Elmwood Park, IL · Community & Real Estate Guide
Living in Elmwood Park
Solid brick homes, a real restaurant scene, and the most house for your money just north of Oak Park.
Blocks of 1920s bungalows and Georgians, Restaurant Row on North Avenue, a Metra ride to Union Station, and one school district from pre-K through graduation. Here is your local guide to buying, selling, and living in Elmwood Park, from broker Scott Berg.
Elmwood Park at a Glance
A Compact Village Built for Living
Elmwood Park is a 1.9-square-mile village about 10 miles west of downtown Chicago. It sits directly north of Oak Park and River Forest across North Avenue, with Chicago to the east and the Des Plaines River forest preserves a short drive west. Nearly all of it is residential, laid out on a regular grid of standard city lots.
What sets Elmwood Park apart is the housing. Most homes are brick single-family houses built from the 1920s through the 1950s, and single-family homes here sell for about 40% less than in Oak Park. It also has the lowest price per square foot of the three villages in our Oak Park, Forest Park, and Elmwood Park comparison, so a given budget buys more space here.
Market figures reflect recent Elmwood Park residential sales and are deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Population and land area are rounded from the 2020 Census.
Why People Move Here
More House, Quieter Streets
Elmwood Park draws buyers who want a well-built single-family home and a yard without paying Oak Park or River Forest prices. Many are first-time buyers stepping up from a condo, families who want more bedrooms for the money, and people moving out from Chicago’s Northwest Side who want a quieter suburb close to the city.
The village has a strong local identity. Restaurant Row on North Avenue, the Circle on Conti Parkway, and the Taste of Elmwood Park festival, which has run for more than 30 years, give it a food scene that punches above its size. Neighbors tend to stay a long time, and it shows in how the blocks are kept up.
The trade-off is transit and walkability. There are no CTA trains, and most people drive for daily errands. If a car-light life matters to you, Forest Park or Oak Park may fit better. If space and a solid house come first, Elmwood Park is hard to beat.
Talk to Scott About Elmwood Park →Brick Bungalows & Georgians
Most of the housing stock is solid brick, built from the 1920s through the 1950s, including the classic Mills bungalows built by the village’s early developer.
Lowest Price per Square Foot
Among Oak Park, Forest Park, and Elmwood Park, Elmwood Park gives you the most space for the money.
One District, Pre-K to 12
CUSD 401 runs every public school in the village, from pre-K at John Mills through Elmwood Park High School.
Restaurant Row
North Avenue’s long stretch of family-run restaurants, plus the Circle on Conti Parkway, make Elmwood Park a dining destination for the whole area.
The Elmwood Park Difference
What Sets the Village Apart
Two things define daily life here: a food scene locals from neighboring towns drive in for, and a commute built around Metra and the car.
Restaurant Row & the Circle
Elmwood Park’s southern edge along North Avenue is known as Restaurant Row, a long stretch of Italian beef stands, pizzerias, family restaurants, and newer spots. The village’s other hub is the Circle on Conti Parkway, where the fountain, Village Hall, and a cluster of restaurants and taverns sit at the center of town.
The village leans into it with an annual restaurant week and the Taste of Elmwood Park each summer in Central Park at 75th and Fullerton. For buyers, living a short walk from either corridor is a real plus in a village that is otherwise mostly quiet residential streets.
Search Elmwood Park HomesMetra, Pace & the Car
The Elmwood Park Metra station at 7600 W. Grand Avenue is on the Milwaukee District West line, about 10 miles from Union Station, with a ride of roughly 30 minutes. Pace buses run along Harlem and Grand, and Harlem Avenue connects south to Oak Park and the CTA Green and Blue Lines.
There are no CTA train stations in the village, so most households keep a car for errands and school runs. For commuters headed to the West Loop or Union Station, Metra works well. For anyone who wants to walk to the L every day, Forest Park and Oak Park are the stronger fits.
Education
Elmwood Park Schools
Elmwood Park is one of the few villages nearby with a single unit district. One school board oversees every public school from pre-K through 12th grade, and all four schools are inside the village.
John Mills & Elmwood Elementary
Students in grades K-5 who live north of the railroad tracks attend John Mills Elementary. Those south of the tracks attend Elmwood Elementary. All pre-K students attend John Mills.
Elm Middle School
Every Elmwood Park student in grades 6 through 8 attends Elm Middle School on Cortland Street, so the whole village comes together before high school.
Elmwood Park High School
Elmwood Park High School on Fullerton Avenue serves only Elmwood Park residents. It is part of CUSD 401, not Oak Park and River Forest High School (District 200).
School assignments follow district boundaries, which can change. Confirm the attendance area for any specific address with CUSD 401 before you make an offer. If OPRF High School is a must, see the Oak Park vs. River Forest comparison.
