Morgan Park

Morgan Park is a residential area on the south side of Chicago that doesn't really feel like it's part of the city. At a certain point the city just bleeds into the suburbs, and Morgan Park feels like it's almost just part of the surrounding suburbs than the city. This serves to both make it better and in a way worse.
It's better in that the area is relatively safe, and while there are some rough nearby neighborhoods that would make me think twice about living there, it's pretty nice for the most part. A lot of nice houses with good sized yards, and streets that feel walkable. I can't say that for some of the surrounding areas.
The downside, for me, is that if you want to live in Chicago, then I think you should live somewhere more urban. There are suburbs further from the city that are nicer, safer, and cheaper, and while you're further from the city, you can always take a train downtown. I realize that it may not seem ideal, but really, you'll be taking the train from Morgan Park, or driving a fair distance, to get to the main parts of the city. I grew up in the suburbs and my dad took the train downtown every day, just like thousands of others. There are better schools and safer neighborhoods if you get away from the city.
This isn't to say that I'm against the city. I love the city. But I like it for the hustle and bustle, which you don't get in Morgan Park. If you want to raise a family, live on the south side, then Morgan Park may end up an ideal choice. But it's not like we're riding horse drawn carriages anymore. You can commute too.

Morgan Park is on the southwest South Side of Chicago, but it’s different from many South Side neighborhoods in that it feels less like an inner city area and more like a little village or something. It’s a middle class place, and unlike a lot of surrounding Chicago neighborhoods you can actually walk around the shopping district (as opposed to driving around it) and visit its shops and offices on foot.

It’s a predominantly African-American (with some Irish Catholics thrown in the mix) middle class area, and outside of the shopping district it’s very suburban-feeling (as most of the neighborhoods on the outer edge of the city limits tend to be). Housing options start around $100,000 – which isn’t too bad, but consider that you may have to travel through some pretty bad neighborhoods on a trip to North Side Chicago, or even on the way to the lakefront.

Surprisingly, the area around Morgan Park used to be a sort of vacation spot for the city’s elite – but these days it’s not much of an attraction for the well-to-do.

Some residents complain of the traffic and congestion surrounding the Morgan Park Academy, who like to block off streets so that the children can leave safely. The school itself is known for being a top-notch educational facility, if pricey.