Malta offers rural living with easy access to city conveniences
Founded in 1856, the village of Malta sits just outside the city of Dekalb in northern Illinois. After World War I, the community saw an influx of population as people moved in to find work at any of Malta's many farms. Today, the village is still largely involved in agriculture, producing a high volume of corn and soybean crops. "It's a great spot to be just outside of bigger areas," says Amy Smith-Heine, a local Realtor with Re/Max Classic who has two decades of experience selling homes. She points out that residents of Malta enjoy the neighborly feel of the village and how everything is tightly-knit. "People living there have quick access to Interstate 88, and you're 10 minutes out from DeKalb. It's got a large generational vibe, but recently it's become popular for people who want to be close to all the convenience without living in the city."
Renovated midcentury homes and modern New Traditional styles
Near the center of the village are grid-like streets, lined by sidewalks and midcentury ranch-style homes and cottages. A bit further out from the village center, subdivisions have been popping up, filled with modern New Traditional single-family homes. "There's a ton of new construction happening in Malta, which is pretty common for the villages just outside of DeKalb," Smith-Heine says. "I think there's a good opportunity for first-time homebuyers and people who don't want to retire in DeKalb but want to stay close by." Renovated vintage homes and new builds sell between roughly $140,000 and $340,000, while large properties with generous acreage in the country outskirts sell between $350,000 and $480,000. Malta's CAP Index Crime Score is 1 out of 10, well below the national average of 4.
Parks with trails, playgrounds and lakes for fishing and boating
Lions Park, located near the heart of the village, is anchored by a large shelter used for several of the community's annual events. It offers a small playground as well as baseball fields, where the local youth league plays. On the village's southwest side near the Prairie Springs subdivision, Harkness Lake Park has a small community lake that allows nonmotorized boats on the water and is stocked with fish. A flat trail runs around the lakeside, providing a comfortable walking path for locals. "Malta isn't directly on the Kishwaukee River like some of the villages in the county, but it's easy enough to take a kayak or canoe to launch from places like Sycamore and Kirkland," Smith-Heine says.
Public school options include extracurriculars and steady grad rates
DeKalb Community Unit School District No. 428, which gets a B from Niche, serves the community. Most children living in the area will start at B-minus-rated Malta Elementary before moving on to either Huntley or Clinton Rosette Middle School, both of which score a C-plus. DeKalb High School scores a B-plus and offers its students 50 extracurricular clubs and sports. According to the Illinois Report Card, DeKalb High is categorized as a Commendable School with no underperforming student groups and a graduation rate higher than 67%.
Celebrating community during annual Malta Days festival
For a weekend in June, the Malta Days festival celebrates the community, transforming Lions Park into a vibrant gathering spot. Local farmers and orchards bring fresh produce, the village sets up a beer garden and carnival rides, and live music constantly flows. The festival has a vibrant send-off on Sunday with a large fireworks show.
Essentials in the village and nearby big-box shopping in DeKalb
The community has a few essentials, such as gas stations and auto shops, but Malta has no shopping area. It has one locally owned restaurant, Old School Pizza, which is decorated in retro neon décor and has been serving hand-tossed pies to Malta for years. For big-box shopping at stores like Walmart and Target, as well as grocers and national retailers, residents can head about 8 miles into DeKalb.
Major highways connect Malta to the Chicago area
Malta is intersected by Route 38, a major east-west highway, and Interstate 88. Residents can take either route close to the heart of Chicago, roughly 70 miles east, before connecting to other city interstates. While the area has smaller regional airports, many residents will drive the 66 miles to the Chicago O'Hare International Airport. The closest medical plaza, anchored by Northwestern Medicine Kishwaukee Hospital, is situated 10 miles northeast in DeKalb.
