The West Side is one of the three major sections of the city of Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, along with the North Side and the South Side.^[1] The West Side consists of communities that are of historical, cultural, and ideological importance to the history and development of Chicago. On the municipal flag of Chicago,^[2] the West Side is represented by the central white stripe.

It is often seen by the media and residents as a largely poor, crime-ridden area of the city.^[3]