Elgin

Cobblers Crossing blends picturesque outdoor space, quiet suburban living and proximity to Chicago, making it a popular place to relocate for those looking to live near the city. While the winding residential streets under the cover of mature trees evoke a historic charm, this neighborhood is an island of newer homes on the east side of Elgin, Illinois. "This is one of the only subdivisions on the east side of Elgin where homes are newer. They were built probably within the last 25 years," says Bob Wisdom, a Realtor with Re/Max Horizon who has been selling homes in Elgin for the past 26 years. The neighborhood is anchored by Cobblers Crossing Lake, an outdoor reprieve offering a pleasant view. Bordered by major roadways to the north and south, commuting into the city is a quick 38-mile trip. Cobblers Crossing's residential streets display modern homes with brick facades and vinyl siding, well-kept lawns and one- and two-car garages. Prices range from $360,000 to $485,000 for three- and four-bedroom properties. The neighborhood has a median single-family price of $395,000, compared to $415,000 in the neighboring Village of Hoffman Estates. "The appeal of Cobblers Crossing is the affordability factor because if you go just east to Hoffman Estates, it's more expensive," Wisdom says. Many residential streets are pedestrian-friendly with continuous narrow sidewalks. Cobblers Crossing Lake is located in the heart of the neighborhood. With benches around the perimeter, it's a suitable place to take in the sun’s reflection on the water's surface. Canterbury Park Place is an additional green space with a graveled play area, picnic shelter and open field for cartwheels or kite flying. Pups can also get in on some outdoor play, as Freedom Run Dog Park provides 4 acres of fenced-in fun and agility courses. Further north, Canterbury Fields Park also has a cricket field. Cobblers Crossing students are part of School District U-46, which earns a B from Niche. Younger students may attend Lincoln Elementary and Larsen Middle, while teens can attend Elgin High, all of which earn a B-minus. At Elgin High, students earn early college credits by taking honors-level Advanced Placement classes in their freshman and sophomore years and transition into the International Baccalaureate courses. Shopping centers toward the south side of the neighborhood contain a handful of Mexican restaurants and fast food restaurants. Fresh produce and other staples are available at Aldi or Elgin Fresh Market, a Hispanic grocery store. Locals venture three miles toward Elgin's downtown to experience a variety of restaurants, shops and entertainment. Elgin Public House serves American classics like steak, seafood, pasta and burgers in a warm, rustic interior with brick walls and wood tables. Nearby, locals can peruse shops like Rediscover Records and Elgin Vintage or check out the creations of local artists at Side Street Studio Arts. Downtown Elgin has entertainment of all sorts. The Hemmens Cultural Center is one big appeal, with a 1,200-seat theater hosting the Elgin Symphony Orchestra. "People go there all the time for live shows," Wisdom says. Elgin hosts nearly 20 annual special events, including Elgin Pride in June. Locals celebrate the arts at the Elgin Short Film Festival and the Elgin Fringe Festival. When the weather is nice, they head outdoors for summer movies and concerts in the park. Cobblers Crossing is a car-dependent neighborhood with a walk score of eight out of 100. Locals take Interstate 90, located on the neighborhood's north end, to get to Chicago. The neighborhood receives a bike score of 43 out of 100, with bike routes available at local parks and a designated bike lane down Congdon Avenue. For public transportation, locals may take the 543 bus for an easy route downtown.

