Elmwood Park · Cook County · IL
Homes for sale in
Elmwood Park.
- Active listings
- 42
- Median list
- $270K
- Avg time on market
- 31 days
- Sold · last year
- 0
Map data, Mapbox / OpenStreetMap contributors
Active listings
42 homes on the market
About the community
Living in Elmwood Park.
Elmwood Park is a compact, fully built-out village of roughly 24,500 people packed into about 1.9 square miles in western Cook County, which makes it one of the denser inner-ring suburbs in the Chicago area. It was incorporated in 1914, largely to avoid being annexed by Chicago, and it still carries a strong Italian-American identity alongside a growing Hispanic and Latino community. The housing is mostly older single-family homes, brick bungalows, and two-flats on tidy lots, with the village wrapped on multiple sides by Chicago and near-west suburbs like River Forest and River Grove. Buyers come for the location: a Metra station on the Milwaukee District West line, a short hop to O'Hare, and a single unified school district serving the whole village K through 12. Property taxes run high, which is typical for Cook County, so budget accordingly.
At a glance
~24,500 residents
The 2020 census recorded 24,521 residents in just 1.91 square miles, a dense, fully developed suburb.
One unified district
The entire village is served K-12 by Elmwood Park Community Unit School District 401, keeping families in a single system.
Metra station
The Elmwood Park station on Metra's Milwaukee District West line sits at 7600 W. Grand Ave., about 10.2 miles from Chicago Union Station.
Inner-ring location
Elmwood Park borders the city of Chicago and near-west suburbs including River Forest and River Grove.
Italian-American roots
The village has long maintained a large Italian-American population, now alongside a growing Hispanic and Latino community.
High Cook County tax
The median effective property tax rate is about 2.69 percent, above the Illinois median, with a median annual bill around 7,458 dollars.
Close to O'Hare
O'Hare is roughly a 19 minute drive, about 9 miles, and the Chicago Loop is about 24 minutes, roughly 13 miles.
Conti Parkway circle
The community's recreation and event hub is built around Conti Parkway, home to the rec center, aquatic center, and public library.
What’s close
Elmwood Park is centrally located in western Cook County, hemmed in by the city of Chicago to the east and a cluster of near-west suburbs on its other sides, with major commercial corridors running along its edges and a Metra station near its core.
- Metra station
- The Elmwood Park station on the Milwaukee District West line at 7600 W. Grand Ave., in fare zone 2, offers daily service to Chicago Union Station about 10.2 miles east.
- Retail corridors
- North Avenue (IL 64) and Harlem Avenue (IL 43) form busy commercial spines, with Grand Avenue adding another retail and dining strip.
- Parks and recreation
- The Conti Parkway circle area anchors village recreation, including Central Park, the Recreation Center, and the outdoor Aquatic Center.
- Schools
- Elmwood Park CUSD 401 operates all public schools within the village, with the high school at 8201 W. Fullerton Ave.
- Dining
- The village is known for classic Chicago-style Italian beef and barbecue, including Johnnie's Beef and Russell's Barbecue.
- Highway access
- Beyond North Ave and Harlem Ave, the I-290 and I-294 expressways are a short drive away, supporting an O'Hare commute of roughly 19 minutes.
What it’s actually like to live here
Living in Elmwood Park means living in an established, fully built-out neighborhood rather than a new-construction suburb. The housing stock leans older and modest, with brick bungalows, Cape Cods, and two-flats on compact lots, reflecting the village's 1920s and postwar growth spurts. As of 2024 the homeownership rate was about 65 percent and the median property value was around 339,300 dollars, so this is a mix of long-term owner-occupants and renters. With about 24,500 people in under two square miles, density is high and most errands, schools, and the train are within a short drive or walk.
Day-to-day life centers on the village's commercial corridors and the Conti Parkway circle, with its recreation center, aquatic center, and library. The community is diverse and family-oriented, and the median age is around 41.5. There is a strong Italian-American food and cultural tradition layered with a large and growing Hispanic and Latino population. Most workers drive, with an average commute of about 32 minutes, though the Metra station gives a one-seat ride downtown for those who prefer rail.
Neighborhoods
Detailed Elmwood Park 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 Elmwood Park.
Boundary lines do shift. Always confirm in writing for a specific address before writing an offer.
- D401Grades Pre-K – 12
Elmwood Park Community Unit School District 401
Schools serving the area
- Elmwood Park High School
- Elm Middle School
- John Mills Elementary School
- Elmwood Elementary School
This single community unit district serves the entire village K-12. The two elementary schools split by geography: John Mills serves students north of the railroad tracks plus all Pre-K, while Elmwood Elementary serves students south of the tracks.
