DePaul - Chicago, IL

This neighborhood consisted primarily of forest until the first European settlers arrived in the 1820s. The area continued to grow into a small town until it was annexed by the city of Chicago in 1889. Originally named St. Vincent's College, DePaul University was founded in 1898. As the popularity for the school grew, more college students moved into the area. DePaul University was one of the first schools to admit female students in a coeducational setting. Some famous people who lived in the area include Mother Frances Xavier Cabrini, the first American saint, as well as sculptor Richard Hunt and painter Roger Brown.

DePaul's character as a college neighborhood comes right through in the typical eateries in the area. On any given night, you see the bars and cafes full of students studying and hanging out with their peers. The Bird's Nest Bar on Southport Avenue, one of the most popular sports bars in the DePaul area, has a 45-cent hot wing special on Thursday and Sunday nights. Many times throughout the month, the Bird's Nest Bar also hosts live music events. Urban Vegan's unique combination of vegan and Thai menu items includes an outstanding orange chicken dish with a recipe that features real oranges.

Anyone looking for a music event should check the schedule over at DePaul University's concert hall. The university has its own school of music that hosts a wide variety of musical events throughout the year, such as student recitals, operas, and concerts.

If that doesn't suit your needs, check out Lincoln Hall or the Wild Hare for more live music options. Lincoln Hall is a live music venue with tables where you can eat dinner upstairs, and the Wild Hare hosts live reggae music events while serving ethnic and Caribbean food.

The city of Chicago and the surrounding areas provide a wide variety of options in terms of transportation to and from DePaul. Catering to the student population, two major bus lines run along the main streets in the DePaul neighborhood. Along Diversey and Fullerton street run the Brown Line and the Red Line Chicago Transit Authority stations. The CTA's L trains, subway trains, bus routes, Metra, and U-Pass give DePaul area residents many other options to get around. For personal driving purposes, the main streets into the city include Lake Shore Drive and the Kennedy Expressway. Uber and Lyft also provide options for anyone who prefers a private car to a cab or bus. The DePaul neighborhood focuses on the college, so walking remains one of the best options to get around the area, with endless places to walk and explore all throughout this neighborhood.

Several parks give DePaul residents beautiful spots for walking, including Oz Park, Trebes Park, and Jonquil Park. Lincoln Park, just a few blocks away from the DePaul neighborhood, sits right on Lake Michigan and includes the Nature Museum, Diversey Harbor, the Conservatory, the Lincoln Park Zoo, and many more attractions. Lincoln Park also has running and exercise groups that regularly meet at the park for anyone who wants to exercise with the beautiful lake in the background. While the DePaul neighborhood lacks a dog park of its own, more than 10 different dog parks reside in the surrounding neighborhoods.

The DePaul neighborhood sits on the more expensive side due to its proximity to the city, its closeness to Lincoln Park, and the close drive to Lake Michigan. A typical one-bedroom apartment rents for about $1,300 a month, and a one-bedroom condo with parking sells for around $300,000.

According to Forbes, the cost of living in Chicago is 0.6 percent lower than the national average, making it an affordable area to live and also enjoy the big-city life. The DePaul neighborhood costs less than nearby Lincoln Park and downtown Chicago neighborhoods, giving students and people new to the area the ability to find a place to live without breaking the bank.

A variety of boutique stores appear throughout the DePaul neighborhood. The huge shopping centers tend to lie closer to the downtown area. Some of the most notable boutiques include Art Effect and Francesca's Collections, which both provide merchandise that features unique and beautiful women's clothing and accessory items.

If you want to enjoy an active, outdoor lifestyle in the DePaul area, you need to stop by Moosejaw, Patagonia, or Lululemon. Hit up these stores to shop for comfortable gear to wear on those early-morning jogs around the university campus.

Toward the east is the Lincoln Park farmers market, open on Saturdays. On average, about 10 to 15 vendors come to the farmers market to sell a wide variety of wares, such as crepes, flowers, bread, eggs, produce, fruit, meat, and pasta. For any other grocery need, Costco has almost any item needed for your home or kitchen.