Galloway Park
Urban Pioneer Neighborhood in Decatur, Illinois
Macon County 62521
One neighborhood. Two clusters of homes
The neighborhood is split into two distinct housing sections, where the home styles, sizes and prices vary depending on which side of South 27th Street they're on. Apartment complexes, a tree and mulch service center and an electric utility company share the dividing road alongside the GT Church. To the west, bungalows and ranch-style homes from the 1940s and '50s sit on gridded streets and range between $40,000 and $60,000. Gravel alleyways behind the homes lead to detached garages or small sheds, and the narrow lots are neatly packed. A few of those lots are now empty due to the city removing abandoned homes that fell into disrepair. On the other side of South 27th Street, bi-levels and Colonial Revivals are perched on top of inclined lots on winding roads. Most of the homes have retaining wall-lined driveways leading to basement-level garages. These houses sell between $50,000 and $150,000, with the most expensive along the lake. Prairie-style homes with walls of windows and A-frame lake houses with wide porches take advantage of waterside views. The homes along the water forgo lawns but have private docks on the Staley Basin.
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Park cleanups with free popsicles
Kids walk or ride their bikes south on the neighborhood's quiet roads to play at the local park. The neighborhood namesake, Galloway Park, has 10 acres of open space, a playground, a pavilion and a simple court with basketball hoops but no painted lines. The local church has an annual week-long community outreach program called Love Week. "One of our events during that week is a cleanup at the park where we pick up trash and hand out popsicles to everyone who participates," Miller says. One mile south, Nelson Park offers plenty of outdoor activities. The 187-acre waterfront park has a rock garden, an enclosed dog park, a disc golf course and an amphitheater. The Devin Lakeshore Amphitheater hosts touring musicians but also has free local events for the city's residents. With a day pass, people can check out the pools, lazy river and waterslides at Splash Cove. Right across Route 36 from Galloway Park, the location is next door to Overlook Adventure Park's animal-themed miniature golf course and high ropes course.
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Diverse schools for a diverse neighborhood
Kids are zoned to begin learning at Michael E Baum Elementary, rated a C-minus by Niche. Stephen Decatur Middle School is also rated a C-minus. It is in the state's top 10% of public middle schools for diversity. According to the school district's website, 68% of the students attending are minority students. Eisenhower High School is 2 miles southwest and is rated a C-plus. According to Miller, "Kids are always running around the neighborhood and get along regardless of where they go to school." One of those private schooling options is Hillside Bethel Christian School. Across Lake Decatur, the school is right off Route 36 and only a 5-minute drive away.
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A diverse group comes together at the church
Located in the neighborhood and a large part of the community is GT Church. "We've kind of adopted the Galloway Park neighborhood as our own, and the members are welcome at all our events," Miller says. The church has cookouts, Spring Fest, Fall Fest, Easter egg hunts and a Trunk-or-Treat event around Halloween. "The congregation and staff are diverse, with various income levels, ages and ethnicities," Miller says. From August to May, the church hosts a Wednesday night program called Community Night, with free classes and a free meal for anyone who comes. Many of the participants are kids and teens who walk over from their homes in Galloway Park.
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Buses and sidewalks for added accessibility
The Decatur Public Transit System has 15 bus routes throughout the city and Macon County. The St. Mary's Circulator route and Airport - Wal-Mart North routes run along North 23rd and East William streets in Galloway Park. "There are a lot of lower-income people in the area, so being able to walk where they need to go is important," Miller says. Fortunately, sidewalks are plentiful in the neighborhood, and many necessities are within walking distance. Locally nicknamed the "Five Points" intersection, the large junction of streets at the neighborhood's northwest corner has main roads that lead downtown, across the lake and to shopping plazas north and south. St Mary's Hospital is 2 miles south, and the neighborhood occasionally hears firetruck sirens from Decatur Fire Department Station 2. Decatur Airport is across the lake via U.S. Route 36 but has very few flights on only one airline. Most locals drive to Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport in Springfield or Willard Airport in Champaign for more airline options and comprehensive flights.
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Groceries and restaurants within walking distance
Locals head to Taqueria La Perlita for tacos, quesadillas and trio dips of salsa, queso and guacamole. The spot has wood panel walls decorated with sombreros, metal lizards and crosses. Tables and chairs are wall-to-wall inside to accommodate the usual lunch and dinner rush. Krekel's Dairy Maid has red and white striped benches to match the giant metal chicken and vintage car parked outside. Hungry patrons can order from the old-fashioned letterboard menu at the walk-up windows. Hamburgers and ice cream cones are the most popular items, but chicken strips and hushpuppies are available, too. Save A Lot is west of the residential streets and within walking distance for many residents. Family Dollar and Dollar General are at the same intersection for more groceries, snacks and household items.
