perfect. There's tons of undergraduates milling about everywhere. It could have more bars. It could be cheaper. It doesn't have any big-box stores like Target/Walmart for cheap/easy shopping. There could be more parking. It could have a bowling alley or mini golf. It could..... It could... It could.....

 

But, if I sit down and compare the two neighborhoods AS IS, i.e. exactly as they stand at this moment in time, there's no question where I would want to live, where I would visit my friends if they lived there, where I would feel comfortable on most levels.

 

Also, Evanston is working on a lot of it's "could be"s. We opened like 4 new bars this year, three major chain restaurants, two awesome independent/kitschy restaurants, closed the KEG (!!!!!!!) and we're working on bike lanes, more parking, more family activities, etc. It's practically a different suburb than when I was a freshmen.

 

That said, it is a little more expensive. BUT, I would gladly part with $100 more a month (even though I'm pretty broke) just so I wouldn't get mugged (or worse) and so I could be close to the University and fun things to do. People who say that Rogers Park is better probably haven't been in Rogers Park, or walked through it at length, or driven through it at length, or been a woman and doing any of those things after 5pm.

 

If you're willing to try, go for it. But I know where my vote goes (and the votes of pretty much everyone I know).

[ghijklmn]

How's Edgewater? And how long does it take to get to Northwestern from there?

[Emdave]

How's Edgewater? And how long does it take to get to Northwestern from there?

 

It depends on which part of Edgewater. If you mean "super really close to Loyola from the south" it's not so bad. I would rather live somewhere else, but it's not so bad. I would say that if you're talking about the Granville stop through Bryn Mawr, there's some worry about safety, but it's not as high as Roger's Park. There's certainly more to do around there than north of Loyola. As for time between there and NU, it depends on the train connection at Howard.

 

Granville is only like 4 stops south of Howard, and Howard is only like 4 stops south of campus, so maybe about ten minutes of actually being on a train. But, you have to get out at Howard and switch trains, so the time can go up from there. Normally, I would say it would take about 10-15, perhaps longer if there's a delay or you just missed a train, but if you know the schedule, you'll be fine.

 

Now, I wouldn't live south of Bryn Mawr. I had to go to a shop right next to the Wilson stop (3 stops south of Bryn Mawr) and I was legitimately scared. A homeless person half-chased me for about a block on my way to the shop. Then, on my way back, a random woman started screaming at people on the sidewalk and scared the crap out of me again. This was the middle of the day on a bright afternoon (finally! the sun in Chicago!) and I was worried. Also, that was yesterday.

 

tl;dr --> The area immediately around Loyola is pretty safe and has lots to do because of being so close to the campus. It reminds me of a slightly more urban version of Evanston. I don't know about the rents, so I'll defer on that question. Loyola/Granville is only about 15-20 minutes away by train (tops). Edgewater is ok for the most part, but the neighborhoods to the south aren't so appealing and safe.

 

A quick metric for people interested in Chicago: it takes 45 minutes, almost exactly, to take the train from Jackson-Red to Howard. Google map those stops and use that to measure distance in time.

 

Finally, if you're interested in really cool Chicago neighborhoods with nightlives and interesting things to do, I would recommend a place like Wicker Park. It's a little hipsterish, but it's worth the trek if fun is your main priority.

[Emdave]

I'd say you are fine if you are male, but you should take extra precautions if you happen to be female.

 

This is really my only major problem with Chicago. It's a huge, beautiful, interesting, bustling city with so much to do and see! There's something for everyone!

 

BUT.... I can't go to Rogers Park alone. I can't go through parts of Hyde Park alone. I can't take advantage of things like the Lakefront alone. UNLESS I have pepperspray or it's noon.

I don't consider Rogers Park a deathtrap, but I do consider it off limits for me (a female) if I'll be needing to walk alone or in a small group, and especially if I'm doing either of those at night.

 

I always advocate caution. I feel safe walking through Evanston alone at night. 2/3am is a little different, but that's basically the same story anywhere you go.

[hiroshiman]

Can anyone tell me about the area surrounding St. Francis Hospital?

[jane4jane4]

Hello everyone,

Could we revive this topic for incoming Northwestern students?

Do most NU PhDs live in Evanston? Would it make sense to live in downtown Chicago? Would also love to learn more about safety in Evanston and Chicago at large.

Thanks!

