Rogers Park Community

Rogers Park is Chicago’s most northern neighborhood and borders the suburb of Evanston. A large and culturally diverse area, Rogers Park offers less congestion than areas nearer to downtown.

Rogers Park is the northern most neighborhood of the city. With residential streets, small commercial areas, parklands, and beaches, it is a good area for singles as well as families.

Rogers Park may be one of the most culturally and economically diverse neighborhoods in Chicago. There are more than 80 languages spoken among the community’s 63,000+ residents. Over the years, it has become home to Jewish, Indian, Irish, Luxemburger, Eastern European, Middle Eastern, Russian, German, Roman Catholic, African American, Asian, and Mexican communities to name a few. With so many diverse cultures, it is truly a melting pot with everyone working to get along.

Once, a more suburban-style of living, in recent years it has become urban and renter-friendly. Construction of large apartment buildings and multi-units accommodate those who commute back and forth to the downtown area. Community leaders have worked hard to forge good private-public partnerships to improve housing stock, community services, and safety for the neighborhood. Due to their efforts, Rogers Park has become very attractive to both old and new residents. Today, home ownership is growing, with many condominium complexes being built and rehabbed from previous rental properties.

Besides the famous Loyola University, Rogers Park has several “other” schools for you to look into:  Boone Elementary School, Rogers Elementary School, Consolidated Hebrew High School, Hanna Sacks Girls High School, and St. Margaret Mary School, to name a few.

For recreation, there is Indian Boundary Park with its lagoon and tree lined trails, tennis courts, playground, and children’s zoo.
In the Glenwood Avenue Arts District, found in the heart of the neighborhood, you will find art studios, music venues, fine restaurants, and theaters- like the Lifeline Theatre, Theo Ubique, and BoHo Theatre. These theaters along with the Side Project from Jarvis Square have won numerous awards making it the most awarded theater neighborhood in the city.  You also have the annual Glenwood Avenue Arts Fest, a free, weekend-long event that has artists, open studios, and three outdoor stages of live entertainment.

The finest shopping strip west of Park Avenue, North Michigan Avenue’s “Magnificent Mile” is home to some of the biggest names in the business- Macy’s, Sak’s Fifth Avenue, Chanel, and Prado to name a few. If that’s not enough, there’s always Barney’s of New York and the unbelievable in-door mall, Water Tower Place. Eight exquisite floors of shopping and eating with more than 120 specialty shops, seven cinemas, and several choices in restaurants.

Adequate public transportation is available with the CTA’s Howard-Dan Ryan line and the Metra commuter train. For more travel information, visit www.transitchicago.com.