Robbins · Cook County · IL
Homes for sale in
Robbins.
- Active listings
- 10
- Median list
- $224K
- Avg time on market
- 102 days
- Sold · last year
- 0
Photo: Legimet / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Active listings
10 homes on the market
About the community
Living in Robbins.
Robbins is a village in south Cook County, Illinois, sitting roughly 20 miles south of downtown Chicago. It is one of the oldest incorporated African American towns in the northern United States, having been incorporated in 1917 and governed from its earliest days entirely by Black officials. The village covers about 1.45 square miles and had a population of 4,629 at the 2020 census, making it a small and tight-knit community. Robbins has its own Metra station on the Rock Island District line, giving residents a one-seat commuter rail ride toward downtown Chicago, with the station about 17 miles from LaSalle Street Station. Public school students are served by Posen-Robbins Elementary School District 143.5 and Bremen Community High School District 228, and Interstate 294 runs through the village with I-57 and Midway International Airport a short drive away.
At a glance
~4,600 residents
Robbins had a population of 4,629 at the 2020 census across about 1.45 square miles in south Cook County.
Historic heritage
One of the first municipalities in the northern United States governed entirely by African Americans, incorporated in 1917.
Aviation legacy
Site of the first U.S. airport owned and operated by African Americans, which ran from 1930 to 1933.
Rock Island District Metra
Robbins has its own station on Metra's Rock Island District line at 139th Street and Utica Avenue.
District 143.5 and District 228
Served by Posen-Robbins Elementary School District 143.5 and Bremen Community High School District 228.
Median income ~$41k
The median household income was about 40,668 in the latest Data USA estimate.
Affordable housing
The median property value was about 121,300, well below state and national averages.
History museum
The Robbins History Museum preserves the village's civic and aviation history.
What’s close
Robbins sits in south Cook County, Illinois, about 20 miles south of downtown Chicago, bordered by older south-suburban communities and tied to the city by both commuter rail and the interstate network.
- Village character
- A small, predominantly African American village of about 4,629 residents spread over roughly 1.45 square miles.
- Metra commuter rail
- Robbins has its own station on Metra's Rock Island District line at 139th Street and Utica Avenue, in fare zone 2 about 17 miles from LaSalle Street Station.
- Pace bus
- Served by Pace bus routes connecting the village to South Kedzie Avenue and the surrounding south suburbs.
- Major highways
- Interstate 294, the Tri-State Tollway, runs through Robbins though it has no exits within the village; I-57 access is a few minutes away.
- Schools
- Elementary students attend Posen-Robbins Elementary School District 143.5 and high schoolers attend Bremen Community High School District 228.
- Neighbors
- Adjacent and nearby south-suburban communities include Blue Island, Midlothian, Crestwood, Posen, Markham, and Dixmoor.
What it’s actually like to live here
Daily life in Robbins centers on a close, residential, predominantly African American community where most households own at least one car and the average commute runs about 29 minutes. The housing stock is overwhelmingly single-family and modest in price, with a homeownership rate around 59 percent, which appeals to first-time buyers and longtime residents alike. The village's own Metra station and Pace bus routes give households a real public-transit option toward jobs in the city and surrounding suburbs. Robbins is a community of churches and civic pride, rooted in a long history of self-governance.
For recreation and culture, residents draw on both local institutions and the wider south-suburban region. The Robbins History Museum anchors the village's identity, telling the story of its founding and its pioneering Black aviators. Just beyond the village, the Forest Preserves of Cook County operate the Tinley Creek Trail System, with more than 25 miles of paved trails for walking, cycling, and cross-country skiing, while neighboring Blue Island, Midlothian, and Crestwood add dining, shopping, and additional parks. This is a modest-income community, and much of its day-to-day shopping and dining happens in adjacent towns, but its central location keeps the whole Chicago Southland within easy reach.
Neighborhoods
Detailed Robbins 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 Robbins.
Boundary lines do shift. Always confirm in writing for a specific address before writing an offer.
- D143.5Grades PreK-8
Posen-Robbins Elementary School District 143.5
Schools serving the area
- Bernice Childs Elementary School (Robbins)
- Thomas J. Kellar Middle School (Robbins)
- John Gordon Elementary School (Posen)
- Posen Intermediate School (Posen)
Serves elementary and middle grade students in Robbins and neighboring Posen; two schools, Bernice Childs and Thomas J. Kellar, sit in Robbins. Confirm the assigned school by address.
- D228Grades 9-12
Bremen Community High School District 228
Schools serving the area
- Bremen High School (Midlothian)
- Tinley Park High School
- Hillcrest High School (Country Club Hills)
- Oak Forest High School
A four-year high school district covering about 29 square miles of Bremen Township, serving Robbins along with Midlothian, Posen, Markham, and other communities.
From the neighborhood
Around Robbins
Real local creators on TikTok. Tap a tile to play it right here.
🚨New hidden gem in downtown Huntley! This place is a must see full of unique decor 🥰 @The Vintage Hammer
@tinagrzecaTom’s in Huntley, IL #fallactivities #illinois #pumpkinspice #fallfun #chicagoland
@danirenee17Come support an amazing cause for Special Olympics at their Don’t Be Fooled 5K in downtown Huntley, IL on April 11th, 2026 and experience this joy too ❤️🔥. Link to sign up in bio!
