The Boystown
Chicago neighborhood provides diverse entertainment and dining options. Its central location makes the neighborhood a convenient spot for those who commute downtown, and the diversity of its nightlife draws patrons from around the city. This distinct Chicago neighborhood earned the "Boystown" name due to the prominence of its LGBT community. Find the perfect place to call home in Boystown with
Movoto.
Reputation
The Boystown Chicago neighborhood serves as one of the city's primary cultural hubs. It boasts a thriving leisure community that includes bars, clubs, and restaurants. The LGBT community also plays a major role in the local culture. During its annual pride parade, Boystown welcomes thousands of patrons from the surrounding area for colorful, high-energy celebrations. The neighborhood shares a border with Wrigleyville, the home of the Chicago Cubs baseball team, and welcomes many tourists during the summer.
Hot Spots
The Belmont Red Line station services the heart of the Boystown Chicago neighborhood and most of the neighborhood sights are only a short walk away. Comedy fans should visit the Playground Theater, an intimate space that hosts live, improvisational comedy acts. For sports fans, Wrigley Field serves as a major-league draw, and the bars on Clark always have tasty brews available. Foodies will enjoy Big & Little's Restaurant, located a stone's throw from the train station, which serves seafood and burgers in a casual environment. Those looking for more activities in the Boystown Chicago neighborhood should check out the Center on Halsted for community events.
Safety
Chicago maintains a higher crime rate than the national average. With 39.75 total crimes per 1,000 residents annually, the city surpasses the national average of 30.99. In contrast, the
Lakeview neighborhood, which encompasses Boystown, has a much lower rate of 10.48. The same theme continues with property and violent crime.
Lakeview residents experience a lower property crime rate of 9.4, which is far lower than 35 for the larger Chicago area. Violent crimes occur at the rate of 10.4 per 1,000 persons, in contrast, it's 45 and 36.8 for Chicago and the national level, respectively. Boystown does have its own police station, located on Addison just west of Halsted.
Convenience
Because the Boystown Chicago neighborhood sprouted around a thriving transit system, transportation to many other parts of the city does not require a car. A train ride from the Belmont Red Line station takes about 15 minutes to get to Rogers Park or 20 minutes in the other direction to reach the South Loop downtown.
Boystown serves as a convenient choice for many everyday necessities as well. Residents have several grocery stores in the neighborhood and a farmers market that pops up every week during the summer. The Boystown Chicago neighborhood also houses several religious institutions, including churches, synagogues, and a mosque.
Types of Homes
In Boystown, Chicago residents live in close proximity to one another.
Single-family homes make up only a small portion of the available real estate. The neighborhood's nearby lake access and the popular Wrigley ballpark ensure a consistent, dense local population. For this reason, many residents choose to live in
condos. In these multi-unit buildings, especially those near Lake Shore Drive, the east-facing units on the highest floors sometimes offer impressive views of Lake Michigan. Tall buildings with south-facing units often show off the downtown skyline as well.
