Community areas of Chicago
Encyclopedia
Community areas in Chicago refers to the work of the Social Science Research Committee at University of Chicago
which has unofficially divided the City of Chicago
into 77 community areas.http://www.cityofchicago.org/content/dam/city/depts/doit/general/GIS/Chicago_Maps/Community_Areas/Community_Areas_W_Numbers.pdf These areas are well-defined and static. Census
data are tied to the community areas, and they serve as the basis for a variety of urban planning
initiatives on both the local and regional levels.
The Social Science Research Committee at University of Chicago
defined seventy-five community areas during the late 1920s. At the time, these community areas corresponded roughly to neighborhoods
within the city. In the 1950s, with the city's annexation
s for O'Hare airport
, a seventy-sixth community area was added. Other than the creation of the seventy-seventh community area in 1980 (by separating #77 Edgewater from #3 Uptown), boundaries have never been revised to reflect change but instead have been kept relatively stable to allow comparisons of these areas over time.
Although many community areas contain more than one neighborhood and may share the name of some of the neighborhoods. Community areas may encompass groups of neighborhoods. In some cases, the character of the community area is independent of that of the individual neighborhoods it comprises.
A full list in numerical order and map is available below.
Following is a list of the community areas by number (see map):
on the east, Roosevelt Road (1200S) on the south and DesPlaines (650W) Avenue on the west, serves as the city's commercial hub. The area known as The Loop, is a portion of downtown originally named for it once having been located within a circuit of cable car
s. Today the name reflects the elevated train Loop
which follows roughly the same path as the original cable cars. Many of downtown's commercial, cultural, and financial institutions are located in the Loop.
The current CTA Elevated Loop follows Wells St on the West, Van Buren St on the South, Wabash St on the East, and Lake St on the North. River North contains the Magnificent Mile
.
The center area is home to Grant Park
, skyscrapers, museums, shopping and the city's largest parades: the annual Christmas, Thanksgiving and the Chicago Saint Patrick's Day Parades, which is always held the Saturday prior to Saint Patrick's Day, unless the holiday falls on a Saturday in which case the parade is held that day. The Chicago Bears
also play here.
) and beaches stretching for miles along Lake Michigan to the city's northern border. It also includes Eastern European and other ethnic enclaves. Much of the North Side has benefited from an economic boom which began in the 1990s. It is noted for being the home of the Chicago Cubs
.
.
Along with being the largest section of the city in terms of geography, the South Side is also home to one of the city's largest parades: the annual Bud Billiken Day parade, which is held during the second weekend of August and celebrates children returning to school.
The South Side has two of Chicago's largest public parks. Jackson Park
, which hosted the World's Columbian Exposition
in 1893, is currently the site of the Museum of Science and Industry
. The park stretches along the lakefront, linking the neighborhoods of Hyde Park
and South Shore
. Washington Park
, which is connected to Jackson Park by the Midway Plaisance
, was considered as the primary site of the Olympic Stadium for the 2016 Summer Olympics
, had Chicago won the bid.
, Lawndale
, Garfield Park
, West Town
, and Humboldt Park
among others. Some neighborhoods, particularly Garfield Park and Lawndale, have had long-term socio-economic problems. Other West Side neighborhoods, especially those closer to downtown, have been undergoing gentrification. It is home to the Chicago Bulls
and Chicago Blackhawks
.
Major parks on the West Side include Douglas Park, Garfield Park, and Humboldt Park. Garfield Park Conservatory houses one of the largest collections of tropical plants of any U.S. city. Cultural attractions on the West Side include Humboldt Park's Puerto Rican Day
festival, and the National Museum of Mexican Art in Pilsen.
es. For example, one might say, "I live in St. Gertrude's, but he's from Saint Ita's." Some of these designations have come into common parlance as developers have used them to market new gentrifying areas such as "St. Ben's", a neighborhood found on the Chicago Realtor Association's official Chicago Neighborhood map. Chicago's 'Polish Patches' are also named after the historically Polish church located in the vicinity.
Aldermanic wards. Each of the 50 areas is represented on the City council by one Alderman and in many social, political and economic contexts, it is reasonable to describe what part of Chicago one is from by who one's alderman is or what ward one lives in. However, using wards as the basis for comparing areas of the city over time has limited utility, due to the fact that the wards need to be redistricted every ten years. The current ward boundaries are mapped here.
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
which has unofficially divided the City of Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
into 77 community areas.http://www.cityofchicago.org/content/dam/city/depts/doit/general/GIS/Chicago_Maps/Community_Areas/Community_Areas_W_Numbers.pdf These areas are well-defined and static. Census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
data are tied to the community areas, and they serve as the basis for a variety of urban planning
Urban planning
Urban planning incorporates areas such as economics, design, ecology, sociology, geography, law, political science, and statistics to guide and ensure the orderly development of settlements and communities....
initiatives on both the local and regional levels.
The Social Science Research Committee at University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
defined seventy-five community areas during the late 1920s. At the time, these community areas corresponded roughly to neighborhoods
Neighborhoods in Chicago
Cartographers distinguish between over 200 neighborhoods and 77 community areas in the City of Chicago . A semi-official by the City of Chicago Department of Planning and Development was created in the 1970s by researchers who went from door-to-door in Chicago, asking "What neighborhood is this?"...
within the city. In the 1950s, with the city's annexation
Annexation
Annexation is the de jure incorporation of some territory into another geo-political entity . Usually, it is implied that the territory and population being annexed is the smaller, more peripheral, and weaker of the two merging entities, barring physical size...
s for O'Hare airport
O'Hare International Airport
Chicago O'Hare International Airport , also known as O'Hare Airport, O'Hare Field, Chicago Airport, Chicago International Airport, or simply O'Hare, is a major airport located in the northwestern-most corner of Chicago, Illinois, United States, northwest of the Chicago Loop...
