Belmont Cragin · Cook County · IL
Homes for sale in
Belmont Cragin.
- Active listings
- 7
- Median list
- $465K
- Avg time on market
- 76 days
- Sold · last year
- 0
Active listings
7 homes on the market
About the community
Living in Belmont Cragin.
Belmont Cragin sits on Chicago's Northwest Side as Community Area 19, roughly eight miles northwest of the Loop and bordered by Portage Park, Hermosa, Austin, Montclare, and Dunning. It is firmly part of Chicago's bungalow belt, a residential area defined by its distinctive brick bungalows, Cape Cods, and two-flats that have housed working families for generations. Today the community is predominantly Latino, with a Hispanic population of about 79 percent as of 2023, and it has long carried a reputation as an intergenerational, family-oriented place. The neighborhood grew up around 19th-century industry and rail, taking its name from the Cragin Brothers and Company tin plate and sheet iron works near old Whiskey Point. It suits buyers who want an affordable, walkable, transit-served Chicago neighborhood with solid single-family housing stock, an active small-business corridor, and a strong sense of community.
At a glance
Northwest Side, CA 19
Belmont Cragin is one of Chicago's 77 community areas, located about eight miles northwest of the Loop and bordering Portage Park, Hermosa, Austin, Montclare, and Dunning.
Bungalow belt housing
The area is part of Chicago's bungalow belt, with bungalows, Cape Cods, and two-flats offering a range of housing types built to house factory-era workers.
Very walkable
Belmont Cragin is among the more walkable Chicago neighborhoods with a Walk Score of 84, meaning most errands can be accomplished on foot.
Good transit
The neighborhood has a Transit Score of 58, with about seven bus lines passing through it and Metra's Milwaukee District West Line serving the area.
About 72,900 residents
The community area had a 2023 population of roughly 72,918, with a density of about 18,520 people per square mile.
Median sale price around 445K
As of the most recent month reported by Redfin, the median sale price of a home in Belmont Cragin was about 445,000 dollars, up roughly 15.6 percent year over year.
Predominantly Latino
About 79 percent of residents identified as Hispanic as of 2023, anchoring a neighborhood known for its culture, dining, and small-business scene.
Riis Park green space
Jacob Riis Park spans about 57 acres with a renovated fieldhouse, pool, water park, running track, soccer field, and tennis courts.
What it’s actually like to live here
Daily life in Belmont Cragin centers on its residential streets and a busy commercial corridor along Belmont Avenue, the historic Belmont Central shopping district that dates to the 1920s. It is a predominantly Latino neighborhood, with about 79 percent of residents identifying as Hispanic, and it has long been described as intergenerational and family-oriented, with a wealth of small businesses, parks, and local restaurants. The 2022 median household income was reported around 62,500 dollars, and the housing stock of bungalows and two-flats keeps the area relatively attainable for buyers and families compared with pricier North Side neighborhoods.
Getting around is easy on foot, with a Walk Score of 84 that ranks Belmont Cragin among Chicago's more walkable neighborhoods, plus a Transit Score of 58 served by roughly seven bus lines and Metra's Milwaukee District West Line. Green space is a real draw, anchored by the 57-acre Jacob Riis Park, whose renovated fieldhouse, swimming pool, water park, running track, soccer field, and tennis courts make it a central gathering place. The dining scene reflects the neighborhood's international roots, from Latin American restaurants to a growing arts and small-business community, giving residents plenty to enjoy close to home.
Neighborhoods
Detailed Belmont Cragin community pages coming soon.
Browse the listings above. Detailed neighborhood pages with market stats, school info, and lifestyle take-downs land here as we roll them out.
Around town
What there is to do in Belmont Cragin.
A handful of the places people who live here actually use. Not a directory.
- Parks
Jacob Riis Park
A 57-acre Northwest Side park with a renovated fieldhouse, a large pool and children's water park, a running track, a soccer field, and tennis courts.
- Shopping
The Brickyard
The neighborhood's main retail hub at Narragansett and Diversey, an open-air center anchored by Target, Lowe's, Jewel, and Marshalls on the site of a former brickyard.
- Culture
Aguijon Theater
Chicago's oldest Latino theater, presenting classic and contemporary Spanish-language and bilingual performances that highlight issues affecting the Latino community.
- Culture
Klairmont Kollections Automotive Museum
A two-floor museum housing a large private collection of historic and rare automobiles, from a 1930s Duesenberg to micro-cars.
- Family
Hiawatha Park
A nearby Northwest Side park and fieldhouse offering recreation programs, playground space, and family activities just west of Belmont Cragin.
- Food & Drink
La Costa
A local favorite for a Mexican-style seafood feast, reflecting Belmont Cragin's Latin American dining roots.
How Belmont Cragin got here
A bit of history.
