Who each one is for, and the catch.
Pick it ifPeople who want a rooted barrio feel while staying fairly central.
The catchLittle international infrastructure and few polished towers; this is a barrio for people who want a barrio, not a landing pad.
Pick it ifBudget-conscious movers who want central access without north-side prices.
The catchIt is dense and not especially green; the best blocks are quietly useful rather than glamorous.
Pick it ifPeople who want value, the H line, and a practical commute to the center or the south.
The catchThe tech district brought offices, not amenities; it is still thin on shops and restaurants next to the north.
Pick it ifFamilies and remote workers who want a real park nearby and a calm west-side base.
The catchFew restaurants and cafés by the standards of the trendier barrios; the evening is at home or on the avenue.
Two or more points apart on the 1–10 scale, widest gap first. The tick is the median barrio.
Alike oncost value (all 7) · culture (8–9) · english & expats (all 4) · schools (3–4) · clubs (7–8).
Each lens weighs the marks differently; what each one weighs is in the note below.
First landing — Walkable, transit-rich, English-friendly, food and culture on tap — with reported crime included in the comparison. With kids — Schools and healthcare first, then the clubs, safety, parks, quiet and walkable streets. On a budget — Lower asking prices first, with transit, walkability and reported crime in the mix. Creative & nightlife — Culture, food and walkability — and the louder, the better. Quiet & green — Calm streets and green space, with reported crime and asking prices in the mix. Car-free — Transit and walkability only — live here without ever owning a car.
Averages of asking prices; crime as reported robberies and thefts per 1,000 residents.
Scores run 1 low to 10 high; “data” means derived from a source, “our read” is our considered opinion. Rents are averages of asking prices — the city statistics office for barrios (43 m² one-bedroom), the Zonaprop index for Zona Norte (50 m²) — converted at each table's bank rate. A missing dimension is left out of fit, never counted as neutral. Methods and every source with its date: how we score.