Around town
What there is to do in Elmwood Park.
A handful of the places people who live here actually use. Not a directory.
- Parks
Central Park (Conti Parkway)
A village park within the Conti Parkway circle area featuring walking paths and playground space, part of the village's parks and recreation system.
- Family
Elmwood Park Aquatic Center
The village's outdoor aquatic facility, operated by the Elmwood Park Recreation Department.
- Culture
Elmwood Park Public Library
The village's public library, located at 1 Conti Parkway on the edge of the Conti Parkway circle.
- Food & Drink
Johnnie's Beef
A cash-only Italian beef and hot dog stand at 7500 W. North Ave. that has operated in Elmwood Park since 1961.
- Food & Drink
Russell's Barbecue
A long-running barbecue restaurant in Elmwood Park, among the oldest continuously operating barbecue restaurants in the Chicago area.
- Family
Community and Recreation Center
A village recreation building at 4 Conti Parkway, opened to residents in 2021, offering indoor and outdoor recreation programming.
Getting around
Commute + transit from Elmwood Park.
MetraMD-W line
- Stations: Elmwood Park
DriveBy car
- Routes: North Avenue (IL 64) · Harlem Avenue (IL 43) · Grand Avenue · I-290 and I-294 nearby
- O'Hare Airport: ~19 min
- Chicago Loop: ~24 min
By the numbers
Elmwood Park taxes + market stats.
Property tax rates vary by exact township and assessor district. Confirm per address before pricing a purchase.
Property tax rate
2.69%
effective avg
Sales tax
10.00%
combined
Median sold price
$360,000
MRED · last 12 mo (275 sales)
Median household income
$91,955
ACS
How Elmwood Park got here
A bit of history.
Elmwood Park was incorporated as a village in early April 1914, largely as a defensive move to prevent annexation by the city of Chicago. Evidence of that struggle is still visible today, since a minority of landowners voted to join Chicago in 1915, which is why the village's northeast corner has an odd notch cut out of it instead of a clean rectangular border. The community took its name from a nearby grove of old elm trees near Harlem Avenue and Irving Park Road that city dwellers would visit by train for family picnics around the turn of the century.
The village grew rapidly in the 1920s and again in the post-World War II era, and it has long maintained a large Italian-American population, with a more recent influx of Hispanic and Latino residents. By the 2000 census the population had reached 25,405, and it has held roughly steady since, recording 24,521 residents in 2020. That deep Italian-American heritage shows up in local institutions and food culture, including Russell's Barbecue, which is among the oldest continuously operating barbecue restaurants in the Chicago area.
The questions buyers actually ask
Elmwood Park FAQ
The questions I get most from buyers shopping Elmwood Park. If yours isn't here, text 815-355-0582, same-day reply.
- How big is Elmwood Park and how dense is it?
- Elmwood Park had a population of 24,521 at the 2020 census, packed into just 1.91 square miles of land. That works out to roughly 12,800 people per square mile, making it one of the denser inner-ring suburbs in the Chicago area. It is fully built out, so you will find established neighborhoods rather than new subdivisions.
- What school district serves Elmwood Park?
- The entire village is served by Elmwood Park Community Unit School District 401, a single unified K-12 district. It includes Elmwood Park High School, Elm Middle School, and two elementary schools (John Mills and Elmwood), so students stay within one district from Pre-K through graduation.
- Can I take the train downtown from Elmwood Park?
- Yes. The village has its own Metra station on the Milwaukee District West line at 7600 W. Grand Ave., in fare zone 2. It provides daily service to Chicago Union Station, about 10.2 miles away, with Pace bus connections nearby.
- How are the property taxes in Elmwood Park?
- They are high, which is typical for Cook County. The median effective property tax rate is about 2.69 percent, higher than the Illinois median, and the median annual property tax bill is around 7,458 dollars. Homeowners can apply for exemptions and can appeal their assessment with the Cook County Assessor.
- What do homes cost in Elmwood Park?
- As of 2024 the median property value was about 339,300 dollars, with a homeownership rate around 65 percent. The housing stock is mostly older single-family homes, bungalows, and two-flats, so this is an established market rather than new construction.
- What is the community like in Elmwood Park?
- Elmwood Park has long had a strong Italian-American identity, reflected in institutions like Russell's Barbecue and a deep food tradition. More recently it has become substantially more diverse, with a large and growing Hispanic and Latino population. The median age is around 41.5, and it remains a family-oriented community.
Your local agent
Joe knows Elmwood Park
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
- Elmwood Park 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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