Lincoln Square · Cook County · IL
Homes for sale in
Lincoln Square.
- Active listings
- 18
- Median list
- $583K
- Avg time on market
- 7 days
- Sold · last year
- 294
Active listings
18 homes on the market
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About the community
Living in Lincoln Square.
Lincoln Square sits on Chicago's North Side, roughly seven miles north of the Loop, bounded by Bryn Mawr and Peterson Avenues to the north, Montrose Avenue to the south, Ravenswood Avenue to the east, and the Chicago River to the west. Its heart is the German-rooted shopping district where Lincoln, Lawrence, and Western Avenues meet, anchored by a pedestrian plaza and long-running businesses like Merz Apothecary and Gene's Sausage Shop. The housing stock leans toward private residences and small apartment buildings, with a mix of single-family homes, vintage greystones and condos, and classic Chicago two-flats and bungalows that filled in the old farmland after the streetcars and the Ravenswood Elevated arrived. Commuters love the CTA Brown Line, which puts the Western and Rockwell stations within easy reach of downtown. With its family-friendly feel, strong schools, and genuinely walkable main street, Lincoln Square suits buyers who want neighborhood character and transit access without giving up green space.
At a glance
North Side location
Lincoln Square is a Chicago community area about seven miles north of the Loop, bounded by Bryn Mawr and Peterson, Montrose, Ravenswood, and the Chicago River.
German heritage district
Historically a heavily German-influenced neighborhood, it still hosts institutions like Merz Apothecary, Lutz Cafe, and the DANK Haus German American Cultural Center near Lincoln Avenue.
Homes and small flats
The housing stock consists of private residences and small apartment buildings, including bungalows and two-flats that filled in the area's former farmland.
Very walkable
Lincoln Square earns a Walk Score of 85, rated Very Walkable, meaning most errands can be accomplished on foot.
Brown Line access
With a Transit Score of 60, the neighborhood is served by the CTA Brown Line, including the Western and Rockwell stations toward the Loop.
Median sale price around 500K
The median sale price of a Lincoln Square home was about 500,000 dollars in late 2025, in a competitive market with homes selling in around six weeks.
Welles Park
The roughly 16-acre Welles Park sits at Lincoln and Montrose with an indoor pool, fitness center, tennis and pickleball courts, and a European-style gazebo for concerts.
Folk-music landmark
The Old Town School of Folk Music, founded in 1957 and one of the largest community arts schools in the country, anchors the arts scene on Lincoln Avenue.
What it’s actually like to live here
Daily life in Lincoln Square revolves around its walkable main street and its parks. The neighborhood earns a Walk Score of 85 and a Transit Score of 60, with hundreds of restaurants, bars, and coffee shops in easy reach, and the CTA Brown Line at Western and Rockwell gives commuters a direct ride toward downtown. The pedestrian plaza near Lincoln, Lawrence, and Western makes the commercial core feel like a town square. It is an easy place to live car-light, run errands on foot, and still reach the Loop without a long drive.
The community area is home to roughly 40,000 residents and leans toward families and professionals, with a median household income around 81,000 dollars and a well-educated population. Families are served by a slate of Chicago Public Schools and by ample green space. Welles Park offers a pool, fitness center, and a gazebo used for summer concerts, while River Park, along the Chicago River south of Foster, anchors the start of the North Shore Channel Trail. Between the schools, parks, and festivals like the summer Square Roots Festival, Lincoln Square delivers a genuinely neighborhood-scaled lifestyle on the North Side.
Around town
What there is to do in Lincoln Square.
A handful of the places people who live here actually use. Not a directory.
- Culture
Old Town School of Folk Music
Founded in 1957 at 4544 N. Lincoln Ave., one of the largest nonprofit community arts schools in the country, offering concerts, classes, and lessons across many genres.
- Parks
Welles Park
A roughly 16-acre park at Lincoln and Montrose with an indoor pool, fitness center, tennis and pickleball courts, and a European-style gazebo used for outdoor concerts.
- Culture
Davis Theater
An independent cinema at 4614 N. Lincoln Ave. that first opened in 1918 and was revived in 2016 as a historic community movie house.
- Food & Drink
Gene's Sausage Shop & Delicatessen
A European gourmet market at 4750 N. Lincoln Ave. known for house-made sausages, imported specialties, and a seasonal rooftop beer and wine garden.
- Parks
River Park
A large riverside park where the North Branch and North Shore Channel meet, offering a pool, fields, and the start of the North Shore Channel Trail.
- Shopping
Lincoln Square Pedestrian Plaza
The Old World style pedestrian mall developed in 1978 at the heart of the Lincoln Avenue shopping district, lined with shops, cafes, and a European-imported lantern.
By the numbers
Lincoln Square taxes + market stats.
Property tax rates vary by exact township and assessor district. Confirm per address before pricing a purchase.
Median sold price
$484,705
MRED · last 12 mo (294 sales)
How Lincoln Square got here
A bit of history.