[quanta]

Evanston is pretty safe. Anywhere between S. Blvd to Central st  (North-South) and east of ridge ave. During the first few yrs when you are taking classes living in evanston makes commute easier especially during winter. 

[gretagarbo]

Hello everyone,

Could we revive this topic for incoming Northwestern students?

Do most NU PhDs live in Evanston? Would it make sense to live in downtown Chicago? Would also love to learn more about safety in Evanston and Chicago at large.

Thanks!

 

Second the question/request.

 

I am looking for a studio/1 bd. appartment in Evanston or Northern neighborhoods of Chicago or close to the stops of intercampus shuttle bus for Fall 2014. As a Southerner, I need to live in short distance to the campus or can easily access the shuttle, so I won't freeze during the winters. I don't know much about the purple line, whether its reliable in the winter or not, so any input on that would be nice and could increase my apartment hunting zones.

 

Also, I am undecided about how much to spend on housing, it all depends on how much I'll have to spend on other things. Any ideas on how much could the monthly expences of an ordinary (not crazy about going out/has to study study study) NU grad student be? 

 

Thanks

Edited March 14, 2014 by gretagarbo

[mini monkey]

Hello everyone! I don't want to start a new topic yet, but can anyone give me some advice on Carbondale, IL? 

[Etownenviro]

Can anyone tell me about the area surrounding St. Francis Hospital?

 I grew up near there and it is a gorgeous area! It is mostly houses but the apartment buildings near there will be cheaper than the ones really close to campus and there is actually a pretty good bus system in Evanston so you will have no problem getting around without a car if you don't want to deal with on campus parking which can be a pain! Also Evanston's "downtown" area is split into a few different sections and near st. Francis there is main street which has some dining and cute stores also no Howard which is the boarder between Evanston and Chicago you will find that there are dining options and stores coming into the area. It is going through a revival but in the last 5-6 years it has become much nicer!

 

May I ask why you are interested in this area as opposed to being closer to the lake? If you live on main street you will actually be able to catch NU's inter-campus shuttle and will be right next to both a metra and L line. I think that is a great spot for grad students who want to get a little farther away from campus but still want to be within walking/biking distance and have the good public transportation options. There are tons of apartments near there and if you have kids there are two different schools only a few blocks away, one is public and the other is private. I both grew up in Evanston and attended NU so if you have any questions feel free to reach out! I think it is a fantastic place to live and go to school! 

[Mauve23]

Does anyone know about the graduate housing at Northwestern? Englehart, McManus Living Center, Seabury....

[Replaces]

Hello everyone,

Could we revive this topic for incoming Northwestern students?

Do most NU PhDs live in Evanston? Would it make sense to live in downtown Chicago? Would also love to learn more about safety in Evanston and Chicago at large.

Thanks!

I lived around the Evanston/Chicago border but I wouldn't live in downtown if you're going to commute to school...

The commute is just TOO LONG. When it snows, you will be stuck in the roads for hours easy.

Evanston is VERY SAFE... if anything, I would avoid some areas of west rogers park (areas around Mather HS; particularly North of Lincoln Ave.) and northern part of Uptown area, and around Lawrence Ave. (around Kimball brown line station) as there seems to be shootings around that area occasionally.. though I doubt you'll ever go there.

Edited March 24, 2014 by Replaces

[Etownenviro]

Many NU grad students live in like Lincoln park or even wrigglyville, if I were you and wanted to live in chicago I would look for places near where the purple line express stops so you don't have to transfer trains getting to campus since it runs all the way into evanston w/out any transfers!

If you want to live in evanston which is SUPER safe but away from undergrads then check out central street by the football stadium! There is a bus that stops by there or you could even take the train to campus. It's cute and there are little shops and places to eat a few blocks away and you won't run into NU undergrads all the time like if you lived only a few blocks from campus.

You can also go south and live on main or dempster both have stores and a variety of places to eat and you can easily take the campus bus, train, or honestly even walk if you are going to the south end of campus as it's only about a mile. The rent is cheaper there than near campus, there are almost no undergrads and if you have kids there are a few schools both public and private a few blocks away. It's a great area!

[angelperak]

My partner and I will be moving from out of state so I can start studying at Northwestern in Fall 2014. We'd prefer not to move until August, but is that leaving it too late to find an apartment? At first we thought we would only look for apartments in Evanston, but this thread is starting to make me consider other places along the Purple line. Out of Andersonville, Edgewater, and other purple line areas, which would you recommend (for those of you familiar with the area)? I've never been to Chicago so I am going in completely blind here. Would Lincoln Park be worth considering as well? I can't drive yet, so I would be completely reliant on public transport and/or my own two feet.

