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Chicago: South

Historic brick homes are a common site along Hyde Park's neighborhood streets.
Courtesy of Robin Pratts

Hyde Park

A cultural enclave just south of downtown

On a sunny day in Hyde Park, joggers and bicyclists take advantage of the miles of trails running up and down Lake Michigan and picnickers fill the community’s many parks. Mothers push strollers along the tree-lined streets, and University of Chicago students can be overheard discussing Proust as they rush to class.

Colder days find most locals huddled in coffee shops or cafes or taking refuge from the chill with heavy doses of art and culture, found at the local Oriental Institute, the Smart Museum, Frank Lloyd Wright’s world-famous Robie House, or the Museum of Science and Industry.

But no matter what the weather, there is no shortage of things to do in this diverse and culturally rich community seven miles south of the Loop.

Perhaps this abundance of options explains why so many famous Chicagoans have chosen to call Hyde Park home. From presidential candidate Barack Obama, to boxer Muhammad Ali, to Marshall Field, and writer Saul Bellow, not to mention any number of the 80 Nobel Prize-winning thinkers teaching at the University of Chicago.

The community also attracts many families, who are drawn to Hyde Park’s affordable housing options and award-winning public schools.

According to Sudler Sotherby real estate agent Robin Pratts, modern and recently renovated condominiums in the neighborhood can be bought for as low as $225, 000. On the other end of the spectrum, Pratt described Hyde Park’s historic mansions, which sell for millions of dollars.

The community offers a mix of apartments, condominiums, and single-family homes, attracting home buyers and renters with a great variety of incomes. The median household income in 2000 was $44,100 according to the U.S. census.

In terms of schools, Hyde Park’s educational offerings are some of the best in Chicago, thanks in large part to the school district’s partnership with the University of Chicago to run schools focused on building both character and academic success. Kenwood Academy, which accepts all Hyde Park children, and the Laboratory Schools, which have a more selective admission process, are two shining examples of this partnership between the University and the community.

“In Hyde Park, you get everything the city has to offer without the hassles,” says Pratts. “It may seem little, but ask anyone and they’ll tell you, the availability of parking around here is a huge draw. And that’s not to begin talking about how great Hyde Park is. We have our own little neighborhood feel – quaint restaurants, the lake, and lots of diversity.”

2000 CENSUS DATA

(Percentages might not total 100% because of rounding)

AGE OF RESIDENTS

Median age: 32