, a seventy-sixth community area was added. Other than the creation of the seventy-seventh community area in 1980 (by separating #77 Edgewater from #3 Uptown), boundaries have never been revised to reflect change but instead have been kept relatively stable to allow comparisons of these areas over time.
Although many community areas contain more than one neighborhood and may share the name of some of the neighborhoods. Community areas may encompass groups of neighborhoods. In some cases, the character of the community area is independent of that of the individual neighborhoods it comprises.
A full list in numerical order and map is available below.
Areas
| 01 | Rogers Park Rogers Park, Chicago Rogers Park is one of the 77 Chicago community areas on the far north side of Chicago, Illinois, and is also the name of the Chicago neighborhood that constitutes most of the community area... |
21 | Avondale Avondale, Chicago Avondale is one of 77 officially designated Chicago, Illinois community areas. It is located on the Northwest Side of Chicago. Its main borders are the North Branch of the Chicago River, Diversey Avenue, Addison Street, Pulaski Road and the Union Pacific/Northwest rail line; bisecting the community... |
41 | Hyde Park Hyde Park, Chicago Hyde Park, located on the South Side of the City of Chicago, in Cook County, Illinois, United States and seven miles south of the Chicago Loop, is a Chicago neighborhood and one of 77 Chicago community areas. It is home to the University of Chicago, the Hyde Park Art Center, the Museum of Science... |
61 | New City New City, Chicago New City is one of Chicago's 77 official community areas, located on the southwest side of the city. The area is divided into It is a blend of predominantly Irish-Americans in Canaryville, Mexican-Americans in Back Of The Yards, and African-Americans south of 49th Street... |
| 02 | West Ridge West Ridge, Chicago West Ridge is one of 77 Chicago community areas. It is a middle class neighborhood located on the far North Side of the City of Chicago. It is located in the 50th Ward... |
22 | Logan Square Logan Square, Chicago Logan Square is one of the 77 city-designated community areas located on the near northwest side of the City of Chicago. The name, used here to describe the community area defined by U.S. census tracts, also applies to one of a number of smaller, more loosely defined residential neighborhoods... |
42 | Woodlawn Woodlawn, Chicago Woodlawn, located in the South Side of the City of Chicago, Illinois, USA, is one of 77 well defined Chicago community areas. It is bounded by Lake Michigan to the east, 60th Street to the north, Martin Luther King Drive to the west, and, mostly, 67th Street to the south... |
62 | West Elsdon West Elsdon, Chicago West Elsdon, one of the 77 official community areas, is located on the southwest side of the City of Chicago, Illinois. It is noted as a twin neighborhood of West Lawn. It has a population which includes a mix of Polish-Americans and Mexican-Americans. It has its own association, "West Elsdon Civic... |
| 03 | Uptown Uptown, Chicago Uptown is one of Chicago’s 77 community areas. Uptown has well defined boundaries. They are: Foster on the north; Lake Michigan on the east; Montrose , and Irving Park on the south; Ravenswood , and Clark on the west. Uptown borders three community areas and Lake Michigan... |
23 | Humboldt Park Humboldt Park, Chicago Humboldt Park is one of 77 officially designated community areas located on the northwest side of Chicago, Illinois. The Humboldt Park neighborhood is widely known for its large Puerto Rican presence... |
43 | South Shore South Shore, Chicago South Shore is one of 77 well-defined community areas of the City of Chicago, Illinois in the United States. A predominately black neighborhood located along Chicago's southern lakefront, it is a relatively stable and gentrifying neighborhood... |
63 | Gage Park Gage Park, Chicago Gage Park is one of Chicago's 77 well-defined community areas, located on the city's southwest side; it is also the name of a park within the neighborhood. Gage Park's population is largely working-class, and its housing stock is mostly bungalows. For generations, the neighborhood was Eastern... |
| 04 | Lincoln Square Lincoln Square, Chicago Lincoln Square, located on the North Side of the city of Chicago, Illinois, is one of 77 well-defined Chicago community areas. Greater Lincoln Square encompasses the smaller neighborhoods of Ravenswood Manor, Ravenswood Gardens, Ravenswood, Bowmanville, Budlong Woods and Lincoln Square... |
24 | West Town West Town, Chicago West Town, located in Chicago, Illinois, northwest of the Loop, is one of 77 officially designated Chicago community areas. Its name may refer to Western Avenue, which was the city's western boundary at the time of West Town's settlement, but more likely was a convenient abstraction by the creators... |
44 | Chatham Chatham, Chicago Chatham, located on the south side, is one of the 77 official community areas of South Side of the city of Chicago, Illinois. It includes the neighborhoods of Chatham and West Chesterfield... |
64 | Clearing Clearing, Chicago Clearing, one of the 77 official community areas, is located on the southwest side of the City of Chicago, Illinois. The southern portion of Chicago Midway International Airport is located in this community area.- History :... |
| 05 | North Center North Center, Chicago North Center is one of the 77 community area of the Chicago, Illinois, located in the city's North Side. North Center is bordered on the north by Montrose Avenue, on the south by Diversey Parkway, on the west by the Chicago River and on the east by Ravenswood Avenue; it includes the neighborhoods... |
25 | Austin Austin, Chicago Austin, located on the West Side of Chicago, Illinois, is the largest of the city's 77 officially defined community areas, followed by Lake View. Its eastern boundary is the Belt Railway located just east of Cicero Avenue. Its northernmost border is the Milwaukee District/West Line... |
45 | Avalon Park Avalon Park, Chicago Avalon Park, located on the south side of the U.S. city of Chicago, Illinois, is one of the city's 77 official community areas and a park. Boundaries are 76th St. to the north, South Chicago Ave. to the east and 87th St. to the south... |
