Key takeaway: A one-bedroom in Washington Park rents for about $1,030 to $1,050 a month in 2026, single-family homes sold for a median $135,000 in 2024, and the neighborhood borders the big park it is named for, with indoor and outdoor pools.
Washington Park is on the South Side between Bronzeville and Woodlawn, west of the park it is named for and the University of Chicago, with greystones, new townhomes and two L lines. Its typical one-bedroom, about $1,032 a month, runs about $1,047 below the citywide typical of $2,079 (Zillow, September 2026), the 6th lowest of the 92 areas in our neighborhood comparison.
| Typical one-bedroom | $1,032 a month |
| Typical two-bedroom | $1,378 a month |
| Income for your own one-bedroom | About $41,280 a year |
| L lines | Green, Red |
| Metra | Metra Electric nearby |
| Part of the city | South Side |
On this page: Rent · Getting around · Groceries · Parks · Parking · Taxes and home prices · Buyer help · Sample budget
Rent by apartment size
| Unit | Zumper (avg., Aug 2026) | RentHop (avg., Oct 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,225 | $750 |
| 1 bedroom | $1,032 | $1,050 |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,378 | $1,313 |
| 3 bedrooms | $1,930 | $2,250 |
Source: Zumper Washington Park rent research, updated August 8, 2026; RentHop Washington Park. Studio figures rest on few listings, so the sources disagree. Sources differ because they track different listings; see why rent reports disagree.
Getting around
- L trains: Green Line stations at 47th, 51st and Garfield, and the Red Line at Garfield on the Dan Ryan (City of Chicago L stop data). CTA fares are $2.25 a bus ride and $2.50 a train ride with Ventra, or $75 for a 30-day pass (CTA fares).
- Metra Electric: 59th Street/University of Chicago and 63rd Street are about a mile east, both Zone 2 at $3.75 one way (Metra fares). The 59th Street station is set to close for rebuilding starting in 2027 (Metra).
A 30-day CTA pass is $75 (CTA).
Groceries nearby
| Store | Address |
|---|---|
| Jewel-Osco Cottage Grove | 6014 S. Cottage Grove Ave. |
| ALDI | 6621 S. Cottage Grove Ave. |
Source: each store’s own location page or locator, checked October 25, 2026. See our Chicago grocery guide.
Parks
Washington Park itself has an outdoor pool with a water slide, an indoor pool, a fitness center, a gym, a lagoon, cricket fields and more than ten tennis courts (Chicago Park District facilities data; facilities can change, so check before you go).
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 Washington Park median sale prices at $135,000 for a single-family home, $190,000 for a condo and $493,000 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). 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).
Washington Park cost of living: a sample monthly budget
| Setup | Rent | CTA pass | Income needed at 30% rent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your own one-bedroom | $1,032 | $75 | $41,280 |
| Half of a two-bedroom | $689 | $75 | $27,560 |
| Your own two-bedroom | $1,378 | $75 | $55,120 |
Source: our calculation from the Zumper figures above (half of $1,378, rounded). 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, Calumet Heights, 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, 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: Washington Park rent
- RentHop: Washington Park rent
- City of Chicago: L stops
- CTA fares
- Metra: 59th Street/University of Chicago
- Metra: 63rd Street
- Metra: 59th/60th Street station project
- Metra fare table
- Jewel-Osco: Cottage Grove
- Chicago Park District facilities data
- 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