Downtown Elgin
Neighborhood in Elgin, Illinois
Kane County 60120, 60123
From River Park Place townhouses to early-1900s homes
Balconies and bay windows sit above many of the downtown storefronts. “We’ve always been pro-rooftop," Levita says. "Along Chicago Street and Douglas and Spring, the city and council really want to push mixed-use.” Developers bought Elgin Tower in 2016 and converted it into one of the larger-scale apartment complexes in town. Several blocks of brick townhouses with attached garages are at River Park Place, directly south of downtown. Prices range from $270,000 to $315,000. “When the developer proposed it, [officials] said, ‘you need to do something for the city,’” Levita says. “So they added free parking at the parking garage across the way and Festival Park, where they have a lot of great concerts, food trucks and events all summer long.” Nearby folk-style homes from the early 1900s rarely hit the market, but the occasional listing goes for $215,000 to $400,000. According to FEMA, these residential options are just shy of the riverfront with considerable flood risk after heavy rains.
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Parks and trails on the Fox River, plus museums, golfing and Lord’s Park Zoo
The Fox River Trail passes down Elgin’s center and meanders over Walton Island Park before continuing its 35-mile stretch from Algonquin to Aurora. Along the route is Festival Park, home to a riverfront playground, fishing pier and spray fountain in the summer. Athletes choose from The Centre of Elgin’s indoor courts, track, fitness club and waterpark or travel about 4 miles to Elgin Sports Complex's outdoor facilities. The latter is expanding with access via Illinois Route 31 for downtown residents.Lords Park Zoo is a more open green space east of downtown. “There are bison, llamas, deer and pigs,” Levita says. “You can spend a Saturday there and donate five bucks.” Elgin Public Museum at Lords Park showcases the city’s natural world, while downtown’s own Elgin History Museum chronologizes Elgin’s industrial past.
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District U-46 schools and private options for downtown Elgin students
It’s common for School District U-46 classes to be taught in Spanish and English, thanks to an extensive dual language program. Channing Elementary School and Ronald D. O'Neal Elementary School teach kindergarten through 6th grade and score a C and a C-minus from Niche, respectively. Students feed into either Ellis Middle School or Kimball Middle School across the river. Both schools earn C grades. Elgin Math and Science Academy is a charter school that uses teaching methods from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. It enrolls grades K-8 and scores a B.Elgin High School, which scores a B-minus, opened in 1857 and is now on its third campus. The school's Gifted and Talented Academy is transitioning to combine Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate coursework; students graduating in 2025 will take AP courses in their first and second years before switching to IB for their remaining two years.
Private Elgin Academy closed its doors in 2024 after 185 years and is now home to Burhan Academy, the largest Islamic school in the nation that partially opened in 2024 for prekindergarten through third grade. Other private school options close to home include St. Mary School, St. John's Lutheran School and St. Edward Central Catholic High School.
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Surviving the zombie apocalypse on Chicago Street
When spider webs cover the string lights on Douglas, it’s time to gear up for the one-night zombie apocalypse: Nightmare on Chicago Street. The city’s Zombie Defense Initiative hosts costume contests, installations and attractions like B-movie Boulevard for over 15,000 Chicagoland and nationwide attendees. “For a lot of the restaurants that participate, it’s a really good economic weekend,” Levita says. “It’s jam-packed. They go all out; there are so many great costumes and decorations. I don’t remember there being any incidents last year even though it gets super crowded. Everyone’s in a nice fun mental space to enjoy the event.”The Downtown Neighborhood Association of Elgin hosts smaller-scale events throughout the year. “With the development of that promenade that runs along the Fox River, the Downtown Elgin Market draws a lot of people even from the Randall Road area,” Levita says. The main branch of the Gail Borden library system, located north of downtown on the waterfront, hosts story times and other kid-friendly events each month, and the 1,200-seat Hemmens Cultural Center is a hub for the Elgin Short Film Festival, Elgin Symphony Orchestra performances and other ticketed events.
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Travelling from Downtown Elgin to Chicago and O’Hare
North State Street leads to nearby Interstate 90 access. The Milwaukee District West Line also runs 40 miles to downtown Chicago from Elgin Station and National Street Station farther south. “There are residents who work in the city, and they can just hop on a train instead of sitting in rush hour traffic,” Cortez says. “We also have plenty of people who work in the Rosemont corridor, and we’re a short 30 minutes from O’Hare Airport, which is great for those who need to travel for work.” As for medical care, the closest full-service hospital and emergency room is Ascension Saint Joseph - Elgin about 3 miles away across the Fox River.
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Downtown Elgin’s walkable eateries and shopping
Even with new developments in the decidedly modern Elgin, the city showcases its historic architecture with professional offices, coworking spaces and loft apartments occupying the Art Deco and Chicago School-style buildings. Brick sidewalks and crosswalks trace the riverfront and storefronts on Douglas Avenue, Chicago Street and Spring Street. Rest areas and free parking surround the businesses. “We have a lot of coffee houses, pastry houses, and a lot of what I’d call tchotchke shops,” says Dominic Levita, an agent with Providence Residential Brokerage who has lived and worked in downtown Elgin for almost 20 years. “The overall feeling is that it’s become a much more comfortable environment where people walk from place to place.”Plants line the windowsill and wooden beams at Viator Coffee Co., a spacious warehouse-turned-cafe with coworking space available by appointment. Hobby shops like Rediscover Records and Elgin Knit Works sit next door to artist studios and gallery spaces. The downtown restaurant scene includes local haunts and new additions from the past two decades. “BeaUnique has a Cubano sandwich that’s pretty remarkable," Levita says. “Elgin Public House has been there for [nearly 20 years], it’s always had a fun bar and there’s a nice event space upstairs that people use.” The glow of Grand Victoria Casino reflects on the Fox River at night, with Buckinghams Steakhouse and Lounge drawing visitors and residents for a high-end meal on the riverboat.