65 | West Lawn West Lawn, Chicago West Lawn, one of Chicago's 77 official community areas, is located on the southwest side of the city. It is considered to be a "melting pot" of sorts, due to its constant change of races moving in and out of the area, as well as the diversity that exists there. It has a small town atmosphere in... |
| 06 | Lake View | 26 | West Garfield Park West Garfield Park, Chicago West Garfield Park located on the west side of Chicago, Illinois, is one of 77 officially designated Chicago community areas.West Garfield Park had 86 foreclosures in 2006 and 87 foreclosures in 2007, resulting in 67.7 foreclosures per square mile in 2006 and 70.1 foreclosures per square mile in... |
46 | South Chicago South Chicago, Chicago South Chicago, formerly known as Ainsworth, is one of the 77 well-defined community areas of Chicago, Illinois.This chevron-shaped community is one of Chicago's 16 lakefront neighborhoods near the southern rim of Lake Michigan 10 miles south of downtown... |
66 | Chicago Lawn Chicago Lawn, Chicago Chicago Lawn is one of the 77 community areas of Chicago, Illinois. It is located on the southwest side of the city. Its community neighbors include Gage Park, West Englewood, Ashburn, and West Lawn. It is bounded by Bell Avenue on the east, Central Park Avenue on the west, 59th Street on the... |
| 07 | Lincoln Park Lincoln Park, Chicago Lincoln Park, is one of the 77 community areas on Chicago, Illinois North Side, USA. Named after Lincoln Park, a vast park bordering Lake Michigan, the community area is anchored by the Lincoln Park Zoo and DePaul University... |
27 | East Garfield Park East Garfield Park, Chicago East Garfield Park is a community area located on the west side of Chicago, Illinois, USA. It is part of the Chicago West Side area. Located directly in the path of gentrification heading westward from the Loop, East Garfield Park was named one of America's most "up and coming neighborhoods" in the... |
47 | Burnside Burnside, Chicago Burnside is one of the 77 official community areas of Chicago, Illinois, and is located on the city's south side. This area is also called by locals, "The Triangle", as it is bordered by railroad tracks on every side; the Illinois Central on the west, the Rock Island on the south and the New York... |
67 | West Englewood West Englewood, Chicago West Englewood, one of the 77 well defined community areas, is located on the southwest side of Chicago, Illinois. At one time it was known as South Lynne. The boundaries of West Englewood are Garfield Blvd to the north, Racine Ave to the east, the CSX and Norfolk Southern RR tracks to the west,... |
| 08 | Near North Side Near North Side, Chicago The Near North Side is one of 77 well-defined community areas of Chicago, Illinois, United States. It is located north and east of the Chicago River, just north of the central business district . To its east is Lake Michigan and its northern boundary is the 19th-century city limit of Chicago,... |
28 | Near West Side Near West Side, Chicago The Near West Side, one of the 77 defined community areas of Chicago, is located , adjacent to the downtown central business district . The rich history of the Near West Side of Chicago has its genesis in the Hull House phenomenon... |
48 | Calumet Heights Calumet Heights, Chicago Calumet Heights, located on the South Side of the city, is one of the 77 well defined community areas of Chicago, Illinois. Calumet Heights is bounded by 87th Street on the north, South Chicago Avenue on the east, and railroad lines on the west and south . It includes the neighborhoods of Calumet... |
68 | Englewood Englewood, Chicago Englewood, once known as "Junction Grove" , is one of the 77 official community areas of Chicago. At its height, over 97,000 people lived in its approximately 3 square miles , but the neighborhood's population has since dropped dramatically... |
| 09 | Edison Park Edison Park, Chicago Edison Park is one of the 77 community areas of Chicago, Illinois. It consists mostly of the Edison Park neighborhood. It is named after Thomas Alva Edison. According to the 2000 Census, its population is 11,259. The neighborhood stages an annual Edison Park Fest, which features food from all... |
29 | North Lawndale North Lawndale, Chicago North Lawndale located on the west side of Chicago, Illinois, is one of the well-defined community areas in the city of Chicago.-History:... |
49 | Roseland Roseland, Chicago Roseland, located on the far south side of the city, is one of the 77 official community areas of Chicago, Illinois. It includes the neighborhoods of Fernwood, Princeton Park, Lilydale, West Chesterfield, Rosemoor, Sheldon Heights and West Roseland... |
69 | Greater Grand Crossing |
| 10 | Norwood Park Norwood Park, Chicago Norwood Park is one of 77 well-defined Chicago, Illinois community areas. It encompasses the smaller neighborhoods of Big Oaks, Norwood Park East, Norwood Park West, Old Norwood Park, Oriole Park, and Union Ridge.... |
30 | South Lawndale South Lawndale, Chicago South Lawndale is located on the west side of the city of Chicago, Illinois, is one of 77 well-defined Chicago community areas. The neighborhood is predominantly Mexican.- Little Village :... |
50 | Pullman Pullman, Chicago Pullman, one of Chicago's 77 community areas, is a neighborhood located on the city's South Side. Twelve miles from the Chicago Loop, Pullman is situated adjacent Lake Calumet.... |
70 | Ashburn Ashburn, Chicago Ashburn, one of Chicago's 77 community areas, is located on the southwest side of the city. Greater Ashburn covers nearly five square miles. The approximate boundaries of Ashburn are 75th Street , Western Avenue , 87th Street and Cicero Avenue .... |
| 11 | Jefferson Park Jefferson Park, Chicago Jefferson Park is one of Chicago's 77 well-defined community areas located on the city's Northwest Side. The neighborhood of Jefferson Park occupies a larger swath of territory than the community area by including within it land of adjacent community areas... |
