$367,519Average Value$177Average Price per Sq Ft33Homes For Sale
Developing neighborhood off Lake Michigan
One of Woodlawn’s major elements is still a work in progress: the Barack Obama Presidential Center, a global community-minded educational complex established by the country’s first African-American president and alum of the University of Chicago, just north of the neighborhood. New construction has been plentiful since the Southside community was chosen for the project, but the Woodlawn of today is also home to some of South Side Chicago’s longest-running restaurants, schools and homes, along with popular destinations like Jackson Park and connections to the popular Hyde Park area. “I think good things are ahead. The area used to be a bunch of abandoned buildings and lots, and now developers are flocking to the area," says Tish Herrera, a real estate consultant with Baird & Warner.
Vintage and modern Chicago homes
Development in Woodlawn began in the late 19th century, leading to a distinct mix of architectural sensibilities along the densely populated city blocks. Multi-family properties make up a large chunk of Woodlawn’s home stock, with styles including condo units and buildings, two- to four-flat greystones and contemporary townhouses. Buyers can generally expect individual units and older townhomes to sell from $120,000 to $630,000. Newly built luxury homes and larger multi-units can sell from $650,000 to $1.2 million or more. Single-family properties offer a similarly broad range of appearances but are harder to find. Buyers can expect single-family home values between $100,000 and $950,000.
Residents enjoy fenced-in front yards in Woodlawn.
Modern builds line the streets in Woodlawn.
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Prestigious Hyde Park Academy alum
Carnegie Elementary School is one of the area’s public school assignments for students from kindergarten through eighth grade. The school offers the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program for students from sixth grade onwards, which emphasizes a holistic approach to learning and prepares students for the IB diploma program at other participating schools. Carnegie earns a C-plus grade on Niche. Hyde Park Academy High School counts pilot Amelia Earhart and jazz musician Herbie Hancock among its alumni. The school earns a D-plus grade on Niche.
Additional education options in the Woodlawn area include Mount Carmel High School, a Catholic college preparatory school for boys that first opened in 1900. The school earns an A grade. Just north of the neighborhood, the University of Chicago landed at the No. 11 spot on U.S. News & World Report’s national list of the best universities. UChicago offers 53 undergraduate majors and holds an A-plus grade on Niche.
Carnegie Elementary School has 443 students in grades PK and K through 8.
Hyde Park Academy High School has 760 students with a student-teacher ratio of 14 to 1.
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Recreation destination in south Chicago
Jackson Park is one of the city's signature parks. Designed by famed American architect Frederick Law Olmsted, the waterfront park spans more than 550 acres. Jackson Park Golf Course offers 18 holes over 5,500 yards, letting locals enjoy a day on the green with views of the park and the city in the distance. Pup-sized police cruisers, obstacle courses and giant fire hydrants are part of the décor at Jackson Bark, the park’s playful dog-date spot. 63rd Street Beach is open for swimming from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day each year, giving locals a prime spot to enjoy the summer on the waters of Lake Michigan.
Kids and grown-ups alike can discover rotating and permanent experiences at the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry. Recent programs include exhibits about the science of music’s relationship with the body, the history of space observation and travel and the real-life inspirations for 007's gadgets in the James Bond film series.
Families flock to 63rd Street Beach to spend quality time together.
Street performers set the mood with live music in Jackson Park.
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Head to Hyde Park for shopping
Most of Woodlawn’s local stores are focused on essential needs. Aldi, Green’s Food and Grove Market are each available on the neighborhood’s south end for food, while Family Dollar and Walgreens are both on Cottage Grove Avenue for everyday needs. Small, independent shops like Rose Beauty Supply and City Sports are also nearby.
Just north of the neighborhood, Hyde Park Shopping Center offers a mix of mainstream stores and smaller Chicago originals. Familiar brands in the area include Trader Joe’s, Target and Whole Foods Market. Recycled Modern specializes in midcentury modern home goods and furniture while also offering art and accessories by Black creatives from the South Side and across the city. Two doors down at Akira, trendy ladies’ fashions are lit by rows of overhead lamps. The cure for the common comic shop awaits at First Aid Comics, a two-floor hobby haven with a dedicated space for tabletop gaming events.
Cozy vibes fill the atmosphere at Build Coffee. Amid a soundtrack of bubbling milk frothers, visitors scan shelves filled with nonfiction, novels and zines, as baristas and kitchen staff prep lattes and lunch sandwiches in the exposed brick cafe. Beef patties, blackened salmon, burgers and wings are a few of the selections at Let’s Eat to Live, which backs up the soul food vibes of its menu with walls adorned in musical motifs and portraits of famous jazz artists. The restaurant shares its space with Eat More Bread, a local bakery specializing in making whole wheat loaves daily. A South Side fave for comfort food, Daley’s Restaurant is the oldest restaurant in the city, first opening back in 1892. The classic diner spent its first 127 years in the same spot on 63rd Street before moving to its current space across the street.
Cafe 53 is an excellent cafe serving caffeinated beverages, sandwiches, and baked goods.
First Aid Comics is a comic book store that also hosts regular game nights.
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Metro accessible Chicago area
63rd Street is Woodlawn’s main thoroughfare, connecting to DuSable Lake Shore Drive on its east side and to Interstate 90 on the west. Locals are about 9 miles south of the Loop.
