Cicero · Cook County · IL
Homes for sale in
Cicero.
- Active listings
- 33
- Median list
- $299K
- Avg time on market
- 39 days
- Sold · last year
- 0
Map data, Mapbox / OpenStreetMap contributors
About the community
Living in Cicero.
Cicero is a town in Cook County sitting directly on Chicago's west-side border, home to roughly 82,000 to 85,000 residents across just under 6 square miles. That density makes it one of the most compact and populous municipalities in the state, ranking 11th by population. The housing stock leans heavily toward early-20th-century brick bungalows, two-flats, and worker cottages built around the town's factory past. Today Cicero is overwhelmingly Hispanic, the most Hispanic municipality in Illinois, with a vibrant commercial corridor along Cermak Road. Commuters benefit from a Metra BNSF station and a CTA Pink Line stop, both putting downtown Chicago within easy reach.
At a glance
~82,000 residents
Cicero is the 11th most populous municipality in Illinois, with roughly 82,000 to 85,268 residents.
Most Hispanic in Illinois
The town is more than 89 percent Hispanic per the 2020 census, the most Hispanic municipality in the state.
On Chicago's border
Sits directly on Chicago's west-side border in Cook County, about 10 miles from the Loop.
Metra and CTA
Served by a Metra BNSF station at 26th and Cicero plus the CTA Pink Line Cicero station.
District 99 + Morton 201
Cicero Elementary School District 99 runs 16 schools; J. Sterling Morton High School District 201 runs Morton East.
Hawthorne Works history
Former home of Western Electric's Hawthorne Works, which once employed up to 45,000 workers.
Dense brick housing
Over 14,500 people per square mile across just 5.86 square miles, mostly brick bungalows and two-flats.
Hawthorne Race Course
Home to a long-running thoroughbred horse racing track on the town's south side.
What’s close
Cicero hugs Chicago's western border, giving residents quick access to downtown jobs, transit lines, and major roadways while keeping a distinct, dense town footprint.
- Metra BNSF Cicero station
- At 26th and Cicero, on the line between Aurora and Chicago Union Station, with parking and ticket machines.
- CTA Pink Line
- The Cicero station and the nearby 54th/Cermak terminal connect the town to Chicago's Loop.
- Cermak Road corridor
- The town's main commercial spine, lined with shops and restaurants.
- Morton College
- A community college in Cicero, also home to the Hawthorne Works Museum.
- Hawthorne Race Course
- A historic thoroughbred racing track that has operated in Cicero for over a century.
- Chicago Loop
- About 10 miles east, roughly a 19-minute drive in good conditions.
What it’s actually like to live here
Daily life in Cicero is shaped by its density and its working-class roots. The town packs more than 14,500 people per square mile into well-defined residential blocks, and the housing stock is dominated by early-20th-century brick bungalows, two-flats, and worker cottages. Homeownership sits around 54.6 percent, a notch below the national average, reflecting a healthy mix of owner-occupants and renters. The median property value was $249,400 in 2024 per Data USA, while Ownwell pegs the median home price at $200,000, making Cicero relatively affordable for a town this close to downtown Chicago.
Cicero is a young, family-oriented, and largely Hispanic community: the median age is about 34, roughly 48 percent of households have children under 18, and more than 89 percent of residents identify as Hispanic. Many residents commute to jobs across the Chicago metro, with an average commute of about 29 minutes, and most drive or carpool while a meaningful share rely on Metra and CTA service. The commercial heart of town runs along Cermak Road, where Spanish-language businesses, restaurants, and shops have replaced the Czech and Bohemian establishments of earlier generations.
Neighborhoods
Detailed Cicero 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.
Schools
Districts serving Cicero.
Boundary lines do shift. Always confirm in writing for a specific address before writing an offer.
- SD99Grades Pre-K – 8
Cicero Elementary School District 99
Schools serving the area
- Unity Junior High School
- Lincoln Elementary
- Roosevelt School
- Sherlock Elementary
- Burnham Elementary
Serves elementary and middle-school students townwide across 16 schools, one of the largest public districts outside Chicago. Assignments depend on residency.
- HSD201Grades 9 – 12
J. Sterling Morton High School District 201
Schools serving the area
- Morton East High School
- Morton Freshman Center
Cicero high school students attend a Freshman Center and then Morton East at 2423 S. Austin Blvd.
Around town
What there is to do in Cicero.
A handful of the places people who live here actually use. Not a directory.
- Culture
Hawthorne Works Museum
A free museum on Morton College's campus telling the story of the Western Electric Hawthorne Works factory and its workers.
- Family
Hawthorne Race Course
A historic thoroughbred horse racing track that has operated in Cicero for over a century.