[SunL1219]

I would not recommend living in graduate housing at NU there are much better options in the same price range near campus (evanston place, rental homes, etc.) I would personally not live as far as Chicago, though you can try downtown or south evanston to find a cheaper place closer to businesses, etc. The purple line is not terribly reliable and commuting can be a pain in the cold. The shuttles run pretty frequently, but again, commuting during rush hour is a pain, snow is a pain, etc. I think walking is the way to go in Evanston.

 

My disclaimer: I did my undergrad at NU, so my experience has been a little different, But i did commute between chicago and evanston often and found that it sucked the life out of me.

[angelperak]

I would not recommend living in graduate housing at NU there are much better options in the same price range near campus (evanston place, rental homes, etc.) I would personally not live as far as Chicago, though you can try downtown or south evanston to find a cheaper place closer to businesses, etc. The purple line is not terribly reliable and commuting can be a pain in the cold. The shuttles run pretty frequently, but again, commuting during rush hour is a pain, snow is a pain, etc. I think walking is the way to go in Evanston.

 

My disclaimer: I did my undergrad at NU, so my experience has been a little different, But i did commute between chicago and evanston often and found that it sucked the life out of me.

 

Thank you, that is very helpful. We might stick to Evanston then. When would you recommend applying for apartments? I'm afraid that they will all be gone by the time we're ready to apply!

[Etownenviro]

I also did my undergrad at NU(and grew up there) and you can find apartments any time of year with the caveat being that if you want to live REALLY close to campus like within less than a 10 minute walk a lot of those will be gone but you can find some all year round.One of the nice things I think(although I'm extremely bias) about Evanston is that yes when you are near campus it feels like a college town but the truth is the vast majority of people living in Evanston are in no way affiliated with the university and work in downtown Chicago or in a farther out suburb so this means that there are apartments and houses available all year around instead of a crazy apartment mad dash where there is nothing left by April. If you aren't SUPER picky about where you live I don't think you will have a problem at all finding an apartment that works for you and your partner in Evanston over the coming months.

 

I'm guessing you really aren't interested in living with undergrads and since it looks like your an English phd I would assume you will mostly need to be on south campus so if you choose to live south of campus you will probably have a way easier time finding an apartment and there will be fewer undergrads and more young professional/families. 

 

Here is a map of Evanston, I would check out apartments near main because its pretty near south campus where presumably you would be, there is an NU bus stop near there that you can take if you don't feel like walking, and its near a combined L and metra stop which would be probably a plus if your partner is working downtown. Also you may find the rent is a littttle cheaper in south Evanston although that is really variable. There is also a cute shopping district there and your near the beach if that is your thing over the summer. 

 

You might also like the apartments on Central street past Ridge, its not a bad walk to north campus and there are both campus and city buses that go past there. Additionally there are some shops and places to eat as well as having access to a metra and L stop for getting downtown. These can also be a little cheaper than living right near campus. 

[angelperak]

I also did my undergrad at NU(and grew up there) and you can find apartments any time of year with the caveat being that if you want to live REALLY close to campus like within less than a 10 minute walk a lot of those will be gone but you can find some all year round.One of the nice things I think(although I'm extremely bias) about Evanston is that yes when you are near campus it feels like a college town but the truth is the vast majority of people living in Evanston are in no way affiliated with the university and work in downtown Chicago or in a farther out suburb so this means that there are apartments and houses available all year around instead of a crazy apartment mad dash where there is nothing left by April. If you aren't SUPER picky about where you live I don't think you will have a problem at all finding an apartment that works for you and your partner in Evanston over the coming months.

 

I'm guessing you really aren't interested in living with undergrads and since it looks like your an English phd I would assume you will mostly need to be on south campus so if you choose to live south of campus you will probably have a way easier time finding an apartment and there will be fewer undergrads and more young professional/families. 

 

Here is a map of Evanston, I would check out apartments near main because its pretty near south campus where presumably you would be, there is an NU bus stop near there that you can take if you don't feel like walking, and its near a combined L and metra stop which would be probably a plus if your partner is working downtown. Also you may find the rent is a littttle cheaper in south Evanston although that is really variable. There is also a cute shopping district there and your near the beach if that is your thing over the summer. 

