Portage Park
Giving the “bungalow belt” its name
Portage Park is home to a wealth of brick-faced bungalows, but there are plenty of other options like four squares sporting dormer windows, midcentury townhouses and both two-flat and neoclassical apartment buildings scattered throughout. The median housing price here is $365,500 and is one of the area’s biggest draws. “It’s a friendly neighborhood not too far out of the city, people are moving out here to not get priced out,” says Robertson. It’s a pretty true median as well – the vast majority of single-family homes sell in the range of $320,000 to $480,000, from a three-bedroom modern raised ranch to a renovated five-bedroom bungalow. And almost all single-family homes feature one-car garages with entrances off of alleyways that run between the backyards.Six Corners of dining and fun
Six Corners Outdoor Mall, with Art Deco storefronts and the historic Portage Theater, offers local and national retailers as well as activities – grab some elevated American cuisine from Community Tavern before taking up an axe at BATL Axe Throwing. Afterwards, head to Sutherlands Food & Spirits for a pint in a neighborhood stalwart. “A lot of the retail establishments are owned by the people that live in our neighborhood,” notes Patty Conroy, President of the Portage Park Neighborhood Association. Taqueria Amigo Chino is a well-established corner spot serving authentic Mexican fare, and it offers some quick take-out options. Residents grab groceries for some home cooking at Jewel-Osco on the west or east sides of the neighborhood, or at Martin’s Supermarket near Cicero Avenue, which features prime shopping and entertainment destinations. Big box and hardware stores populate Bricktown Square to the southwest, with The Home Depot, Target, Lowe’s and more.More than just the namesake park
“The heart of the neighborhood is the actual park, Portage Park. It’s a really nice amenity to have, it’s got tennis courts and a beautiful pool,” says Conroy, “Friends of Portage Park runs the Farmer’s Market, Movies in the Park, Halloween events and a tree lighting in the holiday season.” Portage Park is the largest public park in Chicago’s Northwest, a 36-acre tract known for the flagstone decoration all over the grounds. The park also features an outdoor Olympic-size pool that previously hosted swimming events for the Pan American Games and U.S. Olympic swimming trials. Even though Portage is the largest park in the neighborhood, it’s not the only one. Robertson meanwhile points out there are small playgrounds sprinkled throughout the neighborhood, and almost every resident will find one within a few blocks of their home, like Merrimac Park that features a playground and three fields for baseball or softball.Schurz High School, a Chicago Landmark
Chicago Public Schools serves the Portage Park neighborhood, and students will go to one of four primary schools for kindergarten through eighth grade. Portage Park, Gray, Smyser and Reinberg Elementary schools all receive a grade of C-plus or higher from Niche. A fifth elementary school in the neighborhood, O.A. Thorp Elementary Scholastic Academy, is a magnet school with specialized programing that draws students from across the region and gets a B-plus from Niche. Students from these schools come together for grades nine through 12 at Schurz High School, which gets a C grade from Niche. Schurz was designed in 1910 and is designated a Chicago Landmark due to its combination of Chicago and Prairie schools of architecture. Plenty of private options are available, including Rickover Naval Academy, Chicago Academy, St. John Lutheran School and Midwestern Christian Academy.A hub to Chicago and beyond
Commuting to and from Portage Park is easy, says Robertson, “Portage Park is very close to three major expressways, the Metra line is within walking distance for a lot of the neighborhood, and we’ve got CTA blue line service, it’s a hub of transportation.” Irving Park Road bisects the neighborhood for easy east-west travel and links up with the Kennedy Expressway and U.S. Route 94, a major artery that runs south to Chicago or as far north as Milwaukee. For many, the network of clean, clear sidewalks and bikeable streets mean they can leave the car at home. For drivers, O’Hare International Airport – one of the busiest airports in the world – is less than 10 miles to the west, and there is regular public transit in and out of the neighborhood that connects to it.Fun times in Six Corners
Neighborhood associations do much of the event planning in these communities. “The Six Corners Neighborhood Association does a bunch of events,” Robertson says. “We just had a Hot Dog Fest on Milwaukee this year, and they had a holiday trolley that went around to local businesses.” On the other end of Irving Avenue in the neighborhood, the Patio Theater is a historic music venue and movie theater that’s part of the Irving-Austin Business District says Conroy, “They host local film festivals, they had a Halloween fest, and Christmas movie events during the holiday season.”Should it be named Polish Park?
Portage Park is home to the largest Polish population in Chicago, and the influence is evident across the board. Chopin Park, named for famed Polish composer Frederic Chopin, features ball fields, a basketball court, tennis courts, a playground and the historic Chopin Fieldhouse complete with assembly hall and stage. The Polish American Association is headquartered in the neighborhood and the annual Taste of Polonia festival is held just outside of the neighborhood to the north. Don’t be surprised to hear Polish being spoken while grabbing a brew at Lubiana or a bite at Caesar Pierogi.


Agents Specializing in this Area
-
Linda Hagstrom
Jameson Sotheby's Intl Realty
(312) 626-5545
20 Total Sales
2 in Portage Park
$442K - $495K Price Range
-
Debra Dobbs
Responds QuicklyCompass
(866) 891-0062
287 Total Sales
2 in Portage Park
$400K - $538K Price Range
-
April Hieronymus
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Starck Real Estate
(224) 970-2400
72 Total Sales
1 in Portage Park
$510,000 Price
-
Jim Streff
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Chicago
(773) 389-2807
291 Total Sales
1 in Portage Park
$401,850 Price
-
Noah Robinson
Real Broker LLC
(312) 584-5751
134 Total Sales
1 in Portage Park
$490,000 Price
-
Rose Hoffmann
Baird & Warner
(224) 282-0274
88 Total Sales
2 in Portage Park
$325K - $408K Price Range
Schools
Interested in learning more about homes in this area? Reach out to
, an experienced agent in this neighborhood.Parks in this Area
Transit
Crime and Safety
1 - Low Crime, 10 - High Crime | Portage Park | US |
---|---|---|
Homicide | 3 | 4 |
Sexual Assault | 2 | 4 |
Assault with Weapon | 3 | 4 |
Robbery | 4 | 4 |
Burglary | 3 | 4 |
Motor Vehicle Theft | 4 | 4 |
Larceny | 3 | 4 |
Crime Score | 3 | 4 |
Source: WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com
Portage Park Demographics and Home Trends
On average, homes in Portage Park, Chicago sell after 41 days on the market compared to the national average of 70 days. The median sale price for homes in Portage Park, Chicago over the last 12 months is $630,000, up 75% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
Housing Trends
Neighborhood Facts
Open Houses
-
Saturday, Aug 211am - 1pm
Distribution of Home Values
Homes for Sale
Homes for Rent
Interested in learning more about homes in this area? Reach out to
, an experienced agent in this neighborhood.Average Home Value
Property Mix - Square Feet
This Neighborhood Has More Owners
Demographics
Finances
Education and Workforce
Weather
Area Factors
Bikeable
Bike Score®
Very Walkable
Walk Score®
Good Transit
Transit Score®
Sound Score® measures the noise level of any address. Transit Score® measures access to public transit. Bike Score® measures the bikeability of any address.
Nearby Neighborhoods

A densely populated residential community in Chicago’s iconic bungalow belt

A former industrial neighborhood growing into a quiet family residential area

The Birthplace of the Chicago-style Cheesecake

Come for the proximity to downtown, stay for the community

Small Irving Park community filled with community spaces and local shops

Walkable neighborhood near other popular Chicago areas