Just 13 miles west of downtown Chicago, bears, lions and elephants roam. This is Brookfield, home of the Brookfield Zoo. Established in 1893, the village of Brookfield was built around a train station and was meant to supply housing for working-class residents. With the 1934 opening of the Chicago Zoological Park – now called the Brookfield Zoo – the atmosphere began to change.
Prospective homebuyers can see this change in the housing stock's varied architectural styles. Cape Cods and brick bungalows are common, as are narrow, multilevel homes with decorative adornments. Every so often, you'll come across postwar Georgian and Colonial-inspired homes on the village's tree-lined streets. Many homes from the mid-1990s have been updated, but as the area continues to develop and expand, more contemporary housing is continually developing. While many houses stand alone, they’re built close together on small, 4,000-square-foot lots. The average home price is $330,000, but you can snag a three-bedroom fixer-upper with 1,500 square feet for less than $250,000, or start from scratch and buy a quarter-acre lot for $150,000. For $400,000 and above, you'll find recently renovated, five-bedroom bungalows and multi-unit investment properties.
The community's highly rated schools are a big draw of local families to the village, with all of the districted institutions receiving overall Niche grades of A-minus or higher, including Congress Park Elementary School and Park Junior High. Riverside Brookfield High School is the 49th best public high school in Illinois, according to Niche.
The community is known for running the historic Brookfield Zoo. Its 216 acres are home to more than 2,000 animals, whose enclosures present different geographic features, from savannah to wetlands. The zoo has a 40-year-strong holiday event that sees the park decorated with thousands of lights. Outdoor recreation is an important factor in the village's makeup, with numerous facilities sprinkled throughout, including Ehlert Park, which features plentiful sports facilities, a playground and a paved walking path.
You can find everything you need for daily living without stepping outside of Brookfield. The village has major stores like Aldi and CVS, while larger retailers like Walmart and Target are a short drive south, on your way toward La Grange. The Washington and Brookfield area features several locally owned boutiques, cafés and restaurants. A Brookfield favorite is Gosia’s Coffee Shop, which serves Colectivo coffee and organic tea brews alongside made-from-scratch pastries. When night rolls around, Brookfield bars and clubs come alive, with both casual and upscale options to choose from.
Being close to Chicago, Brookfield has made visiting the city easy. The Line 21 bus has a direct connection to the Chicago Loop, with buses arriving every 15 minutes. Alternatively, the Metra BNSF train has three stops in Brookfield and goes directly to the Chicago Union intercity and commuter rail station. Locals also enjoy easy access to Interstate-55.
The Brookfield Farmers Market dutifully opens every Saturday from June through October, with vendors offering locally grown produce, honey, bakery goods, artisan crafts and more. Local bands fill the market with music while visitors shop. The market is located right next to the Brookfield Historical Society, which educates visitors on the Brookfield’s history and preservation efforts.
Gustavo Vargas
RE/MAX Partners
(708) 554-7307
79 Total Sales
1 in Brookfield
$314,555 Price
Rafael Murillo
Compass
(312) 548-3637
120 Total Sales
1 in Brookfield
$180,000 Price
Sara Kolpek
Platinum Partners Realtors
(630) 757-8949
86 Total Sales
1 in Brookfield
$220,000 Price
Juan Spezzia
Home Sellers Realty Inc.
(773) 985-2159
71 Total Sales
1 in Brookfield
$261,500 Price
Andrea Maldonado
Realty of America, LLC
(866) 720-6171
100 Total Sales
1 in Brookfield
$273,000 Price
Elena Pichardo
Realty of America, LLC
(708) 554-4870
78 Total Sales
1 in Brookfield
$246,400 Price