Zion

Buyers will be hard-pressed to find homes as new and spacious at prices comparable to those in West Zion, which lies between Chicago and Milwaukee on the Illinois-Wisconsin border. “For beginner homeowners, it’s a good place to start,” says Willie Simpson, a broker with Remax Showcase who lived in the neighborhood for about a decade. “It’s quiet, mostly residential. There’s not a lot of hoopla going on.” Zion is full of religious references—besides the town’s name, every street that runs north to south in Central Zion has a biblical name. The neighborhood contains more than eight different houses of worship, from the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Trinity Christian Center to the Fath-e Azeem Mosque. “Zion is 75 to 80 percent residential, so the homeowners are bearing most of the burden for the tax rates,” says Simpson. Counterbalancing the higher property tax rates, home prices in Zion are significantly lower than those of surrounding areas. “You might pay higher taxes, but you have home prices that are about 15 to 30 percent lower.” Small pockets of modern residential subdivisions are nestled between flat stretches of green fields synonymous with the Midwest. Modern traditional homes with two floors built around the turn of the century in light or beige shades of vinyl cost between $270,000 and $320,000. Ranch-style homes built during the last decades of the 20th century cost a little less—in the lower $200,000s. Townhouses with two or three bedrooms are usually priced under $200,000. Compact pocket parks dot the neighborhood of West Zion where residents take their dogs out or enjoy a breath of fresh air, though Illinois winter weather keeps locals inside throughout most of the year. During the summer months, toddlers scale the miniature climbing wall and dangle from swings on the playground at David Park. The green space also features ramps for skaters, three softball fields and two basketball courts. Golfers can swing at the public Shepherd’s Cook Golf Course, amidst small ponds and swaying pampas grass, at the north of the neighborhood. The fairways are separated with berms of native prairie grass, and a few water hazards and natural wetland areas make every golfer a little cautious. Big Oaks Golf Course and Thunderhawk Golf Course are also immediately outside of the neighborhood when golfers want a change of course. Students on the northwest side of West Zion attend Newport Elementary School, while those who live in the southeastern part of the neighborhood attend Kenneth Murphy Elementary School. Both schools earn a C-minus from Niche, along with Beach Park Middle School—the next stop along West Zion’s school pipeline. Beach Park Middle School received more than $14,000 in funding from Illinois state to support low-income students, English-language learners and those who require individualized or special education in the 2022-2023 school year. Beach Park Middle has also acquired land on the southeast part of the existing school building, where teachers have since built a greenhouse. Students can find their crowd at Zion-Benton Township High School and its wide selection of extracurricular activities. The school, which receives a B-minus, offers Dungeons and Dragons Club, Thespian Society, Forensic Debate Club and Future Business Leaders of America. The Walmart Supercenter on Route 173 is central to the neighborhood—location- and shopping-wise. For nights on which cooking seems like too much of a chore, residents pick up comfort food at Boonie Mac Shack, a family-owned, “good, old barbeque restaurant,” as the owners refer to it. Patrons wash down ribs, chicken wings and fried fish with iced lemonade and one of the cakes or custards that tempt customers at the check-out display. Across the road, Sauce N Toss, a local chain, offers wings smothered in 13 signature sauces, as well as comfort sides like chicken noodle soup, chili and chocolate chip cookies. For access to Central Zion and shopping, residents get on Route 173, passing the neighborhood Walmart as they head east. Route 131, or North Green Bay Road, travels north to Wisconsin, as well as south to Waukegan, Illinois, where there’s a concentration of pharmaceutical jobs. Otherwise, West Zion locals commute about 20 minutes away to Amazon distribution and sortation centers outside of Waukegan or Kenosha, Wisconsin. Located in the middle of Chicago and Milwaukee, residents can be in Brew City in about 45 minutes using Interstate 94. Residents of the Lorelai Acres subdivision should be advised that odors from the nearby landfill tend to waft, especially on hot summer days. However, those with a Zion license plate can dispose of old furniture and other trash in the landfill for free.

Kendron Park is comprised of four main roads, back alleyways for cars and boats, an entrance to an extensive bike path and the white spire of Lakeside Community Church. This Zion neighborhood is several miles shy of the Wisconsin-Illinois state line and just 3 miles from the shores of Lake Michigan. Residents are within walking distance of their local elementary school and the local Walmart. The Robert McClory Bike Path runs north to south for 25 miles, taking cyclists and walkers all the way to Highland Park or the Wisconsin-Illinois State Line. Residents can access the trail in either direction from 18th Street. Nearby Beulah Park boasts multiple trail routes, most winding alongside Kellogg Creek. "Many of the trails are popular with BMXers and local mountain bikers who like various difficulty levels," Jacobson says. Beaches and trails stretch up and down the Lake Michigan coastline at the expansive North Dunes Nature Preserve, 3 miles east of Kendron Park. The preserve is open year-round and is home to migratory birds like warblers, eagles and falcons among other wildlife. Dozens of docks are available for rent at aptly-named North Point Marina, which sits below the Wisconsin border about 4 miles away. Homes sit fairly close together with sparse tree cover in Kendron Park. Gravel back alleys are lined with detached garages and carports. "The homes are mostly older, built in the '50s, '60s and '70s," says Daina Jacobson, Realtor with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Chicago and northern Lake County resident. A cul-de-sac of evenly spaced, garage-forward split levels was added in the 1990s at the north end of the neighborhood, and over time, vacant lots were used for custom properties. Residents have freedom to add solar panels to their roofs or places sheds or gazebos in their backyards. There is some flood risk from Kellogg Creek to the north, reaching some homes. Options here rarely hit the market, but the occasional listing is priced between $175,000 and $255,000. "You can still find smaller four-bedroom homes for under $200,000," Jacobson says. Most of the nearby shopping and dining options at the intersection of 21st Street and Sheridan Road, which is about a mile east from home. Dada Soul serves up soul food favorites like catfish nuggets, sweet potatoes and okra in to-go boxes. "I recommend CJ's Coffee House for amazing doughnuts,” Jacobson says. “My kids love it." Jewel-Osco and Walgreens are also located here, and Walmart Supercenter is 1.5 miles from Kendron Park on Illinois Route 173. Kids are zoned for Beulah Park Elementary School and Zion Central Middle School, both scoring a C-minus from Niche. Zion-Benton Township High School gets a B and offers over 40 extracurricular activities or clubs. A companion school at a separate location, New Tech High – Zion-Benton East, is graded B. Joe Fleming, Network Administrator for both schools, says that the central campus has over 2,000 students and is preferred by those who want more variety in athletics and other after-school activities. In comparison, New Tech has about 400 students, 100 in each grade level. The school's college preparatory curriculum focuses on 21st-century technology skills. Another option for students interested in career-based courses is Lake County Tech Campus in Grayslake, one of the Midwest's best career and technical education facilities. State Route 173 curves past these few square blocks, leading to State Route 137 towards Waukegan. The entrance to Interstate 94 is only about 6 miles to the west, though this is a tolled road from the state line to the Skokie Highway exit. It’s about 57 miles to downtown Chicago via car and 47 to Milwaukee. The Union Pacific North line connects to the small Zion Metra Station, about 2 miles away, to Ogilvie Transportation Center in the Windy City. The BMX trails near Kendron Park are a chosen racecourse for Beulah Bike Boogie, a function of the Midwest Youth Cycling League. Once a year, residents don butterfly-inspired costume and celebrate Zion during the Zinnia and Monarch Festival.