The roots of Belmont Cragin trace back to the 1830s, when the area was rural farmland and the corner of Armitage and Grand was known as Whiskey Point for an early saloon catering to truck farmers. The community took shape in the 1880s, when Cragin Brothers and Company moved their tin plate and sheet iron processing plant near Whiskey Point, building warehouses across roughly 11 acres and prompting the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad to add a station for workers. Job opportunities and rail service drew settlers and sparked a housing boom in the town that became known as Cragin, which was annexed into Chicago as part of Jefferson Township in 1889.
Railroads kept pulling industry into the area through the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including the Belt Railway, wire manufacturing, brick and tile works, and iron works. In 1922 the W. F. Hall Printing Company built a plant beside the Northwestern rail line, further spurring development as Swedish, German, Irish, Polish, and Italian workers settled nearby and the population more than quadrupled in a decade. By 1930 the population reached about 60,000, builders filled the streets with bungalows and two-flats, and the community came to be known as Belmont Cragin in the 1930s.
The questions buyers actually ask
Belmont Cragin FAQ
The questions I get most from buyers shopping Belmont Cragin. If yours isn't here, text 815-355-0582, same-day reply.
- What kind of homes will I find in Belmont Cragin, and is it affordable?
- Belmont Cragin is a classic Chicago bungalow belt neighborhood, so the housing stock is heavy on brick bungalows, Cape Cods, and two-flats built to house factory-era workers. As of the most recent month reported by Redfin, the median sale price was about 445,000 dollars, up roughly 15.6 percent year over year. That generally keeps it more attainable than many North Side neighborhoods while still offering solid single-family options. Two-flats here are also popular with buyers looking to live in one unit and rent the other.
- How do property taxes work for a home here?
- Belmont Cragin is in Cook County, where residential property is assessed at 10 percent of its estimated fair market value. The state then applies an equalization factor, and your local combined tax rate is applied to that equalized assessed value, so your bill reflects the budgets of multiple taxing bodies at once. Cook County reassesses properties on a three-year cycle, which can move values up or down depending on the market. It is worth checking the Assessor's Office for current figures and any exemptions you may qualify for, such as the Homeowner Exemption.
- Which public schools would my children attend?
- Belmont Cragin is served by Chicago Public Schools, including neighborhood elementary and middle schools such as Belmont-Cragin, Hanson Park, Falconer, and Lloyd, and area high schools including Steinmetz, Prosser Career Academy, and Foreman. Because attendance boundaries vary block by block, the best way to confirm your assigned schools is to enter the exact address into the CPS School Locator. The locator shows your neighborhood elementary, middle, and high schools along with their attendance boundaries. CPS also offers magnet and selective-enrollment options through the GoCPS system.
- What are my commuting and transit options?
- Belmont Cragin has good transit for a bungalow belt neighborhood, with a Transit Score of 58 and about seven bus lines running through it. For rail commuters, Metra's Milwaukee District West Line serves the area, with the Grand/Cicero station having replaced the old Cragin stop in 2006. Much of the neighborhood is not directly on a CTA L line, so most residents rely on a mix of buses, Metra, and driving. With a Walk Score of 84, many everyday errands can also be handled on foot.
- Is Belmont Cragin a good place for investment or rental property?
- The neighborhood's large share of two-flats and multi-unit buildings makes it attractive for buyers interested in owner-occupied rentals or small investment properties. Redfin has described the local market as competitive, with homes often selling within a month or so and many receiving multiple offers in recent reporting. Combined with relatively attainable price points and strong transit and walkability, those fundamentals appeal to long-term investors. As always, run the numbers on current taxes and rents for any specific building before you buy.
- What is the neighborhood character like?
- Belmont Cragin is widely described as a close-knit, intergenerational, family-oriented community with a strong Latino identity, a lively small-business scene, and an emerging arts community. Its bungalow-lined residential streets give it a relaxed, settled feel, and parks like Riis Park serve as central gathering places. Like any urban neighborhood, conditions vary block to block, so the best approach is to walk the specific streets you are considering and visit at different times of day. A local agent can help you compare specific pockets to find the right fit.
Your local agent
Joe knows Belmont Cragin
Most agents will list anything. I focus on the places I actually know, and the things that move value here don't show up in the MLS write-up: which streets and buildings hold demand, what the HOA or assessments really cover, how the comps read once you account for condition and location, and where buyers consistently want to be.
When you're ready to tour or list, you want someone who has read the last 50 closed comps in this specific market, not a national average, and can tell you what they actually mean for your price. That's how I work. Text or call any time, and I'll give you a real take, not a brochure.
- Licensed Illinois broker
- Comp-driven pricing
- Belmont Cragin specialist
- Honest local market take
- Brokerocity
Thinking of selling?
What's your home actually worth?
Not a Zestimate. A real CMA from someone who's sold this neighborhood, knows the floor plan premiums, and can tell you which upgrades the buyer pool here actually pays for.
- Pricing range with comp-by-comp logic
- Pre-list improvements that pay back, and the ones that don't
- No obligation, no spam, no auto-dialer