<P> The South Side of Chicago was originally defined as all of the city south of the main branch of the Chicago River , but it now excludes the Loop . The South Side has a varied ethnic composition . It has great disparity in income and other demographic measures . Although it has a reputation for being poor or crime - infested , the reality is more varied . The South Side ranges from affluent to middle class to working class to impoverished . Neighborhoods such as Armour Square , Back of the Yards , Bridgeport and Pullman host more blue collar residents , while Hyde Park , the Jackson Park Highlands District , Kenwood and Beverly feature affluent , middle and upper - middle class residents . </P>
where does the south side of chicago start
originally defined as all of the city south of the main branch of the Chicago River , but it now excludes the Loop