University Park · Will County · IL
Homes for sale in
University Park.
- Active listings
- 9
- Median list
- $170K
- Avg time on market
- 8 days
- Sold · last year
- 0
Active listings
9 homes on the market
About the community
Living in University Park.
University Park is a village of about 7,100 residents on the far south side of metropolitan Chicago, straddling Will County with a small portion in Cook County. It is one of the region's few deliberately planned communities, developed in the 1960s and 1970s around Governors State University, which opened in 1969. The village is the southern terminus of Metra's Electric District line, where the University Park station sits 31.5 miles south of Millennium Station in downtown Chicago. A large industrial and logistics base lines the Interstate 57 corridor, with cold-storage and distribution operators and active new warehouse construction. Home values run well below the Chicago-area norm, with a 2024 median property value near $153,200.
At a glance
~7,100 residents
About 7,145 at the 2020 census, a planned south-suburban village in Will County with a small piece in Cook County.
Governors State University
Public university opened in 1969 on a campus in the village, home to the Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park.
Metra Electric terminus
Southern end of the Metra Electric District line at University Park station, 31.5 miles from Millennium Station downtown.
Crete-Monee District 201-U
Served by Crete-Monee CUSD 201-U, PreK-12. Coretta Scott King Magnet Elementary and Crete-Monee Middle School sit in the village.
I-57 logistics corridor
Heavy industrial and distribution base along Interstate 57, including cold-storage operators and a new logistics center under construction.
Interstate 57 access
Direct highway access via the Stuenkel Road interchange, about 37 miles south of downtown Chicago.
Affordable home values
Median property value around $153,200 in 2024, well below the national median, with a 63.7 percent homeownership rate.
Median income ~$73,800
2024 median household income about $73,844.
What’s close
University Park sits about 37 miles south of downtown Chicago at the I-57 corridor, blending a university campus, planned-community open space, and a heavy concentration of logistics development.
- Governors State University
- Public university on a large campus at 1 University Parkway, opened in 1969.
- University Park Metra Station
- Southern terminus of the Metra Electric District line, with multiple parking lots and over 1,000 spaces.
- Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park
- Internationally recognized outdoor sculpture park at GSU, developed by Lewis Manilow to honor his father.
- I-57 at Stuenkel Road
- Primary highway connector into the village and the spine of its industrial corridor.
- I-57 logistics corridor
- Industrial parks and distribution centers, including cold-storage operators and an under-construction logistics center.
- Illinois Route 50
- State highway running through University Park.
What it’s actually like to live here
University Park offers a notably affordable entry point into Chicago-area homeownership, with a 2024 median property value of $153,200, well below the national median, and a homeownership rate of about 63.7 percent. The village reflects its planned-community roots with wooded preserves, recreation areas, and bikeways set aside during the new-town era, alongside the cultural draw of Governors State University and the Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park. Buyers should weigh the trade-off of a high effective property tax burden against those lower home prices.
Daily life leans on the car, with most workers driving alone and an average commute near 39 minutes, but the University Park Metra station gives residents a direct, all-day electric-rail option into downtown Chicago. The local economy is anchored by health care and social assistance, retail, and transportation and warehousing, the last reflecting the village's growing role as an I-57 logistics hub. The community is predominantly African American and family-oriented, with a 2024 median age around 32.
Neighborhoods
Detailed University 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 University Park.
Boundary lines do shift. Always confirm in writing for a specific address before writing an offer.
- 201-UGrades PreK-12
Crete-Monee Community Unit School District 201-U
Schools serving the area
- Crete-Monee High School
- Crete-Monee Middle School
- Coretta Scott King Magnet Elementary
- Balmoral Elementary
University Park falls within Crete-Monee CUSD 201-U. Coretta Scott King Magnet Elementary and Crete-Monee Middle School are physically located in the village. Governors State University serves the area for higher education. Confirm the assigned elementary per address.
From the neighborhood
Around University Park
Real local creators on TikTok. Tap a tile to play it right here.
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@.coreybagelsAround town
What there is to do in University Park.
A handful of the places people who live here actually use. Not a directory.
- Culture
Governors State University
Public university and cultural anchor of the village, hosting performances, exhibitions, and community events.