 

You might also like the apartments on Central street past Ridge, its not a bad walk to north campus and there are both campus and city buses that go past there. Additionally there are some shops and places to eat as well as having access to a metra and L stop for getting downtown. These can also be a little cheaper than living right near campus. 

 

Thank you! That gives me a much better idea of where to look. Before I felt like I was just floundering around blind.

[Etownenviro]

No problem! If you have any more questions feel free to PM me! I'm glad we have been able to help!

[chigirl2014]

Thank you, that is very helpful. We might stick to Evanston then. When would you recommend applying for apartments? I'm afraid that they will all be gone by the time we're ready to apply!

I did my undergrad at Evanston. I think someone above mentioned a SEVERE SHORTAGE of housing and this is definitely accurate. My friends and I applied for a (very nice) apartment in Evanston at thanksgiving and did not hear back until the following June to sign the lease for that September. I would say to get on finding a place as soon as you know that you are going there. If you are willing to start your lease in July or August (since school starts in September) some landlords are willing to work with you to find something quicker or make your rent cheaper.

Also, to everyone else about safety: do not live west of dodge in Evanston. My uncle is a cop there and this is where he always drew the line of safe and unsafe for me. And do not live in Rogers Park. It's not fun and not worth it.

[HKsai]

I will mostly go to northwestern this coming fall. I'm wondering if there are any nice studio in evanston or within 10 minutes commute from the evanston campus. I'm aiming for anything below 1200. Safety is the most important factor for me. Also I would like to have a dryer/washer unit. I've heard mixed reviews about Rogers park. Are there any other nice neighborhood that's close to evanston? Im not really familiar with the area. Thanks!

[marXian]

I will mostly go to northwestern this coming fall. I'm wondering if there are any nice studio in evanston or within 10 minutes commute from the evanston campus. I'm aiming for anything below 1200. Safety is the most important factor for me. Also I would like to have a dryer/washer unit. I've heard mixed reviews about Rogers park. Are there any other nice neighborhood that's close to evanston? Im not really familiar with the area. Thanks!

 

Hi, I currently attend Northwestern. My wife and I live in Rogers Park. You should easily be able to find a studio for under 1200 even after factoring in utilities. Both Evanston and Chicago are a mix of older apartments (e.g. from the 1920s) and gutted rehabs. The latter is usually where you'll find in-unit washer/dryers, but those are obviously more expensive (sometimes way, way more expensive.) As far as safety goes, if you choose Evanston, the closer you live to NU's campus the safer you are. That doesn't mean that people don't get mugged walking to and from campus late at night. However, if you're walking with your head up, no headphones, not looking at your phone as you walk, or with another person, you'll be fine. The people who get mugged are those who are not paying attention and have their bright little phone screen visible. 

 

Many graduate students choose to live in Rogers Park. My wife and I have a HUGE two bedroom apartment (~1200 sq ft.) in Rogers Park and pay $1255 a month for rent. That includes heat, which can be astronomical in the winter if it's not included in your rent (make sure wherever you live that heat is included in the rent.) It is true that there are parts of Rogers Park that are not that safe. A good rule of thumb is to try to find a place close to Loyola University of Chicago. Anywhere south of Greenleaf, and east of N. Clark St. are going to be totally fine. Northwestern has an intercampus shuttle that runs between the downtown campus (the med/law school) and the main campus. There is one stop in Chicago--at the Loyola Red Line stop (i.e. a CTA elevated train stop) in Rogers Park. This is a really convenient way to live in Chicago where it's much cheaper than Evanston and still be able to get to campus quickly. I live about a third of a mile from the shuttle stop, so it takes about 10 minutes to walk there. The shuttle takes anywhere from 15-25 minutes depending on traffic. It also makes multiple stops in Evanston, allowing students to live a little further south of the campus. If you're a bike rider, most safe locations in Rogers Park are 4-5 miles from campus. It takes me 15-20 minutes on a bike.

 

Chicago is largely a commuter city where a lot of people take public transit. The downside, of course, is that public transit takes much longer than just driving your car. Because of this, some students choose to live in Evanston where they can easily walk or bike to campus. Evanston is a really boring city though. So if you care about being able to more conveniently have a social life, then I would choose Rogers Park or Edgewater (the closer to Uptown/Lakeview you get, the more expensive it's going to be.)