What is it like to live in Buena Park, Chicago? Buena Park is a small lakefront neighborhood at the south end of Uptown, from Irving Park Road north to Montrose Avenue and from Graceland Cemetery east to Lake Shore Drive. Most homes are condos in vintage courtyard buildings and lakefront high-rises, with a few blocks of large historic houses, including the landmark Hutchinson Street District. From January through September 2026, 174 condos and townhomes sold for a median of $282,500, and seven houses sold for $875,000 to $2,100,000, based on my search of the MLS.
I have sold homes on Chicago's North Side for more than 24 years, and Buena Park surprises a lot of my buyers. It sits between Lakeview and the rest of Uptown, a short walk from Montrose Beach, and it has one of the widest price ranges of any neighborhood I work in. This post covers where it is, what homes cost, how people get around, and what I would check before you buy or sell there.
Buena Park is part of the Uptown community area and sits in the 60613 zip code. Lakeview is directly south across Irving Park Road, and the Sheridan Park part of Uptown is north across Montrose Avenue. Here are the edges most people use.
Boundary | Street or Landmark |
|---|---|
North | Montrose Avenue |
South | Irving Park Road |
West | Graceland Cemetery and Clark Street |
East | Lake Shore Drive and the lakefront parks |
Inside those lines, the main north-south streets are Clarendon Avenue, Marine Drive, Sheridan Road, and Broadway. The quiet residential blocks in between, like Hutchinson Street, Junior Terrace, Hazel Street, Kenmore Avenue, and Buena Avenue, are where most of the houses are.
Buena Park is older than the rest of Uptown. James B. Waller, who moved to Chicago from Kentucky around 1860, built an estate here called Buena House, and the land around it was later developed into the neighborhood that took its name. St. Mary of the Lake church now stands on the site of the original Waller home.
Most of the neighborhood is part of the Buena Park Historic District, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. The district covers about 326 acres bounded roughly by Graceland Cemetery, Marine Drive, Irving Park Road, and Montrose Avenue. Its buildings range from 1890s Queen Anne and Romanesque Revival houses to Prairie School homes and courtyard apartment buildings from the early 1900s.
The 600 through 900 blocks of West Hutchinson Street became a Chicago Landmark district in 1977. The homes were built from 1894 to 1918, the street was originally called Kenesaw Terrace, and many of the houses were designed by architect George W. Maher. The City of Chicago calls it one of the city's best collections of Prairie-style houses.
Homes here rarely come up for sale. In 2026, 740 W. Hutchinson St., a six-bedroom house of about 5,600 square feet, sold for $2,100,000 after being listed at $1,899,000. Because this is a Chicago Landmark district, exterior changes that need a building permit go through review by the Commission on Chicago Landmarks, so plan for that before you buy a house you want to change on the outside.
Buena Park has homes at almost every price point, and the number of bedrooms drives the price more than anything else. Here is what sold from January 1 through September 30, 2026.
Home Type | Sales | Median Sale Price | Price Range |
|---|---|---|---|
Studio condos | 24 | $147,000 | $119,000 to $191,500 |
1-bedroom condos | 68 | $215,000 | $135,000 to $325,000 |
2-bedroom condos | 55 | $425,000 | $275,000 to $653,000 |
3+ bedroom condos | 27 | $625,000 | $465,000 to $985,000 |
Single-family houses | 7 | $1,400,000 | $875,000 to $2,100,000 |
Source: MLS (Midwest Real Estate Data LLC), closed sales from January 1 to September 30, 2026, in the Uptown community area south of Montrose Avenue, search run October 19, 2026. Condos include townhomes. At the time of research, deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
Overall, the median condo and townhome price was $282,500, almost the same as the $281,000 median for the same months of 2025. The highest condo sale this year was a four-bedroom unit on Junior Terrace at $985,000. The houses that sold were on Cuyler, Kenmore, Junior Terrace, Hazel, Buena, and Hutchinson.
Closer to the lake, along Marine Drive, Sheridan Road, and Clarendon Avenue, you will find high-rise and mid-rise condo buildings, many with lake views. On the side streets, there are vintage courtyard buildings, smaller walk-up condo buildings, and greystones.
The single-family houses are concentrated on a handful of blocks, especially Hutchinson Street, Junior Terrace, Hazel Street, and Kenmore Avenue. Several of the houses that sold this year had five or more bedrooms and about 4,600 to 5,600 square feet, which is rare this close to the lake. For more on condo costs, read my posts on Chicago condo HOA fees and special assessments.
See homes for sale in Buena Park on my website
The CTA Red Line Sheridan stop is on the neighborhood's southern edge, at Sheridan Road just south of Irving Park Road, and the Wilson stop is a few blocks north of Montrose Avenue. Buses run on Clark Street (22), Broadway (36), and Sheridan Road (151). Drivers can get on Lake Shore Drive at Irving Park Road or Montrose Avenue.
Wrigley Field is about half a mile south of Irving Park Road. On game and concert days, expect more traffic on Irving Park Road and Clark Street, and more riders on the Red Line. My post on living near Wrigley Field covers the parking rules closer to the ballpark.