Car-free travelers can find bus stops along central roads such as Stony Island Avenue and 61st Street. Locals traveling on the ‘L’ train can catch the Green Line from the Cottage Grove station near Cottage Grove Avenue and 63rd Street. The neighborhood’s nearest Metra stations for commuter line service are on 59th Street and 63rd Street, both near the east side. Residents also have convenient connections for travel on foot thanks to the area’s key location. "They can walk to the lake, the lagoon, Hyde Park; all of them are nearby," Herrera says.
For medical services and emergency care, the UChicago Medicine campus is about 2 miles north. Locals traveling beyond the northern Illinois area can catch flights from Chicago Midway International Airport, 9 miles west of the neighborhood. Chicago O’Hare International Airport is 26 miles northwest.
Close to Hyde Park's Jazz Festival
Woodlawn shares much of its cultural events with Hyde Park to the north, including the Hyde Park Jazz Festival, which takes place each September. Ensembles and individual performers from Southside Chicago and around the world gather each year for two full days of free performances. The ACX Harper Theater - Hyde Park has been in operation for more than 100 years. In addition to screening mainstream movies, locals can catch distinctive events like the Chicago Underground Film Festival and the Black Alphabet Film Festival at the storied venue. Hip hop, afrobeats, jazz and R&B shows are frequent entertainment at The Promontory, a contemporary venue designed to keep the South Side’s musical traditions alive. The venue also hosts karaoke nights and silent disco events with tunes from local house, juke and footwork DJs.
Things to know
Woodlawn’s CAP Index scores for violent crime are higher than the national average. Organizations such as Project HOOD (Helping Others Obtain Destiny), GoodKidsMadCity and Watchguard Chicago have each taken a hands-on approach to violence prevention in the neighborhood, each using outreach methods by and for the people living in Woodlawn and other South Side communities.
The University of Chicago and the Obama Foundation broke ground on the Barack Obama Presidential Center at Jackson Park in 2021. Plans for the site include a museum documenting the president’s time in office, a library and a facility for athletics and educational programs.
GreatSchools:
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
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Woodlawn is really starting to clean up as the rents keep going up. There have been a lot of improvements especially in the Northeast quadrant. I've started to see a lot more people walking their dogs and jogging in the morning, so you know things are really changing
3.0Niche User
12/22/2015Niche Review
some of the houses look nice, and then some of the housing looks bad.
2.0Niche User
12/22/2015Niche Review
This area isn't the best to live in, there is a lot of crime. I don't really go out too much because there aren't a lot of thing that intrest me in my neighborhood. Hopefully this area will be on the rise, and crime will go down, and overall saftey will also rise. If I had the chance to pick a different place to live I would, I definetely do not like this area.
1.0Niche User
5/12/2016Niche Review
I fear for my brothers life because of the gang activity and crime against black men in Chicago.
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Crime and Safety
1 - Low Crime, 10 - High Crime
Woodlawn
US
Homicide
4
4
Sexual Assault
8
4
Assault with Weapon
7
4
Robbery
6
4
Burglary
4
4
Motor Vehicle Theft
4
4
Larceny
5
4
Crime Score
7
4
Source: WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com
Woodlawn Demographics and Home Trends
On average, homes in Woodlawn, Chicago sell after 45 days on the market compared to the national average of 53 days. The median sale price for homes in Woodlawn, Chicago over the last 12 months is $277,000, up 15% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
Experience luxury living in one of East Woodlawn's most sought-after blocks-just steps from the University of Chicago and minutes from the Obama Presidential Center. This turn-key, 4-bedroom masterpiece features a smart and stylish layout with one bedroom on the main level, two on the upper level, and one in the finished basement. As you enter, you're greeted by a sleek glass staircase, a warm
Welcome to this beautifully maintained 3rd-floor condo featuring 3 spacious bedrooms and 2 full bathrooms. Enjoy the warmth of hardwood floors throughout and an open-concept layout perfect for modern living. The kitchen offers an abundance of counter and cabinet space, along with a central island ideal for cooking and entertaining. The primary suite includes a generous walk-in closet and a
Stunning penthouse with soaring ceilings, large windows in all directions and private roof top, just steps from the University of Chicago and medical center! Do not miss the opportunity to live in this completely custom built 2 bedroom/ 2 bath condominium: high end Italian kitchen cabinetry, quartz counters, designer light fixtures, and stainless appliances. Primary suite with balcony, fireplace,
Celeste Gerbaulet-VanasseMeliora Real Estate Group LLC
Live in a residence that embodies the essence of the past while embracing the comforts of the present. Originally constructed in 1893 and meticulously restored to preserve historic charm while seamlessly integrating modern amenities to offer a lifestyle that blends the best of both worlds. Step inside this historic Greystone and be greeted by a marble foyer, soaring ceilings, ornate woodwork and
Nestled in the vibrant East Woodlawn neighborhood, this spacious 3-bedroom, 2-bath condo offers modern comforts and unbeatable convenience. Featuring gleaming hardwood floors throughout, the home boasts an open layout with a stylish kitchen complete with stainless steel appliances and rich cherry cabinetry. Though the secondary bedrooms are on the smaller side, the primary living spaces are
Live in a residence that embodies the essence of the past while embracing the comforts of the present. Originally constructed in 1893 and meticulously restored to preserve historic charm while seamlessly integrating modern amenities to offer a lifestyle that blends the best of both worlds. Step inside this historic Greystone and be greeted by a marble foyer, soaring ceilings, ornate woodwork and
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Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