A quiet residential life and proximity to a lively city center define Corley Drive Park. This residentially focused community offers tranquility and convenience in the western Chicago suburb of Elgin. Sharing its name with a streetside park that flows into the surrounding backyards, modest late 20th-century homes and cul-de-sacs lend the area a familial appeal. “There are newer builds in this community compared to the historic district,” says Leticia Lara, resident and Realtor with Homesmart Connect LLC. “This area has affordable housing for first-time homebuyers, and the taxes are lower than in other pockets of Elgin, which gives homeowners more buying power.” Buyers can mostly find single-family homes from the late 20th century in Corley Drive Park. Locals generally live in raised ranch homes and new traditional houses from the 1970s to the early 1990s. Shared design elements nearby include low-pitched roofs, vinyl siding and stone or brick exterior elements. Prices range from about $240,000 up to $350,000. Students in the Corley Drive Park area attend schools within Elgin Area School District U46. Lords Park Elementary School serves kids from kindergarten through the sixth grade. The school has a student-teacher ratio of 18:1 and earns a C grade on Niche. The C-ranked Ellis Middle School provides 11 intramural athletic programs for active students. Elgin High School offers classes in the International Baccalaureate diploma program and more than 20 Advanced Placement courses for students to earn dual credit for college. The school earns a B-minus grade on Niche. Corley Drive Park residents' most conveniently located businesses are mainly situated along Summit Street. Grocery options include the locally owned Elgin Fresh Market, alongside Jewel-Osco and Aldi locations. Whatnots & Whimsies is a local favorite for antiques and quirky finds, while Elgin Vintage has a curated collection of retro clothes. Las Gorditas de Don Angel has a menu with more than 20 variations of the beloved Mexican dish alongside burritos, tacos and other options. Blue Box Café’s coffee and sandwiches are accompanied by playful décor that nods to Doctor Who, while Kubo Sushi and Sake Lounge serve Japanese small plates in lantern-lit digs. Corley Drive Park lends the neighborhood its name. Sitting at the community’s heart, this streetside park extends the green space of locals’ backyards under the shade of oak trees. To the neighborhood’s west, Lords Park is one of Elgin’s premier outdoor destinations. Visitors can observe buffalo, deer and other fauna at the Lords Park Zoo, brush up on local history at the Elgin Public Museum, or simply enjoy games on the playgrounds and sports courts. The park also contains the Lords Park Family Aquatic Center, an outdoor pool with a splash pad and a waterslide. Southeast of the neighborhood, the Rolling Knolls Forest Preserve offers an 18-hole disc golf course, a 1.8-acre fishing pond, and slopes for cross-country skiing in the winter. Close to the heart of downtown, The Centre of Elgin combines a community center and event space with the amenities of a membership gym, including rock climbing, an aquatics center and a weight room. Corley Drive area residents are 2 miles east of downtown Elgin and 40 miles west of the Chicago Loop. The area connects to Elgin and greater Chicago via Illinois Route 58. The city’s Metra station is about 3 miles west of the neighborhood, with a 1 hour and 17-minute ride into Chicago. While the Pace bus system does not travel directly into the neighborhood, the nearest stop is easily accessible at Shady Oaks Drive and Summit Street. Ascension Saint Joseph is 5 miles west of Corley Drive Park for emergencies. Flights out of Chicagoland depart from Chicago O’Hare International Airport, 23 miles east, and Chicago Midway International Airport, 41 miles southeast. Residents interested in Elgin’s cultural offerings can head to multiple local bars and venues. The Hemmens Cultural Center hosts monthly improv nights on the first Friday of each month. It also hosts productions by the community-run Up and Coming Theatre Company and the annual Elgin Short Film Festival in the fall. The Martini Room’s menu features every variation one could think of the beloved drink, but residents can also stop by for Old Fashioneds, bourbon potions and rotating beer and wine selections. The Dream Hall offers art exhibitions and cocktails at the Lounge 51 bar inside. Chicago Street Pour House hosts weekly bingo and seasonal events throughout the year, while tribute bands and local musicians take the stage at Old Republic Kitchen + Bar. Close to the Fox River, residents can stop by Festival Park for events like the End of Summer Bash and riverboat gaming at the Grand Victoria Casino. Some areas in Corley Drive Park may have higher Flood Factor scores, indicating a higher possibility of flood risks during inclement weather. Potential residents are advised to check insurance coverage and property code requirements when making real estate decisions.

The Bluff City neighborhood is on the east side of the Fox River, southeast of the Chicago suburb of Elgin. About 40 miles west of Chicago, the neighborhood also offers multiple forest preserves and the conveniences of suburban living. “Elgin is a growing community with lots to do,” says Courtney Caraway, managing broker at Gallery Realty with over six years of experience. “Many new businesses have been popping up in the past few years due to the area’s recent housing developments.” Amid the suburban housing are a couple of expansive forest preserves, including one that used to be a golf course. Rolling Knolls kept that tradition alive by having an 18-hole disc golf course on site. A pond is also available where anglers catch bluegill, sunfish and largemouth bass. The meeting and event space inside the pavilion has room for up to 80 people and can be rented out for private parties or business meetings. Bluff Spring Fen was once a gravel quarry and dumping site, but now it’s a 160-acre preserve open year-round and attracts birdwatchers with over 100 species calling the area home. More animals are on display at Lords Park, which has a zoo among its 108 acres. There's also a playground, numerous ponds and baseball fields used by Little League teams. From a 1920s bungalow to mid-20th century to spacious homes built within the past 30 years