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Chicago: North

Eastwood Avenue's charming streetscape.

Eclectic Lincoln Square lures families, commuters

Residents and area locals love the best-of-both-worlds feel the Lincoln Square neighborhood provides.

This patch of land between the Chicago River and Damen, and Foster and Montrose, is small but bustling. It has proved to be a part of the busy city-life since 1907, when with the addition of the Brown Line, it was considered one of Chicago’s first commuter suburbs. Since the Brown Line's Rockwell stop opened the area now bustles with new and returning commuters.

With a large German population originally in the area, you’ll still find many German restaurants and businesses, though, with the public transportation plentiful, Lincoln Square has become as eclectic as the rest of Chicago.

“Lincoln Square is very walkable," says Melissa Flynn, executive director of the Lincoln Square Chamber of Commerce. "It is very easy to stay local in Lincoln Square with great schools, cultural activities, restaurants, bars and stores. The people who live here are very invested in the community and have created a very welcoming, fun environment to in which to live and work. Lincoln Square has great public transportation so getting here is easy and affordable.”

The wide variety of activities and services is a draw even for people from neighboring communities.

“I’m close to the neighborhood, and everything I do is in Lincoln Square,” said Kim Broznowski, a Realtor with @Properties. “I go to the theater there, and the shops and restaurants on Lincoln. Over the last few months, one of the things that was very helpful for the area was the [recent completion] of the Brown Line at the Rockwell crossing. It brings in a lot of commuters that want to be able to get to the city quick and still have that residential feel within the city.”

For a piece of that residential rapture, expect to pay something in the price range of $500,000 to $700,000 for a single-family home in the area, according to Linda Broznowski, also of @Properties.

The highest selling price, she noted in the last year for these types of detached homes was $1,249,000. Kim added that there were still 429 two-bedroom homes that were sold between $300,000 and $600,000.

“You’ve also got the condos, and most of those buildings were rehabbed, I’d say, in the last 10 years. Most of them were gutted and made into two- and three-bedrooms,” Linda said.

“Lincoln Square is rich in diversity with a touch of European flair," said 40-year resident Sue Braun. "You can find old-time residents along with young couples, planning to raise their families in Lincoln Square.”

Though there are many schools in the area surrounding Lincoln Square, including nine public high schools within about two miles, one public high school is within the official boundaries of the neighborhood. Amundsen High School, a Chicago Public School, known for its non-selective International Baccalaureate (IB) Program has approximately 1,493 students.

Of these, those that took the ACT test in 2007 had an average score of 16. The surrounding area is home to several private schools (five high schools within about a mile and a half, and five elementary schools in about a mile radius) as well as two nearby public libraries and a number of hospitals.

2000 CENSUS DATA

(Percentages might not total 100% because of rounding)

AGE OF RESIDENTS

Median age: 33.8