Wicker Park/Bucktown

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Wicker Park/Bucktown

The neighborhood is best known for its numerous commercial and entertainment establishments and being a convenient place to live for downtown workers due to its proximity to public transportation and the Loop. Gentrification has made the area much more attractive to college-educated white-collar workers, although it faced considerable resistance from the working-class Puerto Rican community it displaced.

Crime has decreased and many new homes have been built as well as older homes being restored. This has led to increased business activity, with many new bars, restaurants, and stores opening to serve these individuals. The neighborhood is known for hosting local art stores and independent businesses.

In a September 2012 Forbes article, Wicker Park was named the #4 hippest hipster neighborhood in the country. Property values have gone up, increasing the wealth of property owners and making the neighborhood attractive to real estate investors.

The borders of the neighborhood are generally currently accepted to be North Avenue (at 1600 N) or Bloomingdale Avenue (at 1800 N) to the north although historically it has ranged as far north as Armitage (2000 N) at times, and the Chicago River south of North Avenue, Division to the south (at 1200 N), and Western Avenue to the west (2400 W). Both the East Village and Ukrainian Village are to the south, Humboldt Park is to the west, and Bucktown is to the north.