on larger plots of land, there’s something for every taste. “I really can’t stress enough the affordability because houses can be as low as $200,000, so it’s a great starter home area,” says Bob Wisdom, a Realtor with RE/MAX Horizon with 20 years of experience. “If you go further east, you’ll pay significantly more and on the other side of the Fox River.” Older houses range from $200,000 to $300,000 and can have under 1,000 to nearly 2,000 square feet. Homes built within the past 15 years are built close to one another and are between $300,000 and $350,000, while houses in the southern part of the neighborhood are on larger land plots, up to an acre, priced between $500,000 and $750,000. Condos and townhouses are priced from $150,000 and $350,000. Bungalows, ranch-style and custom-built contemporary houses are the most popular architectural designs. Hilltop Elementary School has a B overall rating on Niche and has a student-teacher ratio of 18-to-1 for students through sixth grade. The Right at School program offers after-school activities through Elgin's Boys & Girls Club to provide a safe and positive environment. Seventh and eighth graders can attend Ellis Middle School with a B overall grade. Elgin High School is home to District U-46’s Gifted and Talented Academy. The student-teacher ratio is 18-to-1, and the Niche grade for the school is a B-minus. Chicago Street Pour House opened in 2021 and is the place to gather with family and friends over a few drinks while the game is on. Bingo is held every Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m. Festive decor and a cozy atmosphere await at Taqueria Parrilla Azteca where traditional Mexican dishes are served. Spice Bazaar is a grocery store specializing in southern Asia foods and spices. Jewel-Osco and ALDI are other grocery options further north on Summit Road. The Pace suburban bus line serves the east side of Elgin, with stops along Chicago Street. It’s a six-minute drive to the Elgin Metra station. It’s a little over an hour from that station to downtown Chicago. South of Route 20, there’s a large industrial area with a sand and gravel supplier, a Waste Management transfer and a large auto auction.

About Far West Elgin offers a tranquil suburban tapestry of recently built New Traditional and ranch-style homes set against a rural backdrop. Neighbors enjoy walking their pets down the winding sidewalks while children ride their bikes down the quiet streets. Casual nature lovers will appreciate walkable access to neighborhood greenspaces and more rugged adventurers will surely spend time exploring the nearby nature preserves. The bordering city of Elgin offers access to rich cultural offerings such as symphonies and museums. “One of the main draws is employment. Elgin has a lot of large corporations, and it is a city that has a lot of job growth,” says Real Estate Broker Richard Guerard, who sells houses in the neighborhood with WDH Real Estate. The growing city’s major employers include companies like J.P. Morgan Chase, the NTN Corporation and Motorola Solutions. Homes “Most of Elgin’s new construction is to the west, and those newer homes tend to be more expensive than the older ones to the east,” Guerard says. Homebuyers can purchase a three-bedroom newly built ranch-style house for between $435,000 and $520,000. Ranch-style homes built in the 1980s and 1990s sell for between $300,000 and $420,000. Newly built five-bedroom New Traditional-style houses are valued between $590,000 and $645,000. Tudor Revival-style homes with Craftsman-style features sell for between $610,000 and $720,000. “The city has passed new architectural design element requirements, which has made newer homes in the western part of Elgin more expensive,” Guerard says. Businesses Many residents start their mornings with a coffee and a sweet at Country Donuts. Brew ‘n Bubble on Bowes Road is popular for its lattes and Taiwanese tea. Kubo Sushi & Sake Lounge on Grove Avenue serves colorful plates of sashimi and tempura vegetables. For more casual dining, residents hit up the Golden Corral to load their plates with classic American fare. Residents visit the Outpost Tavern on Oak Street to drink beer, chow pizza and shoot billiards. People shop for their own cooking ingredients at the Meijer grocery store on Randall Road. Folks buy building materials, tools and gardening supplies at Menards. Many folks exercise at Planet Fitness on Randall Road. Shoppers travel 6 miles southeast to Walmart. Parks Folks travel 6 miles south to hit the fairways at Bowes Creek Country Club. Shadow Hill Park has a playground and is open to pets. Pingree Grove Forest Preserve offers over 300 acres of wetland featuring hiking, biking and horseback riding trails. Residents enjoy the picnic shelters at Rutland Forest Preserve in the summer and the snowmobile trails in the winter. Schools Local children can walk to Country Trails Elementary School, which has a 17-to-1 student-teacher ratio and a B-plus Niche rating. Prairie Knolls Middle School students are 38% proficient in math and 47% proficient in reading. The school has an A-minus Niche rating. Teens often move on to Central High School, which has an A-minus Niche rating and a 97% graduation rate. The school offers a vast slate of Advanced Placement classes ranging from 3-D design to macroeconomics. Residents travel 7 ½ miles east to reach Judson University, a private Baptist school with about 970 students. Transportation Big Timber Road Station is 6 miles east of Far West Elgin. The train allows residents easy access to Downtown Elgin and Chicago. Residents drive 27 miles southeast to O’Hare International Airport via Interstate 90 and 49 miles to reach Downtown Chicago. Milwaukee is 101 miles north via Interstate 94. Entertainment On Wester Boulevard, Cambridge Lakes Community Center hosts community dance nights, crafts fairs and basketball tournaments. Marcus Elgin Cinema is about 4 miles to the southeast. In the downtown, Elgin History Museum holds programs for children and adults that allow them to explore the city’s history. Sports fans travel to Chicago to watch professional teams like the Bulls, the Cubs and the Bears. When residents feel lucky, they visit the Grand Victoria Casino, a riverboat casino with over 700 slot machines and 25 table games. The Hemmens Cultural Center is home to the Elgin Symphony Orchestra.

