Rogers Park is a Chicago neighborhood that offers authentic ethnic cuisine, lower home prices, lakefront views and beaches, and access to public transit — but its location at the northernmost point of the Chicago metro area puts it out of the picture for some. However, some upcoming developments prove the neighborhood might be worth considering for those willing to venture farther north.

Low Home Prices and Lakefront Views 

Rogers Park is one of the most dynamic communities in the nation.  Roughly 63,000 people call Rogers Park home and nearly 80 different languages are spoken within its borders, according to RogersPark.com. Rogers Park’s borders are Devon Avenue to the south, Ridge Avenue to the west, Juneway Terrace to the north, and Lake Michigan to the east.

Over the years, the neighborhood has caught the attention of homebuyers looking for a lakefront community without shelling out prices seen in neighborhoods like Lakeview and Gold Coast. While Rogers Park is a bit of a trek from the Loop, it has access to both the CTA and Metra trains. Rogers Park sits at the tail end of the CTA Red Line, and has four total Red Line stops including Howard, Jarvis, Morse, and Loyola University, and it also has a Metra Line stop at Ravenswood and Lunt Avenues.

The neighborhood is known as the home of Loyola University, and Loyola Park is among the most beloved lakeside attractions here. The park features sandy beaches, a 600-foot concrete sea will with 160 mini murals painted by residents of the neighborhood, a playground, and baseball diamonds.

Rogers Park also is home to one of the biggest concentrations of authentic ethnic cuisine in the city. Taste of Peru, Chez Delisay’s Cajun Cuisine, and Ethiopian Diamond II are among the local favorites. Other local hotspots are the Red Line Tap and Heartland Cafe, which both share a kitchen, Empirical Brew Pub, The Common Cup, and Smack Dab Bakery.

According to a report in the Chicago Tribune, the average home price of a single-family detached home in Rogers Park within the past six months is $675,667. The average price of an attached two-bedroom, single-family home, like a condo or townhome, was $175,038. The real catch is that in Rogers Park, it’s possible to find a home with private beachfront access.

New Developments in Rogers Park

Rendering courtesy of The Concord at Sheridan

In late November 2017, Mayor Rahm Emanuel, members of the Chicago Housing Authority, and Three Corners Development gathered to celebrate the groundbreaking of a new seven-story, mixed-use, mixed-income building along Sheridan Road and Devon Avenue in Rogers Park. The development -- coined as “The Concord at Sheridan” -- will have 111 rental apartments, 65 of which will be supported by the CHA Property Rental Assistance Program and the rest will be at market rate.

While the project is considered to be transit-oriented, it will also have a underground parking lot with capacity for 125 vehicles. According to Curbed Chicago, that parking will largely be used for the planned 23,000-square-foot Target. Official construction of the parking garage and apartment building is expected to start this February, and the project is expected to be completed by late winter or early fall of 2019.