Oak Park Office

Located 10 miles directly west of downtown Chicago, Oak Park is the 29th largest city in Illinois. A charming village with a rich history, Oak Park comprises three nationally recognized historic districts including the Frank Lloyd Wright Historic District.

The community was settled in 1837 when Joseph Kettlestrings purchased 172 acres of land in the area. The population then grew rapidly in the 1870s, when many Chicago residents relocated to the area after the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. Originally part of Cicero, Oak Park was finally established as a village in 1902. Since then, Oak Park has evolved into a diverse community with a wide variety of residents. In addition to Frank Lloyd Wright, the neighborhood has been home to many notable Americans over the years including Ernest Hemingway.

Oak Park is characterized by its many Frank Lloyd Wright designed buildings. Wright spent the first 20 years of his career in Oak Park, building more homes in the community than anywhere else in the world. Home styles in Oak Park are architecturally diverse, ranging from Victorian Painted Ladies to Prairie. The average sold price for a single-family home in Oak Park was $405,252 in 2012 (source: Midwest Real Estate Data, LLC).

The Village of Oak Park is served by Oak Park Elementary School District, which consists of eight elementary schools and two middle schools. High school students attend one of the community's two high schools, Oak Park and River Forest High School, and Fenwick High School, which is a Catholic college prep school.

Home to an active arts community, Oak Park offers a number of professional dance and theater companies, including Circle Theatre. Oak Park Park District also plays an important role in the village, offering residents and visitors 13 public parks, the Oak Park Conservatory and an outdoor pool. A stroll through downtown Oak Park takes you past a number of galleries, chain retailers, boutique shops and restaurants, including Maya De Sol and Trattoria 225. Transportation is convenient thanks to the CTA Blue and Green Lines, CTA buses, the Oak Park Metra station and the Eisenhower Expressway (I-290).