Beulah Park is a community within the city of Zion, Illinois, which rests just a few miles from the Wisconsin state line. The community is about a 90-minute drive away from the amenities and entertainment in the iconic Chicago Loop. Besides the benefit of the location, Beulah Park holds family-friendly festivals and for nature enthusiasts, the neighborhood has its namesake nature area, is minutes from Lake Michigan’s shoreline and is also bordered on the east by North Dunes Nature Preserve and Isherwood Beach. “It’s a great area for those who want to live near Lake Michigan and forest preserves without breaking the bank,” says Alyssa Pimentel, Team Lead, realtor and owner of Team Pimentel, a Compass affiliate. “Since Zion has one of the highest tax rates in the state, the prices of the homes are a lot lower compared to nearby areas.” On average, homes in Beulah Park sell after 25 days on the market, compared to the national average of 42 days. The average sale price is nearly $228,000. Common architecture mostly consists of ranch-style and split-level homes. Well-maintained homes that sit on single lots and with an average interior living space of around 1,000 will cost on the lower end of the price point, approximately $165,000. Well-kept homes with square footage between 1,500 to nearly 2,000 will cost close to the average sale price and higher. There are a few newly built homes in the area, which tend to cost in the mid $300,000s. "For the tax rates; it does makes it one of the most affordable places to live," says Willie Simpson, Re/Max Showcase Real Estate Broker and decade-long resident. "You might have a house for $300,000 in Zion, but it would sell for $500,000 in Gurnee 5 miles away." The neighborhood is zoned for Beulah Park Elementary School, Zion Central Middle School and Zion-Benton Township High School. Beulah Park Elementary, which earns a Niche grade of C-minus, is walkable from most homes in the neighborhood and offers a variety of athletic programs, including soccer, volleyball and basketball. Zion Central Middle School, home of the Pirates, also earns a Niche score of C-minus has recently expanded its athletics program, extracurriculars and field trip opportunities and introduced new classes for students, including English-learner supports, math and reading special education supports and new fine arts electives. Zion-Benton Township High School receives a B-plus grade from Niche and offers over 40 extracurricular activities for students, including Dungeons and Dragons club, Thespian Society and Future Business Leaders of America. The Beulah Park Nature Area occupies a large portion of the area and sits at the heart of the community, allowing many residents to access the park by walking. This 80-acre green space has a hiking and biking trail that winds across the nature area and Kellogg Creek, perfect for quiet and peaceful strolls in the spring when the flowers are in full bloom. Every summer, the park hosts The Beulah Boogie Bike Race, a mountain bike race event with twisty trails and small jumps. Elizabeth Park to the east is a more modest park suitable for casual everyday play, the green space includes two tennis courts, a basketball court and a playground area. Near Lake Michigan, is the North Dunes Nature Preserve, a large waterfront forested region featuring beaches, trails, wetlands and diverse bird habitats such as the sandpiper, hawk and Virginia rail. Isherwood Beach is a quiet, secluded, easy-access treasure with clear waters for swimming and easy hiking trails through an expansive prairie. "Winters here are pretty tough, so the beach is going to be more active during May and June to October," says Simpson. "But there won't much outdoor activity during the winter." Residents can get around town using their vehicles or the PACE Bus Route 571. There is one Metra station in the community, located in Central Zion near Shiloh Park. Additionally, Sheridan Road, which runs north/south not only provides commuting to nearby regions, but it is also the retail and dining hub in Beulah Park. On this main road, there is grocery shopping at Jewel Osco, local shops and notable chain restaurants such as Taco Bell, Domino’s Pizza and McDonald’s. Local gathering spots like the Pit Stop provide happy hour, slot-machine gaming, billiards, quirky décor and classic pub fare. Dada’s Soul, which sits between the Beulah Park community and Central Zion, serves up comfort food with jerk chicken, mac and cheese, rice and beans and cornbread on the menu. Beulah Park offers a blend of affordability and natural beauty. Its proximity to Lake Michigan, forest preserves and parks provide an ideal setting for those who want to be close to nature while not being far from suburban amenities.