Formal Regions (Community Areas) of Chicago

Chicago's 77 Community Areas – The Official Neighborhood Framework

Chicago is officially divided into 77 community areas (defined 1920s, stable boundaries for statistics). These are grouped into 9 "sides" by geography relative to the Loop.

The Nine Sides & Key Community Areas

1. The Loop (Central Business District)

• Near North Side: Near North Side, Lincoln Park, Lake View, Lincoln Square, North Center, Irving Park, Avondale, Logan Square, Humboldt Park, West Town.

2. North Side (Lakefront North)

• Edgewater, Uptown, Rogers Park, West Ridge, Forest Glen, North Park, Albany Park, Portage Park, Jefferson Park, Norwood Park, Edison Park, O'Hare.

3. Northwest Side

• Dunning, Montclare, Belmont Cragin, Hermosa, Austin.

4. West Side

• East Garfield Park, West Garfield Park, North Lawndale, South Lawndale (Little Village), Lower West Side (Pilsen), McKinley Park, Bridgeport, New City (Back of the Yards), West Elsdon, Gage Park, Clearing, West Lawn, Chicago Lawn, West Englewood, Englewood, Greater Grand Crossing.

5. Near West Side

• Near West Side (UIC, United Center, Greektown, Little Italy, University Village).

6. South Side

• Douglas (Bronzeville), Oakland, Fuller Park, Grand Boulevard, Kenwood, Washington Park, Hyde Park (UChicago), Woodlawn, South Shore, Chatham, Avalon Park, South Chicago, Burnside, Calumet Heights, Roseland, Pullman, South Deering, East Side, West Pullman, Riverdale, Hegewisch, Garfield Ridge, Archer Heights, Brighton Park, McKinley Park, Bridgeport, New City, West Elsdon, Gage Park, Clearing, West Lawn, Chicago Lawn, West Englewood, Englewood, Greater Grand Crossing.

7. Southwest Side

• Archer Heights, Brighton Park, McKinley Park, Bridgeport, New City, West Elsdon, Gage Park, Clearing, West Lawn, Chicago Lawn, West Englewood, Englewood, Greater Grand Crossing, Ashburn, Auburn Gresham, Beverly, Washington Heights, Mount Greenwood, Morgan Park.

8. Far South Side

• Roseland, Pullman, South Deering, East Side, West Pullman, Riverdale, Hegewisch, Garfield Ridge, Archer Heights, Brighton Park, McKinley Park, Bridgeport, New City, West Elsdon, Gage Park, Clearing, West Lawn, Chicago Lawn, West Englewood, Englewood, Greater Grand Crossing, Ashburn, Auburn Gresham, Beverly, Washington Heights, Mount Greenwood, Morgan Park.

9. Far North Side

• Edgewater, Uptown, Rogers Park, West Ridge, Forest Glen, North Park, Albany Park, Portage Park, Jefferson Park, Norwood Park, Edison Park, O'Hare.

Notes

• Community areas ≠ neighborhoods (neighborhoods are informal, overlapping, ~200+).
• Used for Census, planning, policing, service delivery.
• Key landmarks: Loop (Willis Tower, City Hall), Lincoln Park (zoo, museums), Hyde Park (UChicago, Obama home), Pilsen/Little Village (Mexican culture), Bronzeville (Black metropolis), Chinatown (Armour Square), Andersonville (LGBTQ+), Wicker Park/Bucktown (gentrification).