31 | Lower West Side Lower West Side, Chicago Lower West Side located on the west side of Chicago, Illinois, is one of 77 well-defined Chicago community areas.-Government and infrastructure:The United States Postal Service operates the Pilsen Post Office at 1859 South Ashland Avenue.... |
51 | South Deering South Deering, Chicago South Deering, one of the 77 official community areas of the City of Chicago, Illinois, is located on the far south side. It was a very industrial neighborhood, consisting of a small group of homes in the northeast corner and Lake Calumet taking up most of the remainder. It exists in the 10th Ward,... |
71 | Auburn Gresham Auburn Gresham, Chicago Auburn Gresham, one of the 77 official community areas, is locatedon the far south side of the city of Chicago, Illinois. It was the original location of the South Side Irish Parade before it was relocated to the Beverly neighborhood farther southwest in the city.St. Sabina Church is located here,... |
| 12 | Forest Glen Forest Glen, Chicago Forest Glen is one of the 77 community areas of Chicago, Illinois, located in the city's Northwest Side.-Edgebrook:Edgebrook borders the neighborhood of Sauganash. Edgebrook was once part of the Sauganash land tract and was annexed by the city of Chicago in 1889. To the north of Edgebrook lie... |
32 | Loop Chicago Loop The Loop or Chicago Loop is one of 77 officially designated Chicago community areas located in the City of Chicago, Illinois. It is the historic commercial center of downtown Chicago... |
52 | East Side East Side, Chicago East Side is one of the 77 official community areas of Chicago, Illinois. It is located on the far south side of the city, between the Calumet River and the Illinois-Indiana state line, approximately south of Downtown Chicago... |
72 | Beverly Beverly, Chicago Beverly is one of the 77 official community areas of Chicago, Illinois. It is located on the South Side on the southwestern edge of the city. Beverly Hills was built by English engineers as an exclusive streetcar suburb and the homes and large lots reflect this historic distinction... |
| 13 | North Park North Park, Chicago North Park is one of 77 well-defined community areas of the City of Chicago. It is bordered by the North Shore Channel on the east, the Chicago River's North Branch and Foster Avenue on the south, Cicero Avenue on the west and Devon Avenue on the... |
33 | Near South Side Near South Side, Chicago The Near South Side is a community area of Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, United States. It is located just south of the downtown central business district, the Loop, which is itself a community area... |
53 | West Pullman West Pullman, Chicago West Pullman is a neighborhood located on the far south side of the city of Chicago, Illinois. It is one of the 77 official community areas of Chicago... |
73 | Washington Heights Washington Heights, Chicago Washington Heights, one of the 77 official community areas, is located on the far south side of the city of Chicago, Illinois, loosely bordered in the south by 107th street, the north by 89th street, the west by Beverly Avenue and the East by Eggleston Avenue. It was once a bedroom community of... |
| 14 | Albany Park Albany Park, Chicago Albany Park is one of 77 well-defined Chicago, Illinois, community areas on the Northwest Side of the City of Chicago. It includes the Albany Park neighborhood, one of the most ethnically diverse in the United States... |
34 | Armour Square Armour Square, Chicago Armour Square is both the name of a Chicago neighborhood on the city's South Side, as well as the larger, officially defined community area that the neighborhood is located in. The Armour Square community area also includes Chinatown and the CHA Wentworth Gardens housing project... |
54 | Riverdale Riverdale, Chicago Riverdale, one of the 77 official community areas of Chicago, Illinois, is locatedon the city's far south side.The town of Riverdale is at the far south end of Chicago extending beyond the Chicago boundary of 138th Street to 144th Street. The town hall is at 157 West 144th Street... |
74 | Mount Greenwood Mount Greenwood, Chicago Mount Greenwood is one of 77 well-defined Chicago community areas. It is a predominantly Irish-Catholic neighborhood on the Southwest Side of Chicago. It neighbors the Chicago neighborhoods of Beverly and Morgan Park to the east, the suburb of Evergreen Park to the north, the suburb of Oak Lawn... |
| 15 | Portage Park Portage Park, Chicago Portage Park is located on the northwest side of the City of Chicago, Illinois and is one of 77 officially designated Chicago community areas. Portage Park is bordered by the community areas of Jefferson Park and Forest Glen to the north, Dunning and the suburb of Harwood Heights to the west,... |
35 | Douglas Douglas, Chicago Douglas, located on the South Side of Chicago, Illinois is one of 77 well-defined Chicago community areas. The neighborhood is named for Stephen A. Douglas, a famous Illinois politician, whose estate included a tract of land given to the federal government... |
55 | Hegewisch Hegewisch, Chicago Hegewisch , one of the 77 community areas of Chicago, Illinois, is located on the city's far south side. It is bordered by the neighborhoods of Riverdale and South Deering to the west, the East Side to the north, the village of Burnham to the south and the city of Hammond, Indiana to the east. It... |
75 | Morgan Park Morgan Park, Chicago Morgan Park, located on the far south side of the city of Chicago, Illinois, United States, is one of the city's 77 official community areas.-Morgan Park:... |
| 16 | Irving Park Irving Park, Chicago Irving Park is one of 77 officially designated Chicago community area located on the Northwest Side. It is bounded by the Chicago River on the east, the Milwaukee Road railroad tracks on the west, Addison Street on the south and Montrose Avenue on the north, west of Pulaski Road stretching to... |
36 | Oakland Oakland, Chicago Oakland, located on the South Side of Chicago, Illinois, USA, is one of 77 officially designated Chicago community areas. Some of Chicago's great old homes maybe seen on Drexell Boulvard. 19th century women's rights and Jewish activist Hannah Greenebaum lived in Oakland. The late 19th century... |
