Key takeaway: A one-bedroom in Calumet Heights rents for about $1,010 to $1,350 a month in 2026, condos sold for a median $70,000 and single-family homes for $184,000 in 2024, and Metra Electric’s South Chicago branch runs along the east side.
Calumet Heights is a Far South Side neighborhood around 87th to 95th Street east of Stony Island, known for its brick ranches and large lots. Its typical one-bedroom, about $1,350 a month, runs about $729 below the citywide typical of $2,079 (Zillow, September 2026), the 35th lowest of the 92 areas in our neighborhood comparison.
| Typical one-bedroom | $1,350 a month |
| Typical two-bedroom | $1,288 a month |
| Income for your own one-bedroom | About $54,000 a year |
| L lines | None |
| Metra | Metra Electric (South Chicago branch) |
| Part of the city | South Side |
On this page: Rent · Getting around · Groceries · Parking · Taxes and home prices · Buyer help · Sample budget
Rent by apartment size
| Unit | Zumper (avg., Oct 2026) | RentHop (Oct 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | n/a | $1,350 |
| 1 bedroom | $1,010 | $1,350 |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,400 | $1,288 |
| 3 bedrooms | n/a | $2,195 |
Source: Zumper Calumet Heights rent research, updated October 25, 2026; RentHop Calumet Heights. Calumet Heights has few rentals, so the sources differ. Sources differ because they track different listings; see why rent reports disagree.
Getting around
- Metra Electric (South Chicago branch): 87th Street and 93rd Street stations along the east side, Zone 2 at $3.75 one way (Metra fares). See Metra fares.
- Buses: #15 Jeffery Local, #J14 Jeffery Jump to downtown, #28 Stony Island, #87 87th and #95 95th.
A 30-day CTA pass is $75 (CTA).
Groceries nearby
| Store | Address |
|---|---|
| Jewel-Osco 95th and Stony Island | 1655 E. 95th St. |
| ALDI | 2333 E. 95th St. |
Source: each store’s own location page or locator, checked October 25, 2026. See our Chicago grocery guide.
Parking
If you will have a car, check your block with the City Clerk’s zone lookup before you sign a lease. Adding a residential permit zone to your City Sticker costs $25 to $35 a year, on top of the $105.18 passenger-car sticker; our parking guide covers guest passes, meters and garages.
Property taxes and home prices
The Assessor’s 2024 report put Calumet Heights median sale prices at $70,000 for a condo, $184,000 for a single-family home and $279,000 for a two-to-six-unit building (Cook County Assessor, 2024 Chicago report). Citywide, the median Chicago homeowner bill for tax year 2025, mailed in August 2026, was $4,597, up 3.2% (Cook County Treasurer). Businesses are in SSA 50 Calumet Heights/Avalon (City of Chicago SSA list). For how bills are set and how to appeal, see our property tax guide, and to weigh owning against renting, our rent vs. buy calculator.
Help buying a home
- HomeGrown (City of Chicago): purchase grants of $10,000 to $70,000 depending on income and which of two city zones the home is in, for buyers up to 150% of area median income, launched June 2026 with $21 million (Sun-Times).
- IHDAccess Home (State of Illinois): up to $15,000 for first-time buyers as a 0% deferred second mortgage (Governor’s office).
- Cook County Down Payment Assistance: 5% of the loan, up to $25,000, forgivable over five years (Cook County).
Calumet Heights cost of living: a sample monthly budget
| Setup | Rent | CTA pass | Income needed at 30% rent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your own one-bedroom | $1,350 | $75 | $54,000 |
| Half of a two-bedroom | $644 | $75 | $25,760 |
| Your own two-bedroom | $1,288 | $75 | $51,520 |
Source: our calculation from the RentHop figures above (half of $1,288). Income needed is monthly rent times 12, divided by 0.30. For a fuller answer that includes taxes and the rest of your budget, try our Chicago salary calculator, and see Chicago move-in costs for what you’ll pay up front.
Compare every neighborhood side by side in our Chicago neighborhood cost comparison, or work out your own number with our salary calculator. More South Side neighborhood profiles: Archer Heights, Ashburn, Auburn Gresham, Avalon Park, Back of the Yards and Canaryville, Beverly, Bridgeport, Brighton Park, Bronzeville, Burnside, Chatham, Chicago Lawn, Chinatown, Clearing, East Side, Englewood, Fuller Park, Gage Park, Garfield Ridge, Greater Grand Crossing, Hegewisch, Hyde Park, Kenwood, McKinley Park, Morgan Park, Mount Greenwood, Oakland, Pullman, Riverdale, Roseland, South Chicago, South Deering, South Shore, Washington Heights, Washington Park, West Elsdon, West Englewood, West Lawn, West Pullman and Woodlawn.
Costs that apply in every neighborhood: property tax bills, closing costs and condo fees, water, sewer and garbage fees, ComEd and Peoples Gas, CTA fares, parking, average salaries by job and our Chicago cost index.
Sources
- Zumper: Calumet Heights rent
- RentHop: Calumet Heights rent
- Metra: 87th Street (South Chicago)
- Metra: 93rd Street (South Chicago)
- Metra fare table
- City of Chicago: SSA list
- Sun-Times: HomeGrown program
- IHDAccess Home
- Cook County Down Payment Assistance
- City of Chicago: list of L stops
- CTA fares
- City Clerk: City Sticker prices
- City Clerk: residential zone parking
- Cook County Assessor: 2024 Chicago report
- Cook County Treasurer: tax year 2025 analysis