Homes & Value
What Homes Cost in Elmwood Park
Elmwood Park is mostly brick single-family homes, with condos, two-flats, and small townhome buildings mixed in. The median single-family home sells for $412,500, and the median condo for $166,000.
| Home Type | Typical Price Range | Who It Suits |
|---|---|---|
| Condos | $120,000 to $250,000 | First-time buyers and downsizers. Condos have been sitting longer lately, so buyers often have room to negotiate. |
| Townhomes | $250,000 to $400,000 | Buyers who want more space than a condo without full single-family upkeep. |
| Two-Flats & Small Multi-Units | $350,000 to $550,000 | House-hackers, investors, and families who want rental income or room for relatives. |
| Single-Family Homes | $325,000 to $550,000+ | Buyers who want a brick bungalow or Georgian with a yard, more bedrooms, and the most space for the money. |
Ranges are general guidance based on recent Elmwood Park sales and vary by condition, location, and updates. For a side-by-side look at prices, price per square foot, and days on market, see the Oak Park vs. Forest Park vs. Elmwood Park comparison.
Parks & Recreation
Things to Do Year-Round
Beyond the restaurants, Elmwood Park offers village recreation programs, a summer festival, and forest preserves minutes away.
Community & Recreation Center
The village’s recreation building at 4 Conti Parkway has golf simulators, bocce courts with weekly leagues, and programs for all ages.
Taste of Elmwood Park
A summer tradition for more than 30 years in Central Park at 75th and Fullerton, with food from local restaurants, music, rides, and a bocce tournament.
The Circle
The fountain and park across from Village Hall anchor the center of town, with the Civic Center and the Elmwood Park Public Library nearby.
Forest Preserves & the River
The Cook County forest preserves along the Des Plaines River put trails, woods, and open space a short drive west.
Oak Park Country Club
Despite the name, the Oak Park Country Club and its golf course sit inside Elmwood Park.
Restaurant Week
Each winter the village runs “Dine-In Elmwood Park,” a restaurant week that spotlights local spots across town.
Nearby Villages
Weighing Elmwood Park Against Its Neighbors?
Most buyers look at Elmwood Park alongside the villages around it. These guides lay out the trade-offs.
Oak Park vs. Forest Park vs. Elmwood Park
Live prices, price per square foot, schools, housing, and commutes for all three villages side by side.
Compare the ThreeLiving in Forest Park
Similar prices, smaller homes, and the end of the Blue Line with a walkable Madison Street.
Read the GuideLiving in Oak Park
OPRF High School, three train lines, twelve business districts, and a higher price point.
Read the GuideYour Local Market Expert
Buying or Selling in Elmwood Park? Start With Scott Berg
Scott Berg has spent more than 20 years helping people buy and sell across the near-west suburbs, including Elmwood Park, Oak Park, River Forest, and Forest Park. With 1,700+ transactions and over $700 million in sales volume, he knows how Elmwood Park’s housing stock, schools, and prices compare with the villages around it.
Many of Scott’s buyers start in Oak Park and widen their search. He shows homes in several villages on the same tour, so you can see what your budget buys in each one before you decide.
Common Questions
Elmwood Park FAQ
The questions buyers and sellers ask Scott most about living in Elmwood Park.
Elmwood Park is a compact, mostly residential village about 10 miles west of downtown Chicago, directly north of Oak Park and River Forest across North Avenue. It is known for its Restaurant Row along North Avenue, the Circle on Conti Parkway, the long-running Taste of Elmwood Park festival, and blocks of solid brick bungalows and Georgians built from the 1920s through the 1950s.
Elmwood Park suits buyers who want a well-built single-family home for less money than Oak Park or River Forest, and who are comfortable driving for most errands or taking Metra downtown. You get quiet residential blocks, one school district from pre-K through high school, strong local restaurants, and forest preserves a short drive west.
Elmwood Park single-family homes typically sell for about 40% less than Oak Park, and the village has the lowest price per square foot among Oak Park, Forest Park, and Elmwood Park. Condos are the most affordable entry point, and they have been taking longer to sell, which gives condo buyers more room to negotiate. The current median single-family price is $412,500, and the median condo price is $166,000. See the three-village comparison for more.
Elmwood Park is served by Elmwood Park Community Unit School District 401, a single pre-K through 12 district. Students in grades K-5 attend John Mills Elementary if they live north of the railroad tracks or Elmwood Elementary if they live south of them, and all pre-K students attend John Mills. Grades 6-8 attend Elm Middle School, and grades 9-12 attend Elmwood Park High School. Elmwood Park does not feed into Oak Park and River Forest High School.
Elmwood Park has a Metra station at 7600 W. Grand Avenue on the Milwaukee District West line, about 10 miles from Union Station, with a ride of roughly 30 minutes. There are no CTA train stations in the village. Pace buses run along Harlem and Grand, and most residents drive for daily errands.
No. Only Oak Park and River Forest are in District 200, which runs OPRF High School. Elmwood Park has its own unit district, CUSD 401, and high school students attend Elmwood Park High School. That school district difference is one of the main reasons Elmwood Park homes cost less than homes a few blocks south in Oak Park or River Forest.
Yes. Scott Berg is a top-producing broker with Berg Properties who works throughout the near-west suburbs, including Elmwood Park, Oak Park, River Forest, and Forest Park. With 20+ years of experience and 1,700+ transactions, Scott offers buyer representation, listing help, and pricing guidance in Elmwood Park, and he often shows buyers homes in several of these villages on the same tour.
Ready to Make a Move?
Let’s Talk About Elmwood Park
Whether you are buying your first home, selling a longtime one, or deciding between Elmwood Park and the villages next door, Scott will give you a straight read on prices, schools, and what your budget buys. No pressure.