Norwood Park

The oriole park neighborhood is a very quiet, friendly neighborhood. There are tons of families, it is a relatively safe neighborhood and many police and firemen live in the area. The local park (oriole) has year round sports and activities for children such as baseball football cheerleading gymnastics and open gyms. However the nightlife rather lacks. There are dozens of fast food restaurants and a handful of sitdown yet still fast foodish restaurants (buffet, ihop type breakfast eatery), nothing fancy; and there is only 1 local pub, more of a hole in the wall type restaurants where you will find older, middleaged local parents. Besides the park there is no gym or work out rooms available. As for shopping there is a close strip mall with a pet store, grocery store, clothing store (which is closing) a baby store a bank and some smaller owned businesses (bakery, tailor etc) however this neighborhood is located maybe a mile from a shopping mall. There are 3 very close grade schools, however 1 is a private catholic school and 1 is a private lutheran school. The closest high school is an all girls catholic high school and the local public school is sub par. The cost of living is high basically because it is located within the city of chicago as well as cook county and with taxes on the rise it does not seem the cost of living will decrease anytime soon. however is seems along with taxes home equity is on the rise which is a plus. when is comes to essentials it is located blocks from a blue line train station, hospital, a few parks, some schools and churches.