When families are thinking about moving to any big city like Chicago, apartment hunting is more than just looking for a spot close to work or nightlife. Many people’s idea of an ideal home is a space where everyone can live comfortably, in a neighborhood that is not too unsafe, and with good schools nearby. Families often search for family apartments for rent in Chicago online. Listings on platforms such as Rentberry get interest from those families. This article offers a data-driven, realistic picture of what family apartments in Chicago might offer today.
The State of Rentals in Chicago
In the past ten years, the apartment rental market in Chicago has changed. By 2023, nearly 54% of households in Chicago were rented – a slight decrease from earlier levels in the 2010s. Housing Studies Institute. In the meantime, the rental market has altered. Larger multifamily buildings have increased in number, and smaller 2–4 unit rental buildings have diminished. These smaller properties used to be an important source of affordable, family-friendly housing.
At the same time, the rent levels have risen, especially for units in new or renovated buildings. Families searching for Chicago apartments for rent on Rentberry, often with kids in the family, typically have to compromise on size, price, and neighborhood quality.
Importance of Space for Family Living
The apartment size and layout matter a lot for families. As of late 2025, the – average size of a two-bedroom apartment in Chicago is 1,061 square feet and the average size of a three-bedroom apartment is 1,361 square feet.
Whether they can work for a married couple, children and sometimes even extended family or guests can be defined by them. For instance, three-bedroom apartments are typically the minimum for many families requiring separate bedrooms for parents and children or children of different sexes/ages. Renting such a unit through Rentberry may bring greater flexibility. After all, many of these listings are older, larger units (converted houses, or duplexes or vintage buildings). This could mean bigger room sizes than modern-day “box-style” apartments.
Still, as affordable small multi-unit buildings have faded away, and housing construction has tilted increasingly towards multifamily buildings in higher-cost neighborhoods, families may find fewer large affordable units than in prior decades.
Safety and Neighborhood Quality: Why It Matters
Space is only part of the equation. The security and environment of an area one lives in affect daily life and long-term life goals. It is not only people with children, however, the safety also has a direct impact on children. Research connecting violence in a neighborhood with academic performance indicates that children raised in high-violence neighborhoods suffer long-term negative impacts on their academic performance compared to children raised in low-violence neighborhoods.
In Chicago, this reality impacts property values and rental demand. Areas with high crime rates tend to see depressed rental demand. This makes these areas less appealing for families and unstable over time.
Some urban neighborhoods are considered safe by many and can provide a great sense of community and quality of life to the residents. Certain sections of the city’s Northwest and North Side have been identified, for example, as having low violent‑crime rates, a steady housing stock, and a family-oriented atmosphere.
Families searching for Chicago apartments for rent on Rentberry, prioritizing listings in these neighborhoods can mean access to safer streets, more walkable environments, and potentially better long-term stability.
Schools and Educational Opportunity
Families often base their decision to rent a house on the schooling options. Thus, it can either make or break a deal. Neighborhoods that have stable housing, community engagement and low crime rates often have good schools.
The Chicago neighborhood of North Center, for instance, is one of the city’s most desirable areas to live. It is quiet and safe, and there are well-rated public schools. Families report that access to these schools was a large factor in their decision to move there. On the other hand, other neighborhoods in Chicago, like Lincoln Park, Chicago, or Lakeview Chicago offer great urban living along with school quality which makes both ideal picks for renters.
Importantly, studies show that what happens in a neighborhood, like being safe and having a stable home, isn’t a sideshow but at the heart of a child’s later success at school. Being around violence in your neighborhood a lot, or not having a place to live, hurts school attendance and marks.
Facebook groups, along with sites like Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace, offer a sea of unique ads placed by Chicagoans looking for short-term roommates, subletters, or anyone who’s willing to pay rent.
Balancing Space, Safety, and Affordability: What Families Should Know
Given the dynamics above, families often have to make trade-offs. Here are some guidelines to help.
- Choose safety and convenience over price – Paying less rent in a dangerous neighborhood can cost us time and stress, and can negatively affect our children’s education.
- Look at apartments that are in mid-sized communities. A unit with two or three bedrooms in a family-friendly neighborhood could prove worth more in the long run, even though it may be costlier per square foot.
- Stay informed on the marketplace shifts – Since 2012, the available share of traditional small and multi-unit buildings for rent, has reduced, with an increasing number of renters now considering larger multifamily buildings in high-end locations.
- When searching for a rental, try to look for balanced neighborhoods. Balanced neighborhoods are neighborhoods that have good transit access, good levels of green space, and a mix of residential stability and amenities. In other words, don’t chase the minimum rent, irrespective of the surroundings.
Why Rentberry (and Similar Platforms) Appeal with Caution
A family can search through dozens of apartments quickly and without any fuss using an online listing platform like Rentberry. If families are looking for Chicago apartments for rent on Rentberry, he or she might find that to be more useful because availability changes depending on the neighborhood, building type, and time.
However, caution is essential. If you only look at online listings, you might miss out on important things. For example, you may not know how safe the neighborhood feels at night. Or, you might not find out how crowded the building really is. Also, you may not find out if the apartment suffers from maintenance issues found in old buildings. Photos and appealing amenities can seem nice, but they usually don’t tell the story of neighbor dynamics or the long-term quality of life.
So, when you can, it’s a good idea for families to round off their online search with a real-world one. Walk around the neighbourhood, check out the schools, chat with residents, and see if it meets your accurate barometer of space and safety, and community for the long haul.
Long-Term Implications for Families Choosing to Rent
Choosing where to rent in Chicago involves more than just short-term considerations. The benefits of choosing a home in a neighborhood with the right size, safety, and school quality will last.
A safe neighborhood with good schools ultimately benefits your children. Since it is necessary for their education and emotional development as well. Research shows that exposure to neighborhood violence has a negative impact on the learning trajectory.
When bigger, safer apartments may be more expensive, they are still likely to be a cheaper option than an apartment in a high-crime neighbourhood. Families may make an unexpected move when crime levels get too high for their own comfort. In case the apartment in not in a safe neighbourhood, the property could also suffer from depreciation due to crime and unrest in the area.
A good school district and access to green space, community amenities, moderate density, and safe streets can create the best environment for children. This includes easy access to parks and a peer social network.
Families seeking long-term Chicago apartments for rent on Rentberry tend to get more value for their money compared to those who rent month to month.
Conclusion
To find an apartment in Chicago for families, consider space, safety, and access to good schools. Rental options changed; smaller, cheaper buildings fewer, rents up, but find nice family spots if you look well.
Families browsing listings, maybe on Rentberry, would find best outcomes often come from evaluating more than just rent and apartment size. Looking at how safe a neighborhood feels, scoping out schools, and thinking about what makes a place settled can help give folks a nice spot to live, plus aid kids in doing well in classes, staying healthy, and feeling like they belong. Think a Chicago apartment offers more than an address, you know could be where a family starts.