Besides corner stores like La Roca Mart, Butera Market is the closest grocer to downtown. Aldi, Elgin Fresh Market, Jewel-Osco, Walgreens and UPS are all located 2 miles away off Summit Street.
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Crime statistics in Downtown Elgin
Downtown Elgin gets an overall CAP Crime Index score of 7 compared to the national average of 4. The Elgin Police Department publishes an annual report where data shows a continuous downward trend; 2023 had the third lowest number of annual crimes since 1972.
Written By
Emma Downes
Photography Contributed By
Patrick Kelley
Video By
Elia Faith Crianza
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Agents Specializing in this Area
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Luigui Corral
Luigui Corral
RE/MAX American Dream
(224) 212-1953
226 Total Sales
1 in Downtown Elgin
$192,000 Price
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Jeffrey Padesky
Jeffrey Padesky
Real Broker, LLC
(847) 241-1543
81 Total Sales
1 in Downtown Elgin
$280,000 Price
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Holly Connors
Holly Connors
@properties Christie's International Real Estate
(773) 985-2352
832 Total Sales
1 in Downtown Elgin
$240,000 Price
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Mary Serle
Mary Serle
@properties Christie's International Real Estate
(331) 226-1456
87 Total Sales
1 in Downtown Elgin
$325,000 Price
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Matt Lysien
Matt Lysien
Suburban Life Realty, Ltd
(224) 315-8087
525 Total Sales
26 in Downtown Elgin
$130K - $500K Price Range
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Nikki Genthner
Nikki Genthner
Responds Quickly@properties Christie's International Real Estate
(773) 322-1924
55 Total Sales
1 in Downtown Elgin
$235,500 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
- Pre-K to 6th
- Public
Interested in learning more about homes in this area? Reach out to , an experienced agent in this neighborhood.
Parks in this Area
Walton Island Park
Festival Park
Davidson Park
Transit
Crime and Safety
| 1 - Low Crime, 10 - High Crime | Downtown Elgin | US |
|---|---|---|
| Homicide | 5 | 4 |
| Sexual Assault | 7 | 4 |
| Assault with Weapon | 7 | 4 |
| Robbery | 8 | 4 |
| Burglary | 8 | 4 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 9 | 4 |
| Larceny | 7 | 4 |
| Crime Score | 7 | 4 |
Source: WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com
Downtown Elgin Demographics and Home Trends
On average, homes in Downtown Elgin, Elgin sell after 28 days on the market compared to the national average of 49 days. The median sale price for homes in Downtown Elgin, Elgin over the last 12 months is $313,000, up 12% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
Housing Trends
Median List Price
$319,900
Median Sale Price
$313,000
Median Single Family Sale Price
$318,500
Median Townhouse Sale Price
$313,000
Median 2 Bedroom Sale Price
$165,000
Median Change From 1st List Price
2%
Last 12 months Home Sales
13
Median Home Sale Price YoY Change
12%
Average Price Per Sq Ft
$167
Neighborhood Facts
Number of Homes in Neighborhood
180
Number of Homes for Sale
4
Median Year Built
2007
Months of Supply
3.70
Average Single Family Home Size Sq Ft
3,178
Significantly above the national average
1,933
Average Townhouse Size Sq Ft
1,941
Average 2 Bedroom Size Sq Ft
1,294
Average 1 Bedroom Size Sq Ft
762
Distribution of Home Values
Homes for Sale
Homes for Rent
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Average Home Value
Property Mix - Square Feet
This Neighborhood Has More Renters
Demographics
Total Population
1,336
Median Age
37
Population under 18
23.2%
On par with the national average
23.8%
Population over 65
11.8%
Below the national average
19.1%
Finances
Median Household Income
$62,250
Below the national average
$71,702
Average Household Income
$78,619
Education and Workforce
High School Graduates
83.3%
Below the national average
89.1%
College Graduates
21.6%
Below the national average
34.1%
Advanced Degrees
9.5%
% Population in Labor Force
70.3%
Weather
Annual Precipitation
37''
Average Winter Low Temperature
17°F
Average Summer High Temperature
84°F
Annual Snowfall
20''
Area Factors
Very Bikeable
Bike Score®
71
/ 100
Walker's Paradise
Walk Score®
90
/ 100
Good Transit
Transit Score®
50
/ 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
Gifford Park
Elgin’s first neighborhood is now a historic district
Grant Park
This Elgin west side neighborhood is close to many recreation options
Near West Elgin
Vintage homes near Fox River's western banks
Southwest Elgin
Historic Elgin homes positioned less than a mile from downtown
Lords Park
One of Elgin's most historic and robust parks makes up half the neighborhood
Northeast Elgin
Historic charm meets contemporary convenience
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