The Chicago Neighborhoods That Feel Like Suburbs
Chicago, one of the biggest cities in the U.S., has an impressive urban sprawl. The Loop and the neighborhoods closest to it feel distinctly like a part of the city. Single-family homes are few and far between, condo buildings scrape the sky, and the latest restaurants and bars keep residents out and about well past dark.
But many neighborhoods further north, south, and west of the city center have a different feel. Large parks, blocks and blocks of homes with yards, and a quieter atmosphere can make these neighborhoods seem more like the suburbs.
You don’t have to move outside of the city limits to embrace the qualities of suburban living. Have your cake and eat it too in these Chicago neighborhoods.
Avalon Park
Avalon Park is a Far South Side neighborhood just west of the lake. Like many suburban communities, this neighborhood is anchored by its park.
Avalon Park has ample greenspace for play and relaxation, as well as a gym, playground, track, tennis courts, and a pool.
The neighborhood has a mix of attached and unattached homes, but you won’t struggle to find a single-family home with a yard. Avalon Park also has a lower median home price (about $140,000, according to neighborhoods.com) that sounds more like the suburbs than the city.
Beverly
If you aspire to the suburban ideal of getting to know your neighbors, Beverly is the neighborhood for you. This South Side neighborhood, along with its sister community of Morgan Park, is supported by the Beverly Area Planning Association. This organization offers residents ample opportunity to get to know one another and have a say in their community.
Most of the homes you will find in this neighborhood are single-family or units in low-rise condo buildings. And like most neighborhoods further from downtown, Beverly has a reasonable median home sale price: $335,000.
Edgewater
Edgewater is a large neighborhood, but it has many qualities that make it feel suburban. For starters, the North Side community is one of the most pet-friendly places to settle in the city. Edgewater has a dog park, pet-friendly businesses, and its very own pet mayor (Pax the goat).
The neighborhood also has plenty of open space to roam, much of it on the lakeshore. Residents can relax on Foster Beach and Hollywood Beach (officially known as Kathy Osterman Beach). Closer to the lake you’ll find high-rise condos and apartments, but the interior of the neighborhood has its fair share of spacious single-family homes. The median home sale price in Edgewater is about $200,000.
Hollywood Park
For those who need to live somewhere with space to roam, Hollywood Park is about as far away you can get from the feeling of crowded city living. Nearly half of the neighborhood is made up of the North Park Village Nature Center, a 46-acre nature preserve, and Peterson Park, an additional 20-plus acres of wooded land. The Chicago River runs along the entire eastern edge of the neighborhood.
As you might expect in a neighborhood with so much natural space, Hollywood Park is on the quieter side. Most homes are attached here, but you can still find some single-family options. The median home sale price in Hollywood Park is in the mid-$300s.
McKinley Park
McKinley Park, located on the southwest side of the city, is a small neighborhood with a lot of attractive features. The Chicago River runs along its northern edge, it has a large community park, and plenty of places to shop along Archer Avenue. If you want to enjoy the river, residents have ready access to the Canalport Riverwalk Park.
In the southwest corner of the neighborhood, you’ll find McKinley Park, which has a pool, gymnasium, sports fields, an ice skating rink, and a playground. Single-family homes are the most common home type in this neighborhood, and the median home sale price is in the high $200s.
North Mayfair
North Mayfair, another Far North Side neighborhood, has its own library branch and an elementary school—a big plus for families who like the idea of their kids going to school close to home. The neighborhood also has well-maintained tennis and basketball courts. If you want to get outside, Gompers Lagoon and Wetland takes up a sizable chunk of North Mayfair.
This quiet community is primarily populated by single-family homes, ideal for those who dream of the suburban comforts of both a yard and garage. The median home sale price in North Mayfair is in the low $300s.
West Ridge
West Ridge is a large North Side neighborhood with several sizable parks (Warren Park and Indian Boundary Park among them) and even a nine-hole golf course, the Robert A. Black Golf Club. While a fairly spread out and quiet neighborhood, West Ridge is also home to the busy stretch of Devon Avenue, a part of Desi Corridor, which offers residents plenty of shopping and dining options.
The majority of homes in West Ridge are attached, but there is a decent supply of single-family homes. The median home sale price in the neighborhood is in the low $200s.