Lincoln Square began as farm country. In 1836 the Swiss immigrant Conrad Sulzer bought property near present-day Montrose and Clark, and truck farmers of mostly German and English descent followed, driving their produce in wagons down the old Little Fort Road, now Lincoln Avenue, to market in Chicago. The celery crop grew so widely that local growers proudly called the area a celery capital, and the Budlong brothers opened a successful pickle factory in 1857 before expanding into the flower business with Budlong Greenhouses in 1880. As electric street railways arrived in the 1890s and the Ravenswood Elevated opened in 1907, the farmland gradually filled in with bungalows, two-flats, and small apartment buildings.
The neighborhood took its modern identity from its commercial corridor. In 1925 the Chicago City Council named the area Lincoln Square in honor of Abraham Lincoln, and a prominent statue of the president was erected in 1956 at the intersection of Lincoln, Lawrence, and Western Avenues. Beginning in 1949 the local chamber of commerce promoted the district's commercial identity, and in 1978 it developed the Lincoln Square pedestrian mall, evoking an Old World flavor with European-style shops and a lantern imported from Hamburg, Germany. While the neighborhood remains known for its German heritage and businesses, its storefronts today reflect a broader mix that includes Thai, Latino, and other communities drawn by its family-friendly character.
The questions buyers actually ask
Lincoln Square FAQ
The questions I get most from buyers shopping Lincoln Square. If yours isn't here, text 224-385-8779, same-day reply.
- What kinds of homes can I buy in Lincoln Square, and what do they cost?
- Lincoln Square's housing stock is mostly private residences and small apartment buildings, including single-family homes, vintage greystones, condos, and classic Chicago two-flats and bungalows. The market is competitive, with a median sale price around 500,000 dollars in late 2025 and homes selling in roughly six weeks. Because inventory ranges from condos to multi-unit two-flats, your budget can stretch across very different property types. A local agent can help you target the right segment for your goals.
- How do property taxes and assessments work here?
- Lincoln Square is in Cook County, where the Assessor values residential property and reassessments happen on a triennial cycle for the City of Chicago. Your tax bill is driven by that assessed value, local levies, and any exemptions such as the Homeowner Exemption you may qualify for. It is smart to review a property's current assessment and recent tax history before you make an offer, since taxes can vary meaningfully between a condo and a two-flat. You can verify a specific parcel's assessment directly with the Assessor's office.
- Which public schools serve Lincoln Square?
- Lincoln Square is served by Chicago Public Schools, including neighborhood and magnet-cluster elementary options like Waters and Budlong, with Amundsen High School serving most of the community area and a small section zoned to Mather High School. Because attendance boundaries are address-specific, confirm a home's assigned schools using the official CPS School Locator before you buy. Several local schools have benefited from neighborhood funding initiatives. Verifying enrollment eligibility directly with the school or CPS is always the safest step.
- How is the commute downtown?
- Lincoln Square is served by the CTA Brown Line, with the Western and Rockwell stations putting a one-seat ride toward the Loop within easy reach. The neighborhood earns a Transit Score of 60, rated Good Transit. With a Walk Score of 85 and a Bike Score in the 70s, many residents also handle errands on foot or by bike. That combination makes it realistic to live here with little reliance on a car.
- Is Lincoln Square a good place to buy a condo or an investment property?
- The neighborhood's mix of condos, two-flats, and small apartment buildings makes it appealing for both owner-occupants and investors. Many condos in Illinois are governed by associations operating under the Illinois Condominium Property Act, so if you buy a condo you should review the association's budget, reserves, and rules before closing. Two-flats and small multi-unit buildings can offer house-hacking or rental income, but you will want to confirm zoning and any rental requirements. A competitive market where homes sell near or above list price means pricing strategy matters.
- What is the neighborhood's character and vibe?
- Lincoln Square is a family-friendly North Side neighborhood with a strong sense of place, centered on its German-rooted Lincoln Avenue shopping district and its 1978 pedestrian plaza. It blends Old World institutions like Merz Apothecary and Gene's Sausage Shop with a lively arts and dining scene, including the Old Town School of Folk Music and the historic Davis Theater. Annual events such as the summer Square Roots Festival reinforce the community feel. With walkable streets, good transit, and ample parks, it appeals to buyers who want neighborhood character close to the city.
- Who is the real estate agent for Lincoln Square?
- Joe Keegan is the local licensed Illinois real estate broker who covers Lincoln Square in Lincoln Square, IL through Subdiview, a neighborhood-first home search for the Chicago suburbs and collar counties. Joe prices and negotiates from the live MRED sold comps for Lincoln Square specifically, not national averages, and can help you buy or sell here. Reach Joe at 224-385-8779 or joe@joekeeganhomes.com.
Nearby
Neighborhoods near Lincoln Square.
If you’re cross-shopping the area, these are the neighborhoods right next to Lincoln Square.
Your local agent
Joe knows Lincoln Square
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
- Lincoln Square 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
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