56 | Garfield Ridge Garfield Ridge, Chicago Garfield Ridge is one of the 77 official community areas of Chicago, Illinois, and is located on the southwest side of the city. The northern half of Chicago Midway International Airport is located in this community area.-General information:... |
76 | O'Hare O'Hare, Chicago O'Hare, located on the far northwest side of Chicago, Illinois, is one of the city's 77 official community areas. O'Hare International Airport is located within the boundaries of this community area... |
| 17 | Dunning Dunning, Chicago Dunning is one of 77 officially designated community areas of the city of Chicago, Illinois. Dunning also is a neighborhood located on the Northwest Side of the city.The neighborhood is home to the Eli's Cheesecake factory.... |
37 | Fuller Park Fuller Park, Chicago Fuller Park, located on the south side of Chicago, Illinois, is one of 77 officially designated Chicago community areas. It is named for Melville Weston Fuller, who was the Chief Justice of the United States between 1888 and 1910.... |
57 | Archer Heights Archer Heights, Chicago Archer Heights is a primarily middle class neighborhood in Chicago, Illinois. One of the 77 official community areas of Chicago, it is located on the city's southwest side. The neighborhood is a center of Polish culture, and home of the Polish Highlanders Alliance of North America as well as Curie... |
77 | Edgewater Edgewater, Chicago Edgewater is a lakefront community area in the North Side of the city of Chicago, Illinois seven miles north of the Loop. As one of Chicago’s 77 official community areas, Edgewater is bounded by Foster Avenue on the south, Devon Avenue on the north, Ravenswood Avenue on the west, and Lake Michigan... |
| 18 | Montclare Montclare, Chicago Montclare is one of 77 officially designated Chicago community areas located on the Northwest Side of the City of Chicago, Illinois. It is served by Metra's Milwaukee District/West Line via Mont Clare station.-External links:*... |
38 | Grand Boulevard Grand Boulevard, Chicago Grand Boulevard, located on the South Side of Chicago, Illinois, is one of the well-defined Chicago Community Areas. The boulevard from which the community area takes its name now bears the name of Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive... |
58 | Brighton Park Brighton Park, Chicago Brighton Park is a neighborhood located on the southwest side of Chicago, Illinois. It is number 58 of the 77 community areas of Chicago.Brighton Park is bordered on the north by the former Illinois & Michigan Canal and the current Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, on the east by Western Avenue, on... |
||
| 19 | Belmont Cragin Belmont Cragin, Chicago Belmont Cragin is one of 77 officially designated Chicago community areas located on the Northwest Side of the City of Chicago, Illinois. It is designated Community Area 19, and is located NW of the Loop. Belmont Cragin is a community built on commerce and industry... |
39 | Kenwood Kenwood, Chicago Kenwood, located on the South Side of the City of Chicago, Illinois, is one of the 77 well-defined Chicago community areas.Kenwood was part of Hyde Park Township, which was annexed by the City of Chicago in 1889.... |
59 | McKinley Park McKinley Park, Chicago McKinley Park, one of the 77 official community areas of Chicago, Illinois, is located on the city's southwest side.- History :McKinley Park has been a working-class area throughout its long history. This tradition began around 1836 when Irish workers on the Illinois & Michigan Canal took... |
||
| 20 | Hermosa Hermosa, Chicago Hermosa is one of 77 officially designated Chicago community areas located on the west side of Chicago, Illinois, . Originally called Kelvyn Grove, it was already called Hermosa, meaning "beautiful" in Spanish, when annexed to the city in 1889, prior to the founding of Hermosa Beach,... |
40 | Washington Park | 60 | Bridgeport Bridgeport, Chicago Bridgeport, one of 77 community areas of Chicago, is a neighborhood located on the city's South Side. It is bounded, generally, on the west and north by the Chicago River, on the east by Canal Street, and on the south by Pershing Road.-History:... |
Community areas by sides
The Loop, Near North and Near South (Downtown)
The center city area covers about 3 square miles (7.8 km²), lying somewhat roughly between Chicago Avenue (800N) on the north, Lake MichiganLake Michigan
Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America and the only one located entirely within the United States. It is the second largest of the Great Lakes by volume and the third largest by surface area, after Lake Superior and Lake Huron...
on the east, Roosevelt Road (1200S) on the south and DesPlaines (650W) Avenue on the west, serves as the city's commercial hub. The area known as The Loop, is a portion of downtown originally named for it once having been located within a circuit of cable car
Cable car
A cable car is any of a variety of transportation systems relying on cables to pull vehicles along or lower them at a steady rate, or a vehicle on these systems.-Aerial lift:Aerial lifts where the vehicle is suspended in the air from a cable:...
s. Today the name reflects the elevated train Loop
The Loop (CTA)
The Loop is the two mile circuit of elevated railroad that forms the hub of the 'L' rapid transit system in Chicago, Illinois. The Loop is so named because the railroad loops around a rectangle formed by Lake Street , Wabash Avenue , Van Buren Street , and Wells Street...
which follows roughly the same path as the original cable cars. Many of downtown's commercial, cultural, and financial institutions are located in the Loop.
The current CTA Elevated Loop follows Wells St on the West, Van Buren St on the South, Wabash St on the East, and Lake St on the North. River North contains the Magnificent Mile
Magnificent Mile
The Magnificent Mile, sometimes referred to as The Mag Mile, is a neighborhood in Chicago, Illinois, that runs along a portion of Michigan Avenue extending from the Chicago River to Oak Street in the Near North Side community area. The district is located adjacent to downtown; it is also one block...