- Culture
Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park
Internationally recognized outdoor sculpture park on the GSU campus with large-scale works across the grounds.
- Culture
Center for Performing Arts at GSU
On-campus theater presenting concerts and stage productions throughout the year.
- Family
University Park Metra Station
Catch the Metra Electric line for a car-free day trip into downtown Chicago from the line's southern terminus.
- Parks
Village of University Park
Village site listing parks, recreation programs, and community events.
- Family
GSU Recreation and Fitness Center
Campus recreation facilities and programming open to the university and surrounding community.
Getting around
Commute + transit from University Park.
MetraME line
- Stations: University Park
- Terminal: Chicago Millennium Station
- Distance: 31.5 miles to downtown Chicago
DriveBy car
- Routes: I-57 · Illinois Route 50 · Stuenkel Road
- Chicago Loop: ~56 min
- O'Hare Airport: ~65 min
By the numbers
University Park taxes + market stats.
Property tax rates vary by exact township and assessor district. Confirm per address before pricing a purchase.
Property tax rate
4.20%
effective avg
Sales tax
10.00%
combined
Median household income
$73,844
ACS
How University Park got here
A bit of history.
In the late 1950s Woodhill Enterprises bought land south of Park Forest for a large subdivision first called Wood Hill, but by 1967 only about 240 homes existed. In 1966 Nathan Manilow, a developer of nearby Park Forest, began acquiring land, and his son Lewis Manilow formed New Community Enterprises to build a whole new town, with Illinois Central Industries and United States Gypsum Company as major partners. The community incorporated as Park Forest South in 1967, projecting up to 100,000 residents, and under the federal New Communities Act of 1968 it was designated one of 15 such new communities. Governors State University opened in 1969, and the Illinois Central Railroad extended commuter service to the village, creating today's University Park Metra terminus.
The state allocated funds for the GSU campus in 1970, and HUD later guaranteed loans toward the vision. Developers modernized water and sewer facilities and launched the village's first elementary school, first apartment complex, and the Governors Gateway Industrial Park. Economic difficulties and limited HUD resources led to suspended development in late 1974, and the town originally planned for 100,000 was rescaled to an eventual 20,000 to 25,000 residents. Park Forest South officially became University Park in 1984. The new-town legacy remains visible in the industrial land along I-57, the open space and bikeways, and the Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park at GSU.
The questions buyers actually ask
University Park FAQ
The questions I get most from buyers shopping University Park. If yours isn't here, text 224-385-8779, same-day reply.
- What school district serves University Park?
- University Park is served by Crete-Monee Community Unit School District 201-U, a PreK-12 district. Coretta Scott King Magnet Elementary and Crete-Monee Middle School are located within the village, and Crete-Monee High School is the district high school. Governors State University is the local public university.
- Can I commute to downtown Chicago by train?
- Yes. University Park is the southern terminus of Metra's Electric District line. The University Park station is 31.5 miles from Millennium Station, with all-day electrified service into downtown Chicago and over 1,000 parking spaces across several lots.
- How far is University Park from downtown Chicago and O'Hare?
- It is roughly 37 miles, about 56 minutes by car, to the Chicago Loop via I-57, and about 65 minutes to O'Hare International Airport. The Metra Electric line is the common alternative for downtown commuters.
- What are property taxes like in University Park?
- They run high. The median effective property tax rate is about 4.2 percent, well above the Illinois median, with a median annual bill near $5,800. Lower home prices partly offset the rate, so always pull the actual tax bill for a specific address before writing an offer.
- Is there a university in University Park?
- Yes. Governors State University, a public university that opened in 1969, is located in the village, and the Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park sits on its campus. The campus hosts performances, exhibitions, and community events through the year.
- What is the local economy and job base?
- The largest sectors for residents are health care and social assistance, retail trade, and transportation and warehousing. University Park has a substantial I-57 logistics corridor, including cold-storage and distribution operators and a large new logistics center under construction.
Nearby
Towns next to University Park.
If you’re cross-shopping the area, these are the places that border University Park.
Your local agent
Joe knows University Park
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
- University 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
- Pre-list improvements that pay back, and the ones that don't
- No obligation, no spam, no auto-dialer