Edgewater

Edgewater delivers the North Side lakefront at a discount: high-rise views along Sheridan, the beaches at Foster and Kathy Osterman, and Andersonville's Clark Street, one of the best independent retail and restaurant strips in the city, along its western edge. Granville and Bryn Mawr's historic districts keep the vintage character intact.

The Red Line runs the length of the neighborhood with four stops, and Walk Score sits in the low 90s. Housing splits between lakefront towers and side-street two-flats, at prices notably below Lincoln Park and Lake View for a nearly identical commute. Edgewater suits renters and buyers who figured out that the lakefront doesn't actually get worse north of Irving Park, only cheaper.

Edgewater offers strong transit access: a car is optional for many trips. A car-free lifestyle is realistic here, which is the single biggest driver of the true-cost advantage.

With a Walk Score of 94, Edgewater is a "Walker's Paradise": daily errands almost never require a car.

At roughly $0/year for 0 cars, transportation is negligible line item in Edgewater's true cost. The neighborhood is served by the Red line.