Which is more dangerous - Chicago's West Side or South Side? Why do you say this?

This is a pointless question, because poor, crime-ridden, decaying communities are poor, crime-ridden, decaying communities wherever they are. You won't last long in either part of town if you go in asking passersby that question. :)

Further, the "west side" and "south side" are not homogeneous zones of danger, with gunmen on every corner waiting to pick off all comers. They are patchworks of neighborhoods, some safe, some not safe. Even the north side has areas most people would just as soon avoid. Gasp! But even most not safe neighborhoods are not automatic death traps. For example, back in the late 1980s and early 1990s, I occasionally used to visit my nearest People's Gas office which just happened to be in the heart of Englewood, at that time as well as today one of the worst parts of town. But I never had any trouble on any of those trips, and I'm not a big guy. Of course these were during the day, and at a reasonably busy intersection, but the point still stands.

This website allows you to look at reported crime in the city by a variety of searches, and is current to a couple of weeks ago. Searching by ward should give you a nice picture of the parts of town that are most dangerous. Of course, reported crime is only a fraction of all crime but its the best you can do.

http://www.chicagocrime.org/

West side. At least parts of the south side are making a bit of a comeback.

Depends on where you are going on both sides of town. There are certain areas I would not go in on the South side. I would not go in Roseland (111th & Michigan area), Englewood, Bridgeport, King Dr. between 67th & 43rd - actually that's kind of spotty. I'm really not that familiar with the West side. K-Town I know is bad area, some parts of Austin, anywhere down Pulaski between 22nd & North Avenue. Why do you ask?

It's according to whom you piss off. In some cases, you don't have to bother anyone. It's just a matter of circumstances. The West Side used to be considered the worst of the two. Now they are a "dead heat" where disaster is concerned. I just do things in the day time which truly helps. Also, I pray before I go out of my house each day. Tomorrow is NOT promised. This has worked well for me. I wish you well. Peace, Love and God Bless.

West side - people have gotten held up over there ,i like the south side better.

West side is bad but so is most of the southside...I would have to say the south side because the south side is bigger than the west side so theres going to be more crime. Southside.

I'd say West Side

A couple years ago, I wanted to visit a couple relatives, and my mother freaked out and begged me not to go. I was living on my own, and was going on 29, and the ONLY reason I gave into her wishes was because her mother had just passed away. This was 2 years, pushing 3 years ago. The only way I'll see my uncke and great-aunt is if I go to their houses because they're not driving all the way out to the suburbs. ( I no longer live in Windy city area)

The West Side is HORRIBLE !! I moved over there because I got put out where I was living. I moved in with a friend the first day I got there someone stole my car. I said forget it, I went and stayed in a shelter, it was much better.

south side...I was born on 82nd and Woodlawn and I remember playing in the front yard with my friends or walking to the store with my cousin at night and coming back alive...nowadays its a different story...which is sad...b/c going back and remembering my childhood is totally out of the question....

south side