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Written By
Heather Haggerty
Photography Contributed By
Stephen Mihalchik
Video By
Ennis Warlick
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Agents Specializing in this Area
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Randy Grigg
Randy Grigg
Vieweg RE/Better Homes & Gardens Real Estate-Service First
(217) 672-5060
278 Total Sales
6 in Galloway Park
$4K - $133K Price Range
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Blake Reynolds
Blake Reynolds
Responds QuicklyMain Place Real Estate
(217) 462-8079
183 Total Sales
1 in Galloway Park
$115,000 Price
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Kevin Fritzsche
Kevin Fritzsche
Responds QuicklyBrinkoetter REALTORS®
(217) 859-8589
372 Total Sales
1 in Galloway Park
$80,000 Price
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Jillian Williams
Jillian Williams
Responds QuicklyMain Place Real Estate
(217) 615-5822
120 Total Sales
1 in Galloway Park
$97,000 Price
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Tasha Heacock
TH
Tasha Heacock
Responds QuicklyMtz Realty Services
19 Total Sales
1 in Galloway Park
$45,000 Price
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Colleen Brinkoetter
Colleen Brinkoetter
Responds QuicklyBrinkoetter, Realtors
(217) 615-5474
125 Total Sales
1 in Galloway Park
$75,000 Price
Schools
Source:
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.
View GreatSchools Rating Methodology
- 9th to 12th
- Public
- 7th to 8th
- Public
- K to 6th
- Public
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Parks in this Area
Nelson Park
Galloway Park
Crime and Safety
| 1 - Low Crime, 10 - High Crime | Galloway Park | US |
|---|---|---|
| Homicide | 6 | 4 |
| Sexual Assault | 6 | 4 |
| Assault with Weapon | 7 | 4 |
| Robbery | 5 | 4 |
| Burglary | 6 | 4 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 5 | 4 |
| Larceny | 4 | 4 |
| Crime Score | 5 | 4 |
Source: WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com
Galloway Park Demographics and Home Trends
On average, homes in Galloway Park, Decatur sell after 16 days on the market compared to the national average of 50 days. The median sale price for homes in Galloway Park, Decatur over the last 12 months is $83,900, up 17% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
Housing Trends
Median List Price
$83,900
Median Sale Price
$83,900
Median Single Family Sale Price
$83,900
Median Change From 1st List Price
4%
Last 12 months Home Sales
25
Median Home Sale Price YoY Change
17%
Average Price Per Sq Ft
$62
Neighborhood Facts
Number of Homes in Neighborhood
304
Number of Homes for Sale
1
Median Year Built
1947
Months of Supply
0.50
Average Single Family Home Size Sq Ft
1,232
Significantly below the national average
1,933
Median Lot Size Sq Ft
3,920
Distribution of Home Values
Homes for Sale
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Average Home Value
Property Mix - Square Feet
This Neighborhood Has More Owners
Demographics
Total Population
1,278
Median Age
40
Population under 18
26.2%
On par with the national average
23.8%
Population over 65
19.5%
On par with the national average
19.1%
Finances
Median Household Income
$23,672
Significantly below the national average
$71,702
Average Household Income
$37,416
Education and Workforce
High School Graduates
94.4%
College Graduates
10.3%
Below the national average
34.1%
Advanced Degrees
0.1%
Below the national average
13.3%
% Population in Labor Force
58.3%
Weather
Annual Precipitation
41''
Average Winter Low Temperature
20°F
Average Summer High Temperature
85°F
Annual Snowfall
3''
Area Factors
Somewhat Bikeable
Bike Score®
34
/ 100
Car-Dependent
Walk Score®
23
/ 100
Source: Walk Score
Source: Walk 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
Lions Park
Neighborhood near the popular Nelson Park seeing an increase in owner occupancy
Nelson Park
Neighborhood undergoing revitalization with diverse outdoor entertainment
Bayview
Lakeside views and access to a prestigious country club on Decatur’s east side
Grant Park
A commuter's goldmine next to two of the city's largest employers
Homewood
Lakeside real estate at well below the average price
Jasper Park
Investors take advantage of affordable prices in this near-downtown neighborhood
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