Home to Northeastern Illinois University and a mere 10 miles north of the Chicago Loop, North Park is an academically active neighborhood with a family focus. Bound by the North Shore Channel and the North Branch of the Chicago River, North Park has the remote feel of a peaceful suburb with the added benefit of a short commute to downtown. For the most part, North Park's residential streets are dominated by traditional, brick bungalows and historic homes. There are some condos and townhouses in the neighborhood that attract area students and young couples. Laid-back bakeries, cafés and eateries abound in this part of Chicago, although you won't be hard up for a good Swedish meatball or Asian noodle dish if that's what you crave.
In the late 1850s, German and Swedish farmers settled the land in the fork between the North Shore Channel and the North Branch of the Chicago River. Interestingly, where these two waterways meet is Chicago’s only waterfall, albeit a modest one with a mere four-foot drop. Regardless of its size, the waterfall provided serene and verdant surroundings for successful cultivation of a homestead and farmland. Early immigrants used the dried-up riverbeds for vegetable gardening and a placid, remote community evolved at the site.
In 1894, construction of North Park University began on 8.5 acres of land donated by the Swedish University Association of the Swedish Evangelical Mission Covenant. The small town slowly replaced existing dirt paths with planned cobblestone streets. A sanitation system was created by installing sewer pipes, and boardwalks were laid to give the little North Park community the feeling of an upstart town. All the while, the university was slowly being built. While tremendous advancements were being made, the evolution of North Park proceeded gradually because by 1910 the neighborhood population didn’t exceed 500.
Things began to pick up with the onset of the 1920s, and the first low-rise flats and apartments started to appear in the neighborhood. Soon thereafter, North Park began to rapidly grow. In fact, its population tripled by 1930, as a residential haven of two-flats and bungalows took shape.
After World War II, America’s economy was booming and so was North Park. The suburban-esque respite hit its highpoint in the mid 1960s. With the move of Northeastern Illinois University into the northeast corner of the community and the long-established North Park University in the southeast corner, plenty of students and faculty made the neighborhood their home filling the air with a scholastic awareness that seeped into all aspects of North Park’s existence. In addition, the nearby Swedish Covenant Hospital, established in 1886, continued to draw residents and professionals into the area. It is this continual flow of folks from the academic and hospital sectors that has created a thriving yet stable Chicago neighborhood that caters to people from all walks of life.
North Park facts
Location: Approximately 10 miles north of the Loop Boundaries: Bryn Mawr Avenue to the north, the Chicago River to the east, Foster Avenue to the south and Central Park Avenue to the west Bordering Neighborhoods:Hollywood Park, Budlong Woods, Albany Park, Peterson Park Grounds, Ravenswood Crime Statistics: Go to CLEARMap to search specific streets and areas for crime incidents
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North Park Real Estate
There’s an immediate charm and friendliness to the North Park neighborhood that makes you feel welcomed, whether you’re just moving in or have been here for decades.
Sandwiched between the picturesque parkland and riverbanks on the east and the quaint solitude of Bohemian National Cemetery on the west, North Park feels more suburban than it does cosmopolitan. A mix of middle and upper class families and young professionals and single working adults inhabit the mostly residential, tree-shaded streets of North Park. And with two major universities situated within the neighborhood borders, there is a hearty population of students spending their days in—and oftentimes living in—the community as well.
The majority of North Park is residential area dominated by single-family homes, but a limited number of condos and townhomes exist, catering especially to the student populace that is a vital part of the small neighborhood’s livelihood. Traditional bungalows mingle with historic homes, low-rise flats and newer condominiums.
The average sales price for a one- or two-bedroom condo or townhome is $195,000, but you should be able to find one for under $150,000. Two or three-bedroom units average around $340,000 in North Park. Detached single-family homes start at $335,000 for a three-bedroom. The average sales price for a house this size around here is about $430,000, but can reach into the $600,000s, with some five or six-bedroom properties selling for just under a million dollars.
The average sale price of a home in North Park is represented by the chart to the right. The red line indicates the average price based on the total time frame selected in the drop-down window. The blue line indicates the average sale price for the particular month within that time frame. For more detailed information on North Park sign up for the trends report below or contact your Dream Town broker.
The average number of days a home in North Park spends listed for sale is represented by the chart to the right. The red line indicates the average number of days based on the total time frame selected in the drop-down window. The blue line indicates the average number of days a home spent on market during the particular month within that time frame. For more detailed information on average market listing times in North Park sign up for the trends report below or contact your Dream Town broker.
The average sale price of a home compared to its listing price in North Park is represented by the chart to the right. The black line indicates the baseline listing price for homes during the time frame selected in the drop-down. The red line indicates the difference between the average listing price and the average sale price during the particular month within that time frame. For more detailed information on North Park sign up for the trends report below or contact your Dream Town broker.
The total number of listings in North Park is represented in the chart to the right. The red line represents average number of days based on the total time frame selected in the drop-down window The blue bar represents the current number of listings during the particular month of that time frame. For more detailed information on North Park sign up for the trends report below or contact your Dream Town broker.
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