@mamma.in.the.middleWho do you think wants to be cut the most?? #fyp #foryoupage #fy #burger #restaurant #dccobbs #huntley
@dc_cobbsAround town
What there is to do in Robbins.
A handful of the places people who live here actually use. Not a directory.
- Culture
Robbins History Museum
A local museum operated by the Robbins Historical Society documenting the village's founding and its pioneering African American aviators.
- Parks
Tinley Creek Trail System
A Forest Preserves of Cook County trail network of more than 25 miles of paved paths southwest of Robbins.
- Parks
Rubio Woods
A Forest Preserves of Cook County picnic and trail area in the Tinley Creek division near Midlothian, just southwest of Robbins.
- Culture
Robbins Historical Society and Museum
The visitor-bureau profile for the museum, with visitor information for the Chicago Southland region.
- Family
George W. Dunne National Golf Course
A public Forest Preserves of Cook County golf course encircled by the Tinley Creek paved loop, southwest of Robbins.
- Culture
Calumet Heritage Area
A regional heritage organization that profiles the Robbins History Museum as a featured Calumet-region site.
Getting around
Commute + transit from Robbins.
MetraRI line
- Stations: Robbins
- Terminal: LaSalle Street Station
- Distance: 17 miles to downtown Chicago
DriveBy car
- Routes: I-294 (Tri-State Tollway) · I-57 (nearby) · 135th Street · Kedzie Avenue
- Chicago Loop: ~35 min
- O'Hare Airport: ~40 min
By the numbers
Robbins taxes + market stats.
Property tax rates vary by exact township and assessor district. Confirm per address before pricing a purchase.
Property tax rate
4.42%
effective avg
Sales tax
10.50%
combined
Median sold price
$105,000
MRED · last 12 mo (27 sales)
Median household income
$40,668
ACS
How Robbins got here
A bit of history.
Robbins was incorporated on December 14, 1917, and named for Eugene S. Robbins, a real estate developer who laid out the village's early subdivisions. Its founder and first mayor was Thomas J. Kellar, a clerk for the Cook County Board of Assessors who investigated the procedures of incorporation, and the village's first election was held in January 1918. Robbins became known as the first municipality in the northern United States to be governed entirely by African American officials. After incorporation it grew into a popular recreation destination for Black Chicagoans, who filled its picnic grounds and gathering spots on summer weekends.
From 1930 to 1933, Robbins was home to the Robbins Airport, the first airport in the United States owned and operated by African Americans, founded by aviator John C. Robinson and associated with Cornelius Coffey. It housed the only flight school of its era where African Americans could train as pilots, and it served as a model that helped pave the way for the Tuskegee Airmen program during World War II. The single-runway airfield and its hangar were destroyed by a tornado in 1933, after which operations relocated to Harlem Airport near present-day Midway. Today the Robbins History Museum, operated by the Robbins Historical Society, preserves and shares this aviation and civic heritage.
The questions buyers actually ask
Robbins FAQ
The questions I get most from buyers shopping Robbins. If yours isn't here, text 815-355-0582, same-day reply.
- Where is Robbins, IL and how far is it from downtown Chicago?
- Robbins is a small village in south Cook County, Illinois, about 20 to 22 miles south of downtown Chicago. By car the Loop is roughly a 35-minute drive in normal traffic. The village covers about 1.45 square miles. Interstate 294 runs through town and I-57 is only a few minutes away.
- Can I take the train from Robbins into the city?
- Yes. Robbins has its own Metra station on the Rock Island District line at 139th Street and Utica Avenue. It sits in fare zone 2, about 17 miles from LaSalle Street Station in downtown Chicago, and offers a parking lot with about 151 spaces. Pace bus routes also connect at the station.
- What schools serve Robbins?
- Elementary and middle school students attend Posen-Robbins Elementary School District 143.5, which runs schools in Robbins and Posen including Bernice Childs Elementary and Thomas J. Kellar Middle School in Robbins. High school students attend Bremen Community High School District 228, which serves Robbins along with several neighboring towns. Confirm the exact attendance boundary for a specific address before you buy.
- Why is Robbins historically significant?
- Robbins was incorporated in 1917 and is recognized as one of the first municipalities in the northern United States to be governed entirely by African American officials. It was also home, from 1930 to 1933, to the first U.S. airport owned and operated by African Americans, where Black aviators could train as pilots, a legacy that helped pave the way for the Tuskegee Airmen. The Robbins History Museum keeps this story alive today.
- Is Robbins an affordable place to buy a home?
- Yes, Robbins is one of the more affordable markets in Cook County. The ACS-reported median property value was about 121,300, far below the Illinois and national medians, and many homes sell for considerably less. Buyers should know that south Cook County has high effective property tax rates, with a median effective rate reported around 4.42 percent, so the tax bill is an important part of the math.
- What is there to do in and around Robbins?
- In the village, the Robbins History Museum is the standout cultural destination. Just outside town, the Forest Preserves of Cook County operate the Tinley Creek Trail System with more than 25 miles of paved trails for walking, biking, and skiing, plus preserves like Rubio Woods. Neighboring Blue Island, Midlothian, and Crestwood add dining, shopping, and additional parks within a short drive.
Nearby
Towns next to Robbins.
If you’re cross-shopping the area, these are the places that border Robbins.
Your local agent
Joe knows Robbins
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
- Robbins specialist
- Honest local market take
- Brokerocity
Thinking of selling?
What's your home actually worth?
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- Pricing range with comp-by-comp logic
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