Having spent plenty of time in
Rogers Park in the last five years and living in nearby
Edgewater a few years back I had to add my few cents.
First of all, most of Rogers Park is unsafe, especially at night and even more so if your white. Unless you goto school at Loyola or need to visit someone there, I'd advise most people against ever going there although you can get a real unique taste of Chicago there during the day.
I think this area is most noted for it's hard to find parking, dense population, ghetto beaches, brownstones, and Loyola of course.
Venture down Devon Ave. west of the lake and you'll get to see (and experience if you get out and walk around a bit) one of Chicago's most interesting Indian enclaves. There might just one be the largest concentrations of currency exchanges in the city outside of the loop as well!
There has been some new development going on in the area and some effort is being made to gentrify certain blocks. It's still a great place to see some real urban blight near Howard St. But note, as soon as you get into Evanston, everything changes for the better.
Seriously though, if your white and don't want to be mugged and or attacked for being white, avoid the streets of Rogers Park at night... and those nearer toward Howard during the day even.