In FLOTUS Michelle Obama‘s first book Beloved, she’s joked about questioning people who claim to be from Chicago but are really from the suburbs. Talk to enough people from Chicago, and you’ll see it happens often during introductions. Chicagoans are proud of their 224, 773, 708 and 312 area codes but may have a playful bone to pick with suburbanites and small towners claiming the third-largest city in the United States.
The city snobbery is all in good fun though. Some neighborhoods may as well be Chicago because they’re so close. For example, Iman Shumpert was born in Oak Park, Illinois, but he spent so much time in Chicago that people in Georgia and New York would question his notable accent. Watch an episode of Lena Waithe’s The Chi, and you’ll hear that same accent from Shumpert, along with countless native Chicagoans, including award-winning actor Cory Hardrict.
Then there’s Bronzeville podcast creator Larenz Tate, who spent his childhood in Los Angeles half the time but consistently reminds his social media followers about the other half of his childhood in Chicago. From that noteworthy motorcycle ride on Lake Shore Drive (now DuSable Drive) in Love Jones to his leisure boat rides in Lake Michigan, Tate is always advertising his love for the Chi. From the slang to the dropped “r,” Chicago White Sox versus Chicago Cubs, and locals’ vocal opinions about deep dish pizza, the culture is strong here.
What Are the ‘Sides’ of Chicago?
Illinois is one of those states with cities that are both full of diversity and startlingly segregated, depending on the expressway. Great-grandparents and grandparents may recall stories of Native American tribes (i.e. Potawatomi, Odawa, Sauk, Ojibwe, Menominee, and Mesquakie) being forced out of Chicago and European immigrants (i.e., Irish, Jewish, German, Polish, Italian) moving to the city in the early 1900s. While Jay-Z and Kanye rapped about hanging out on 79th Street, that neighborhood flex wasn’t always voluntary. In the 1940s, Black residents were confined to the Chicago Black Belt, which ran along State Street roughly between Roosevelt Road (12th Street) and 79th Street. Hang around long enough, and you’ll see how the city’s lineup seems strategic even now.
There are exceptions. While the North Side of Chicago is more LGBTQ+ friendly with neighborhoods like Boys Town (Northalsted) and Andersonville, it’s also one of the most diverse areas of the city. Pedestrians are as likely to walk past a Mexican restaurant (from Mexican restaurateurs) as they are to see minority-owned Ethiopian restaurants or Thai eateries. A Harold’s Chicken is as common to see as a Giordano’s pizza. And on the North Side, it’s next to impossible to walk more than a block without seeing a dog walker, bicyclist or a scooter zooming by from just about every demographic. Public transportation (Metras, subway “el” trains and buses easily get locals from one location to another.)
While the East Side of Chicago is largely Cottage Grove and a great view of the lakefront (Lake Michigan), the South Side and West Side are more residential. All sides often shop in downtown Chicago, mingle, hang out at the beach or boat area, and BBQ in the parks during the warmer months. The Taste of Chicago is one of many events in the summer where both tourists and locals often blend together. Jazz lovers don’t miss out the Hyde Park Jazz Festival free summer outings, leading up to the biggest event mid-fall. And Chicagoans know it’s autumn when they start seeing promo for the African Festival of the Arts in Washington Park.
And the historically black newspaper Chicago Defender spent a few years downtown before moving back to its original stomping grounds in the largely black community of Bronzeville, where visitors (and inspiration for Tate’s podcast) explore the history of the Pullman Porters, Langston Hughes’ writings and the Bud Billiken Day Parade.
Illinois Is More Than Just Chicago
But there is more to Illinois than just Chicago. According to a 2022 study from the U.S. Census Bureau, Illinois consists of 102 counties; 2,720 cities, towns and villages; and 3,218 special districts. While Chicago is the home of more than 2.6 million residents, the rest of the top four Illinois cities include Aurora (approximately 176K residents), Joliet and Naperville (approximately 150K) and Rockford (approximately 145K).
Illinois college students may flock to the predominantly Black institution (PBI) Chicago State University. Other locals and out-of-towners are working hard to get accepted into elite private universities such as Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. The average GPA to get into Northwestern is a 4.17. Notable alumni include Daniel Hale Williams, who became the first African-American member of the American College of Surgeons and performed the first successful open-heart surgery in America.
Downstate Illinois Versus Chicago’s Metropolitan Area
Depending on what locals and out-of-towners want from their everyday life, Illinois has a little of both. While Illinois is considered a Blue State almost exclusively because two-thirds of its residents live in the metropolitan area, there is a more rural, conservative community in Downstate Illinois. In fact, a population of 500K encouraged a ballot question to separate themselves from the Windy City to create their own state. The Chicago metropolitan area totals about 8.5 million people — or roughly two-thirds of the state’s population. The Illinois General Assembly and U.S. Congress would have to approve this secession though. As of now, this Illinois split is unlikely.
Still, Downstate Illinois visitors can enjoy hiking, camping, fishing, wineries and ziplining. There’s even a strawberry orchard and a flower farm, perfect for nature lovers who are looking for outdoor activities but less of the hustle and bustle.
So the best places to live in Illinois will highly depend on the answer to that ballot question and what kind of neighborhood newcomers want to live in. But it’s just as easy for tourists and locals to walk by the Tribune Tower two blocks away from the Trump International Hotel & Tower. Because of Illinois’ ability to bring so much culture and diversity while still having some work to do when it comes to segregation and political divides, newcomers may want to rent before they buy, just to make sure the new address labels match their professional and personal goals long-term.