Buena Park's biggest draw is the lakefront across Lake Shore Drive. Montrose Beach, the Montrose Point Bird Sanctuary, Cricket Hill, and the Lakefront Trail are all within a short walk or bike ride. The Sydney R. Marovitz Golf Course runs along the lake near Irving Park Road.
Graceland Cemetery on the west side is a quiet green space and a historic site in its own right. Many well-known Chicagoans are buried there, and the cemetery is known for its architecture and landscaping.
Brennemann Elementary, at 4251 N. Clarendon Ave., is a Chicago Public Schools elementary school serving pre-K through 8th grade, right in the neighborhood. School assignment depends on the exact address, so check any home you are considering in the CPS School Locator before you make an offer.
By the city's own numbers, Buena Park sits in a part of Chicago where reported crime is below the city average. From October 2025 through September 2026, the Uptown community area, which includes Buena Park, had 72.1 reported incidents per 1,000 residents, compared with 84.6 for Chicago as a whole. Violent crime was 4.5 per 1,000 residents in Uptown, compared with 7.5 citywide.
Source: City of Chicago Data Portal, Crimes 2001 to Present, October 1, 2025 to September 30, 2026, data current to October 11, 2026. Rates use 2020 Census population (Uptown 57,182; Chicago 2,746,388). Violent crime includes homicide, criminal sexual assault, robbery, aggravated assault, and aggravated battery. At the time of research, deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
As with any city neighborhood, conditions can change from one block to the next. I always suggest visiting at different times of day and looking up the exact address on the city's data portal.
Some lakefront buildings can be harder to finance, so ask your lender early. My post on non-warrantable condos explains what to look for. If you are comparing Buena Park with nearby areas, read my posts on living in Uptown, Andersonville vs. Uptown, and living in East Lakeview.
Because Buena Park has so many different kinds of homes, pricing depends on comparing your home with the right sales. A two-bedroom in a vintage courtyard building and a two-bedroom in a lakefront high-rise can sell for very different amounts, even a block apart. Buyers here also ask about assessments, reserves, and parking early, so having those answers ready before you list helps your home stand out. If you are thinking about selling, start with a free home value review, and I will compare your home with recent sales in your building and on your block.
Buena Park is at the south end of the Uptown community area, from Irving Park Road north to Montrose Avenue and from Graceland Cemetery and Clark Street east to Lake Shore Drive. It is in the 60613 zip code, just north of Lakeview.
Buena Park is part of the Uptown community area. Irving Park Road separates it from Lakeview to the south.
From January through September 2026, condos and townhomes sold for a median of $282,500, from a median of $147,000 for studios to $625,000 for three-bedroom units. Seven single-family houses sold for $875,000 to $2,100,000, based on MLS data at the time of research.
It is a Chicago Landmark district covering the 600 through 900 blocks of West Hutchinson Street, designated in 1977. Its homes were built from 1894 to 1918, and many were designed by George W. Maher in the Prairie style.
Yes, by the city's numbers. Reported crime in the Uptown community area, which includes Buena Park, was below the Chicago average from October 2025 through September 2026, according to the City of Chicago Data Portal. There were 72.1 incidents per 1,000 residents compared with 84.6 citywide, and 4.5 violent incidents per 1,000 compared with 7.5.
The Red Line Sheridan stop is on the neighborhood's southern edge at Sheridan Road and Irving Park Road, and the Wilson stop is a few blocks north of Montrose Avenue. Buses run on Clark Street, Broadway, and Sheridan Road.
I am Dee Savic, a Chicago Realtor® with Baird & Warner. I have more than 24 years of experience, more than 300 closed transactions, more than $100 million in career sales, and more than 190 five-star reviews across Google, Zillow, Realtor.com, and FastExpert. Chicago Agent Magazine included me in its "Who's Who in Chicago Real Estate" in 2021, 2024, and 2026. You can reach me directly at 773.719.0989.
If you are selling, start with a free home value review. If you are buying, start with my free Chicago Buyer's Course. You can also schedule a complimentary and confidential consultation, or call or text me directly at 773.719.0989. For more on the area, visit my Buena Park neighborhood page.
Sources: City of Chicago, Hutchinson Street District landmark record; National Register of Historic Places, Buena Park Historic District; Chicago Public Schools school profile for Brennemann; City of Chicago Data Portal, crimes and community area boundaries; and my search of the MLS (Midwest Real Estate Data LLC). Accurate at the time of research, deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
Dee Savic is a Chicago Realtor® with Baird & Warner, working out of 4553 N. Lincoln Ave. She helps buyers, sellers, and relocation clients across Chicago, including Uptown, Buena Park, Lakeview, Lincoln Park, Lincoln Square, Ravenswood, North Center, Andersonville, Edgewater, Bucktown, Wicker Park, and the Gold Coast.
Dee Savic
Realtor® | Baird & Warner
4553 N. Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL 60625
773.719.0989
[email protected]
deesavic.com
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