.
The center area is home to Grant Park
Grant Park (Chicago)
Grant Park, with between the downtown Chicago Loop and Lake Michigan, offers many different attractions in its large open space. The park is generally flat. It is also crossed by large boulevards and even a bed of sunken railroad tracks...
, skyscrapers, museums, shopping and the city's largest parades: the annual Christmas, Thanksgiving and the Chicago Saint Patrick's Day Parades, which is always held the Saturday prior to Saint Patrick's Day, unless the holiday falls on a Saturday in which case the parade is held that day. The Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
also play here.
North Side
The city's North Side (extending north of downtown along the lakefront) is the most densely populated residential section of the city. It contains public parkland (such as Lincoln ParkLincoln Park, Chicago
Lincoln Park, is one of the 77 community areas on Chicago, Illinois North Side, USA. Named after Lincoln Park, a vast park bordering Lake Michigan, the community area is anchored by the Lincoln Park Zoo and DePaul University...
) and beaches stretching for miles along Lake Michigan to the city's northern border. It also includes Eastern European and other ethnic enclaves. Much of the North Side has benefited from an economic boom which began in the 1990s. It is noted for being the home of the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
.
South Side
The South Side (extending south of downtown along Lake Michigan) is the largest section of the city, encompassing roughly 60% of the city's land area. The section along the lake is marked with public parkland and beaches. The South Side has a higher ratio of single-family homes and also contains most of the city's industry. It is home to the Chicago White SoxChicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
.
Along with being the largest section of the city in terms of geography, the South Side is also home to one of the city's largest parades: the annual Bud Billiken Day parade, which is held during the second weekend of August and celebrates children returning to school.
The South Side has two of Chicago's largest public parks. Jackson Park
Jackson Park (Chicago)
Jackson Park is a 500 acre park on Chicago's South Side, located at 6401 South Stony Island Avenue in the Woodlawn community area. It extends into the South Shore and Hyde Park community areas, bordering Lake Michigan and several South Side neighborhoods...
, which hosted the World's Columbian Exposition
World's Columbian Exposition
The World's Columbian Exposition was a World's Fair held in Chicago in 1893 to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the New World in 1492. Chicago bested New York City; Washington, D.C.; and St...
in 1893, is currently the site of the Museum of Science and Industry
Museum of Science and Industry (Chicago)
The Museum of Science and Industry is located in Chicago, Illinois, USA in Jackson Park, in the Hyde Park neighborhood adjacent to Lake Michigan. It is housed in the former Palace of Fine Arts from the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition...
. The park stretches along the lakefront, linking the neighborhoods of Hyde Park
Hyde Park, Chicago
Hyde Park, located on the South Side of the City of Chicago, in Cook County, Illinois, United States and seven miles south of the Chicago Loop, is a Chicago neighborhood and one of 77 Chicago community areas. It is home to the University of Chicago, the Hyde Park Art Center, the Museum of Science...
and South Shore
South Shore, Chicago
South Shore is one of 77 well-defined community areas of the City of Chicago, Illinois in the United States. A predominately black neighborhood located along Chicago's southern lakefront, it is a relatively stable and gentrifying neighborhood...
. Washington Park
Washington Park (Chicago park)
On December 6, 1879, former U.S. President Ulysses Grant took part in a tree planting ceremony in the park. A memorial boulder with a plaque commemorated the event. In the 1920s black semiprofessional baseball teams played at Washington Park...
, which is connected to Jackson Park by the Midway Plaisance
Midway Plaisance
The Midway Plaisance, also known locally as the Midway, is a park on the South Side of the city of Chicago, Illinois. It is one mile long by 220 yards wide and extends along 59th and 60th streets, joining Washington Park at its east end and Jackson Park at its west end. It divides the Hyde Park...
, was considered as the primary site of the Olympic Stadium for the 2016 Summer Olympics
2016 Summer Olympics
The 2016 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXXI Olympiad, are a major international multi-sport event to be celebrated in the tradition of the Olympic Games, as governed by the International Olympic Committee...
, had Chicago won the bid.
West Side
The West Side (extending west of downtown) is made up of neighborhoods such as AustinAustin, Chicago
Austin, located on the West Side of Chicago, Illinois, is the largest of the city's 77 officially defined community areas, followed by Lake View. Its eastern boundary is the Belt Railway located just east of Cicero Avenue. Its northernmost border is the Milwaukee District/West Line...
, Lawndale
North Lawndale, Chicago
North Lawndale located on the west side of Chicago, Illinois, is one of the well-defined community areas in the city of Chicago.-History:...
, Garfield Park
East Garfield Park, Chicago
East Garfield Park is a community area located on the west side of Chicago, Illinois, USA. It is part of the Chicago West Side area. Located directly in the path of gentrification heading westward from the Loop, East Garfield Park was named one of America's most "up and coming neighborhoods" in the...
, West Town
West Town, Chicago
West Town, located in Chicago, Illinois, northwest of the Loop, is one of 77 officially designated Chicago community areas. Its name may refer to Western Avenue, which was the city's western boundary at the time of West Town's settlement, but more likely was a convenient abstraction by the creators...
, and Humboldt Park
Humboldt Park, Chicago
Humboldt Park is one of 77 officially designated community areas located on the northwest side of Chicago, Illinois. The Humboldt Park neighborhood is widely known for its large Puerto Rican presence...
among others. Some neighborhoods, particularly Garfield Park and Lawndale, have had long-term socio-economic problems. Other West Side neighborhoods, especially those closer to downtown, have been undergoing gentrification. It is home to the Chicago Bulls
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
and Chicago Blackhawks
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10...
