Axios Chicago
August 22, 2025
1 big thing: Best and worst neighborhoods for kids
A new analysis of quality-of-life data across the country reinforces what many already knew: Kids in Chicago's poorest neighborhoods face daunting odds on multiple levels compared to their counterparts in affluent areas.
The big picture: The conclusion comes from the latest report of the Childhood Opportunity Index (COI), which rates communities on 44 factors that help determine a child's success, and awards scores from 1 to 100. The above map delineates census tracts, but we analyzed ZIP codes.
- The 10 lowest-scoring ZIP codes (earning 1 to 11 points) cover majority low-income Black and Latino neighborhoods, including Englewood, Austin, Lawndale, Garfield Park, West Lawn, South Deering, Roseland, Humboldt Park and South Shore.
- The 10 highest-scoring ZIP codes (earning 96 to 100 points) cover affluent, largely white areas of downtown, Lincoln Park, West Town and Lakeview.
What they're saying: "Neighborhoods are important for families and children, shaping the economic, social and environmental contexts of their everyday lives and influencing their childhood and long-term health, education and socioeconomic outcomes," the authors write in the latest report.
Backstory: The COI was created in 2014 by Boston University researchers to gather rigorous data "to improve child wellbeing and increase racial and ethnic equity in opportunities for children."
- Researchers originally calculated scores on 19 metrics, but in this latest report, based on 2023 data, the metrics have more than doubled to now cover areas of school quality, safe housing, access to healthy food, parks, clean air and economic opportunities.
The intrigue: Over the 11 years of the study, at least two gentrifying ZIP codes have seen dramatic improvements in their COI scores.
- Between 2012 and 2023, the 60622 ZIP code, covering areas of Bucktown, West Town, Wicker Park and Ukrainian Village, jumped from a score of 63 to 90.
- During the same period, Pilsen's 60608 ZIP code rose from 7 to 45.
The latest: The City of Chicago has embarked on multiple recent programs aimed at addressing issues in the report by:
- Launching a campaign to close the life expectancy gap between Black residents and others
- Building more affordable housing
- Installing a large network of air quality sensors
2. West Loop walking tour shows off forgotten Chicago
If you ask most Chicagoans, they'll say the West Loop is a new neighborhood with hot restaurants and sleek condo buildings, devoid of any real history.
The big picture: Historian and author Connie Fairbanks is trying to change that by partnering with the Chicago History Museum for new walking tours of the neighborhood, focusing on history from the 19th century to the present.
What they're saying: "I wanted to show Chicagoans and the West Loopers that the area is rich with history and architecture," Fairbanks, author of "Chicago's West Loop Then and Now," tells Axios. "Contrary to popular belief, it has not all been torn down."
Zoom in: When we took the tour, we were treated to incredible sites like a Near West Side church that survived the Chicago Fire and the Lyon & Healy building that has been making harps for over 100 years.
- We also walked past where Mary Todd Lincoln once lived along Washington Street and gawked at the Mayor Carter Harrison statue in Union Park.
What's next: If you want to join Fairbanks' walk and talk about the neighborhood, she's lacing up her walking shoes tomorrow for a tour of the eastern part of the neighborhood, closer to Halsted Street.
3. Tips and Hot Links: Rose rises to the rafters
4. Gen Z trades booze for soft clubbing
As Gen Zers move away from alcohol-centric events, a new —quieter — type of partying is on the rise.
The big picture: The "soft clubbing" trend features quieter, less chaotic and earlier events, such as dance parties at coffee shops or wellness-based activities like meditation and yoga, giving 20-somethings a more authentic way to connect with their peers and meet new people.
Driving the news: Younger folks are on to something. The majority of Americans say drinking in moderation (one or two drinks a day) is bad for one's health, according to a recent Gallup poll.
- The percentage of adults under 35 who reported drinking fell from 59% to 50% since 2023.
What's next: The local group Chicago AF features alcohol-free events around Chicago, and is hosting an afternoon speed dating event tomorrow at Avondale Coffee Club.
You don't want to miss out
5. Chicago weekend traffic alert
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