This question definitely struck a nerve. Here’s what readers said about which suburb — or whether any suburb — should be considered an honorary Chicago neighborhood, lightly edited for clarity:
“It’s a tie between Norridge and Harwood Heights, which are adjacent to one another, and are completely surrounded by Chicago. They are served by CTA bus routes, and are otherwise mostly considered part of the city’s Northwest Side.”
—Roger Deschner
“Growing up, I genuinely thought Cicero was a neighborhood on the West Side, not its own town.”
—Erica Rose
“Like Chicago, Blue Island has a history steeped in industry and railroads, a population that includes every ethnic group that can be found in Chicago, and a gritty ‘I can get it done’ attitude. Blue Island’s people are warm, friendly, and welcoming, just like their neighbors.”
—Mark Quinn, 67
“Evanston. Multiple L stops, lakefront parks and diversity.”
—Richard Bartecki
“I’m from Elmwood Park and I’ve always thought of it as a hybrid — not too suburban and not too city. Many suburbs are like that — Cicero, Norridge, Bridgeview, etc.”
—Brice Ellett
“It’s Evergreen Park or Cal Park. They both have enough pizza places and taverns to qualify.”
—Michaelene Kelly
“Lincolnwood … is bordered on three sides by Chicago, with a big chunk of the suburb being a cut-out from Touhy south. Blink when you’re on Lincoln and you’ll be in Lincolnwood.”
—Molly Lenz, 63, Lincolnwood
“Oak Lawn since [Advocate Christ Medical Center] is there. You are a part of the South Side if you are the hospital town that is in the top five trauma centers for the city.”
—Emily Gillott
“None of them. Anyone who says one is from that suburb and not from Chicago.”
—Jé Tania