.
Major parks on the West Side include Douglas Park, Garfield Park, and Humboldt Park. Garfield Park Conservatory houses one of the largest collections of tropical plants of any U.S. city. Cultural attractions on the West Side include Humboldt Park's Puerto Rican Day
Puerto Rican Day Parade
The Puerto Rican Day Parade takes place annually along Fifth Avenue in New York City, on the second Sunday in June, in honor of the nearly 4 million inhabitants of Puerto Rico and all people of Puerto Rican birth or heritage residing in the mainland U.S...
festival, and the National Museum of Mexican Art in Pilsen.
Parishes
Another method of neighborhood nomenclature in heavily Catholic neighborhoods of Chicago has been to refer to communities in terms of parishParish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
es. For example, one might say, "I live in St. Gertrude's, but he's from Saint Ita's." Some of these designations have come into common parlance as developers have used them to market new gentrifying areas such as "St. Ben's", a neighborhood found on the Chicago Realtor Association's official Chicago Neighborhood map. Chicago's 'Polish Patches' are also named after the historically Polish church located in the vicinity.
Wards
Since 1923, the City of Chicago has been divided into 50 City CouncilChicago City Council
The Chicago City Council is the legislative branch of the government of the City of Chicago in Illinois. It consists of 50 aldermen elected from 50 wards to serve four-year terms...
Aldermanic wards. Each of the 50 areas is represented on the City council by one Alderman and in many social, political and economic contexts, it is reasonable to describe what part of Chicago one is from by who one's alderman is or what ward one lives in. However, using wards as the basis for comparing areas of the city over time has limited utility, due to the fact that the wards need to be redistricted every ten years. The current ward boundaries are mapped here.
Far North side
West Ridge (02)
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Uptown (03)
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Uptown, Chicago Uptown is one of Chicago’s 77 community areas. Uptown has well defined boundaries. They are: Foster on the north; Lake Michigan on the east; Montrose , and Irving Park on the south; Ravenswood , and Clark on the west. Uptown borders three community areas and Lake Michigan... |
Lincoln Square (04)
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Ravenswood, Chicago Ravenswood is a neighborhood located in the north side of the city of Chicago, Illinois in the Lincoln Square Community Area . According to the Realtors Association, Ravenswood's approximate area is bordered by the north at Foster Avenue, Montrose Avenue on the south, by the west at the Chicago... |
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Norwood Park (10)
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Jefferson Park (11)
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Jefferson Park, Chicago Jefferson Park is one of Chicago's 77 well-defined community areas located on the city's Northwest Side. The neighborhood of Jefferson Park occupies a larger swath of territory than the community area by including within it land of adjacent community areas... |
Forest Glen (12)
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Forest Glen, Chicago Forest Glen is one of the 77 community areas of Chicago, Illinois, located in the city's Northwest Side.-Edgebrook:Edgebrook borders the neighborhood of Sauganash. Edgebrook was once part of the Sauganash land tract and was annexed by the city of Chicago in 1889. To the north of Edgebrook lie... |
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North Park (13)
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North Park, Chicago North Park is one of 77 well-defined community areas of the City of Chicago. It is bordered by the North Shore Channel on the east, the Chicago River's North Branch and Foster Avenue on the south, Cicero Avenue on the west and Devon Avenue on the... |
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Albany Park (14)
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O'Hare (76)
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Edgewater (77)
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Edgewater, Chicago Edgewater is a lakefront community area in the North Side of the city of Chicago, Illinois seven miles north of the Loop. As one of Chicago’s 77 official community areas, Edgewater is bounded by Foster Avenue on the south, Devon Avenue on the north, Ravenswood Avenue on the west, and Lake Michigan... |
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Lakewood Balmoral Historic District The Lakewood Balmoral Historic District is a historic district in the Edgewater community area of Chicago, Illinois. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on February 12, 1999... |
North Center (05)
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Lake View (06)
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Lincoln Park (07)
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Old Town, Chicago Old Town is a neighborhood in Chicago, Illinois, bounded by the Ogden Ave. right-of-way on the northwest, Larrabee Street on the west, Clybourn Avenue on the southwest and Division Street on the south and Clark Street on the east and northeast. It spans across eastern parts of the community areas... |
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Lincoln Park, Chicago Lincoln Park, is one of the 77 community areas on Chicago, Illinois North Side, USA. Named after Lincoln Park, a vast park bordering Lake Michigan, the community area is anchored by the Lincoln Park Zoo and DePaul University... |
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Logan Square (22)
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Northwest side
Irving Park (16)
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Villa District The Villa District, also known as Villa Historic District, is a historic district in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It is located on Chicago's Northwest Side within the community area of Irving Park. Its borders are along Pulaski Road to the west, the Union Pacific/Northwest rail line to the north, Hamlin... |
Dunning (17)
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Dunning, Chicago Dunning is one of 77 officially designated community areas of the city of Chicago, Illinois. Dunning also is a neighborhood located on the Northwest Side of the city.The neighborhood is home to the Eli's Cheesecake factory.... |
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Belmont Cragin (19)
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Belmont Cragin, Chicago Belmont Cragin is one of 77 officially designated Chicago community areas located on the Northwest Side of the City of Chicago, Illinois. It is designated Community Area 19, and is located NW of the Loop. Belmont Cragin is a community built on commerce and industry... |
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Hermosa (20)
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Hermosa, Chicago Hermosa is one of 77 officially designated Chicago community areas located on the west side of Chicago, Illinois, . Originally called Kelvyn Grove, it was already called Hermosa, meaning "beautiful" in Spanish, when annexed to the city in 1889, prior to the founding of Hermosa Beach,... |
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Central, Near North, and Near South sides
Near North Side (08)
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Near North Side, Chicago The Near North Side is one of 77 well-defined community areas of Chicago, Illinois, United States. It is located north and east of the Chicago River, just north of the central business district . To its east is Lake Michigan and its northern boundary is the 19th-century city limit of Chicago,... |