- Parks
Cicero Community Park
A town park offering green lawns, walking paths, playgrounds, and picnic space for residents.
- Parks
Hawthorne Park District
A local park district with open fields, a playground, and courts for volleyball and tennis.
- Culture
Chodl Auditorium
One of the largest non-commercial proscenium theatres in the Chicago area, completed in 1927 inside Morton East High School.
- Culture
St. Mary of Czestochowa Church
A neo-Gothic church built in the Polish Cathedral style, noted for its architecture and history in the community.
Getting around
Commute + transit from Cicero.
MetraBNSF line
- Stations: Cicero
- Terminal: Chicago Union Station
DriveBy car
- Routes: Cermak Road · Cicero Avenue · Ogden Avenue · I-290
- Chicago Loop: ~19 min
- O'Hare Airport: ~27 min
By the numbers
Cicero taxes + market stats.
Property tax rates vary by exact township and assessor district. Confirm per address before pricing a purchase.
Property tax rate
2.83%
effective avg
Sales tax
10.75%
combined
Median sold price
$276,000
MRED · last 12 mo (188 sales)
Median household income
$70,842
ACS
How Cicero got here
A bit of history.
Cicero was incorporated as a town on February 28, 1867, and named for the Roman statesman and orator Marcus Tullius Cicero. The original Cicero Township was about six times its current size; over time Oak Park and Berwyn were carved out as separate municipalities, and areas such as Austin were annexed into Chicago. In 1902 Western Electric purchased a tract of prairie known as Hawthorne that became part of Cicero, and in 1905 the company opened its Hawthorne Works factory complex there. At its peak the plant employed as many as 45,000 workers producing telephone and communications equipment, and it operated until its closure in the 1980s.
After building his criminal empire in Chicago, Al Capone moved his operations to Cicero in the 1920s to escape Chicago police, and the 1924 municipal elections were marked by gang-related violence. Once a heavily Czech and Bohemian town, Cicero saw a major influx of Hispanic residents, mostly Mexican and Central American, through the 1980s and 1990s, and most of the old European businesses along 22nd Street (now Cermak Road) were replaced by Spanish-language shops. By the 2020 census the town was more than 89 percent Hispanic, the most Hispanic municipality in Illinois.
The questions buyers actually ask
Cicero FAQ
The questions I get most from buyers shopping Cicero. If yours isn't here, text 815-355-0582, same-day reply.
- How far is Cicero from downtown Chicago?
- Cicero sits right on Chicago's western border, about 10 miles from the Loop, which is roughly a 19-minute drive in good traffic. The Metra BNSF line and the CTA Pink Line also connect Cicero to downtown.
- What kind of homes are for sale in Cicero?
- Cicero's housing is dominated by early-20th-century brick bungalows, two-flats, and worker cottages. The median property value was $249,400 in 2024 per Data USA, with Ownwell reporting a median home price of $200,000.
- What are the property taxes like in Cicero?
- The median effective property tax rate in Cicero is about 2.83 percent, higher than the Illinois and national medians, with a median annual bill around $5,644. This reflects Cook County levies plus local school district levies.
- What is the sales tax rate in Cicero?
- The combined minimum sales tax rate in Cicero is 10.75 percent, which includes the 6.25 percent Illinois state rate plus county, town, and special district taxes.
- What schools serve Cicero?
- Elementary and middle-school students attend Cicero Elementary School District 99, which runs 16 schools. High schoolers attend Morton East in J. Sterling Morton High School District 201, and Morton College offers higher education in town.
- Is Cicero a good commuter town?
- Yes. Cicero has a Metra BNSF station at 26th and Cicero with direct service to Chicago Union Station, plus a CTA Pink Line stop, and the average resident commute is about 29 minutes.
- What is Cicero known for historically?
- Cicero was the longtime home of Western Electric's Hawthorne Works factory, which employed up to 45,000 people, and it became famous as Al Capone's base of operations in the 1920s. Today it is the most Hispanic municipality in Illinois.
Nearby
Towns next to Cicero.
If you’re cross-shopping the area, these are the places that border Cicero.
Your local agent
Joe knows Cicero
Most agents will list anything. I focus on the communities I actually know, and the details that determine resale value here aren't in the MLS write-up: which lots back to open space, which streets carry the most consistent demand, which floor plans buyers ask for by name, and what each HOA actually covers.
When you're ready to tour or list, you want someone who's walked the streets, talked to the residents, and read the last 50 closed comps in this market specifically. That's how I work. Text or call any time, and I'll give you a real take, not a brochure.
- Lives in McHenry County
- Local specialist
- Cicero 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