Open space is a hallmark of life in this area of Elgin, whether that’s cornfields, golf greens or plots of land staked out for new developments. Situated between Bowes Creek Country Club and vibrant nature preserves, these subdivisions include homes built in the last two decades and continue to expand in the present day. also close to the shopping and dining on Randall Road, a main commercial strip in Elgin and nearby northwest suburbs like St. Charles. While visitors park in the Bowes Creek Country Club lots, some homeowners can see the greens from their backyards. This public 18-hole course includes almost 7,000 yards of professional tees resting on rolling hills, rocky bluffs and wetlands, as well as a 30-station driving range to practice. Aside from pocket parks in these individual communities, residents can go on walks in the forest preserves in their surrounding area. Bowes Creek Woods Forest Preserve is the closest option, offering a more private stroll. 40 acres of woodlands filled towering oak, hickory and cherry trees sprawl to the north at Fitchie Creek Forest Preserve. These woods open up to picturesque views of the meandering creek, and a 2-acre placid pond. The preserve offers a horseback riding trail in addition to multi-use trails for cyclists, hikers, bikers and dog walkers. Those living on Bowes Creek Country Club grounds get golf course views, but others in the area may see horses at nearby equestrian farms, dense woodlands or the steeples of Northwest Bible Baptist Church. Homes on Corron Road were often built custom on two or more acres at the end of long drives. This road leads north to Cedar Grove, a subdivision with New Traditional townhouses and standalone homes. Homebuyers who are 55 and older can explore the option of buying a townhouse in The Regency at Bowes Creek Country Club, where landscaping included in monthly fees. This community also includes some detached homes. The rest of the country club community is full of Custom and builder-planned New Traditional and colonial-style homes on double lots with three-car garages. Most homes throughout the area range in price from $300,000 to $660,000 with townhouses on the lower end and detached homes on the higher end. Bowes is far enough away from downtown Chicago to keep a distinctly quiet, suburban feel, but close enough to commute to the Windy City if needed. “I grew up in Chicago, but when I decided to start my family, I wanted to move to a small city that was a little quieter,” says resident Tianna Alston. “However, I wanted to still be close enough for me to go back and see my family. Chicago is only about an hour's drive.” Commuters can exit onto U.S. Route 20 to reach downtown in about 48 miles. It’s an 8-mile drive to the Metra trains at Elgin Station on the Milwaukee District-West line headed to Chicago Union Station six days a week. Elgin is also where residents find staples like healthcare, with Ascension Saint Joseph – Elgin 6 miles away and other medical facilities lining South Randall Road. Visiting family and friends fly in at Chicago O'Hare International Airport, 34 miles away. Aside from Johnny's Supper Club—the retro Italian-style restaurant within the Bowes Creek clubhouse—residents head to commercial strips to the east for their essentials. “Everything is on Randall,” says Chris Bishop, broker with @properties who has sold homes in Elgin. “There’s shopping, dining options and even medical centers all up and down Randall Road.” Jewel-Osco, Walmart and other big box stores line this stretch, along with anchor stores like Target and T.J. Maxx in shopping centers like South Elgin Commons. National chains are joined by regional establishments, like The Village Squire, a laid-back, English tavern-style grill and bar. Sushi Café is a popular date night spot with a wide selection of sushi rolls and ramen on the menu. Homeowners living on the east side of Bowes on the golf course are zoned for School District U-46. Otter Creek Elementary School serves kindergarten through sixth grade and scores a B-minus from Niche. Abbott Middle School houses Grades 7 and 8 and scores a C-plus, and South Elgin High School gets an A-minus. Those living on Bowes Creek Country Club’s southwest end and within subdivisions like Cedar Grove are zoned for Central School District 301, starting with Howard B Thomas Grade School, which gets a B-plus from Niche. Prairie Knolls Middle School scores an A-minus, along with Central High School.