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Loop (32)
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Near South Side (33)
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West side
Humboldt Park (23)
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Humboldt Park, Chicago Humboldt Park is one of 77 officially designated community areas located on the northwest side of Chicago, Illinois. The Humboldt Park neighborhood is widely known for its large Puerto Rican presence... |
West Town (24)
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West Town, Chicago West Town, located in Chicago, Illinois, northwest of the Loop, is one of 77 officially designated Chicago community areas. Its name may refer to Western Avenue, which was the city's western boundary at the time of West Town's settlement, but more likely was a convenient abstraction by the creators... |
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Austin (25)
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East Garfield Park (27)
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Near West Side (28)
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Near West Side, Chicago The Near West Side, one of the 77 defined community areas of Chicago, is located , adjacent to the downtown central business district . The rich history of the Near West Side of Chicago has its genesis in the Hull House phenomenon... |
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North Lawndale (29)
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Lower West Side (31)
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Armour Square (34)
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Chinatown, Chicago The Chinatown neighborhood in Chicago, Illinois, is on the South Side , centered on Cermak and Wentworth Avenues, and is an example of an American Chinatown, or ethnic-Chinese neighborhood. By the [ftp://ftp2.census.gov/census_2000/datasets/demographic_profile/Illinois/2kh17.pdf 2000 Census], has... |
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Douglas (35)
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Grand Boulevard (38)
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Grand Boulevard, Chicago Grand Boulevard, located on the South Side of Chicago, Illinois, is one of the well-defined Chicago Community Areas. The boulevard from which the community area takes its name now bears the name of Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive... |
Kenwood (39)
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Kenwood, Chicago Kenwood, located on the South Side of the City of Chicago, Illinois, is one of the 77 well-defined Chicago community areas.Kenwood was part of Hyde Park Township, which was annexed by the City of Chicago in 1889.... |
Hyde Park (41)
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Hyde Park, Chicago Hyde Park, located on the South Side of the City of Chicago, in Cook County, Illinois, United States and seven miles south of the Chicago Loop, is a Chicago neighborhood and one of 77 Chicago community areas. It is home to the University of Chicago, the Hyde Park Art Center, the Museum of Science... |
Woodlawn (42)
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Woodlawn, Chicago Woodlawn, located in the South Side of the City of Chicago, Illinois, USA, is one of 77 well defined Chicago community areas. It is bounded by Lake Michigan to the east, 60th Street to the north, Martin Luther King Drive to the west, and, mostly, 67th Street to the south... |
South Shore (43)
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South Shore, Chicago South Shore is one of 77 well-defined community areas of the City of Chicago, Illinois in the United States. A predominately black neighborhood located along Chicago's southern lakefront, it is a relatively stable and gentrifying neighborhood... |
Greater Grand Crossing (69)
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Southwest side
Garfield Ridge (56)
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New City (61)
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Clearing (64)
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West Lawn (65)
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West Lawn, Chicago West Lawn, one of Chicago's 77 official community areas, is located on the southwest side of the city. It is considered to be a "melting pot" of sorts, due to its constant change of races moving in and out of the area, as well as the diversity that exists there. It has a small town atmosphere in... |
Chicago Lawn (66)
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Far Southeast side
Chatham (44)
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Avalon Park (45)
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South Chicago (46)
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South Chicago, Chicago South Chicago, formerly known as Ainsworth, is one of the 77 well-defined community areas of Chicago, Illinois.This chevron-shaped community is one of Chicago's 16 lakefront neighborhoods near the southern rim of Lake Michigan 10 miles south of downtown... |
Calumet Heights (48)
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Roseland (49)
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Roseland, Chicago Roseland, located on the far south side of the city, is one of the 77 official community areas of Chicago, Illinois. It includes the neighborhoods of Fernwood, Princeton Park, Lilydale, West Chesterfield, Rosemoor, Sheldon Heights and West Roseland... |
Pullman (50)
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Pullman, Chicago Pullman, one of Chicago's 77 community areas, is a neighborhood located on the city's South Side. Twelve miles from the Chicago Loop, Pullman is situated adjacent Lake Calumet.... |
South Deering (51)
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Riverdale (54)
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Riverdale, Chicago Riverdale, one of the 77 official community areas of Chicago, Illinois, is locatedon the city's far south side.The town of Riverdale is at the far south end of Chicago extending beyond the Chicago boundary of 138th Street to 144th Street. The town hall is at 157 West 144th Street... |
Hegewisch (55)
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Hegewisch, Chicago Hegewisch , one of the 77 community areas of Chicago, Illinois, is located on the city's far south side. It is bordered by the neighborhoods of Riverdale and South Deering to the west, the East Side to the north, the village of Burnham to the south and the city of Hammond, Indiana to the east. It... |
Far Southwest side
Ashburn (70)
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Auburn Gresham (71)
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Beverly (72)
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Washington Heights (73)
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Washington Heights, Chicago Washington Heights, one of the 77 official community areas, is located on the far south side of the city of Chicago, Illinois, loosely bordered in the south by 107th street, the north by 89th street, the west by Beverly Avenue and the East by Eggleston Avenue. It was once a bedroom community of... |
Mount Greenwood (74)
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Morgan Park (75)
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Morgan Park, Chicago Morgan Park, located on the far south side of the city of Chicago, Illinois, United States, is one of the city's 77 official community areas.-Morgan Park:... |
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