Top 25 Most Expensive Chicago Area Zip Codes in 2019

Key Takeaways:

• Kenilworth’s 60043 leads as the only zip with a median greater than $1 million.
• Chicago’s priciest zip code is The Loop’s 60603 at $570,000.
• The North Shore is home to six of the 10 most expensive zip codes in the Chicago area.
• City of Chicago ranks 12 zips among the area’s top 25 most expensive zip codes.

After releasing our traditional year-end report of the 100 most expensive zip codes in the U.S., we were curious about the priciest zip codes this year in the Chicago area, as no Illinois zips ranked among the nation’s top 100.

In order to accurately rank the most expensive zips in Chicago and its inner suburbs, we analyzed residential sales that occurred between January 1, 2019, and November 22, 2019, calculating the median sale price for each zip code. Because of two ties, our ranking actually includes 27 zips. For the purposes of this study, we defined the Chicago area as the City of Chicago and its inner suburbs, covering Cook and DuPage counties.

The North Shore Remains Unbeatable

As expected, communities outside of the boundaries of the City of Chicago proper claimed the top spots, especially communities from the North Shore. Of the 10 most expensive zip codes in the Chicago area, six are located in North Shore communities and three are western suburbs. The City of Chicago itself barely claimed its sole top 10 spot with The Loop’s 60603 coming in at #9.

At a median sale price of $1.24 million, Kenilworth’s 60043 was the #1 most expensive zip code in the Chicago area again; 60043 was also the sole zip code in Illinois to surpass the million-dollar mark this year, despite posting a somewhat lower price than it did two years ago. Specifically, Kenilworth’s median was 4% lower this year than in 2017.

Another North Shore community claimed the next position with Winnetka’s 60093 ranked as the #2 most expensive zip code in the Chicago area in 2019. Unlike Kenilworth, Winnetka’s 60093 was on the rise — its median expanded nearly 13% over 2017 figures. As a result, Winnetka climbed from #4 as other North Shore communities’ medians contracted at a sharper rate. Glencoe’s 60022 and Golf’s 60029 were the second and third priciest Illinois zips in 2017, but, in 2019, both slipped off the podium as their medians declined by 7% and 15%, respectively.

The drops in Glencoe’s and Golf’s medians also helped Hinsdale climb in our ranking, compounded by an 11% expansion of its median sale price. As such, Hinsdale’s 60521 became the #3 most expensive zip code in the Chicago area in 2019 with a median sale price of $850,000. Hinsdale’s 60521 also ranks as the most expensive zip outside of the North Shore, as well as the priciest DuPage County zip code. Hinsdale was joined in the top 10 by Western Springs’ 60558, the #8 priciest Chicago area zip with a median sale price of $574,000.

The Loop Is Home to the Most Expensive Chicago Zip

Similar to the dominance of the North Shore was the abundance of Cook County zips in terms of sheer numbers. Of the 27 zips ranked, 23 were from Cook County and only four were from DuPage County.Of the four zip codes that DuPage County landed in the top 25, one was among the 10 most expensive Chicago area zips in 2019.

The City of Chicago claimed 10 spots with 12 zips (due to two pairs of ties) among the 25 most expensive zip codes in the Chicago area this year. Most of these placed in the bottom half of the rankings; only one Chicago zip code ranked among the 10 most expensive in the area. With a median sale price of $570,000, The Loop’s 60603 was the #1 most expensive Chicago zip code in 2019 and the #9 most expensive when looking at the entirety of DuPage and Cook counties.

The next Chicago zip code to rank in our top 25 was 60614 at #11. Covering areas like Lincoln Park, Old Town Triangle, DePaul University, the Clybourn Corridor shopping district and even reaching into Bucktown, 60614 ranks as the #2 most expensive Chicago zip code with a median sale price of $505,000. In fact, the North Side zip code registered a negligible 1% uptick in its median compared to 2017 figures, allowing The Loop’s 60603 to surpass it with a 15% increase.

Chicago’s #3 most expensive zip code in 2019 was 60622 with a $485,000 median sale price. Covering Wicker Park and Ukrainian Village, 60622 registered a 5% uptick in its median over 2017 figures, further distancing itself from Downtown Chicago’s 60604, the city’s #4 most expensive at $449,000.

Explore the table below for the full list of the top 25 most expensive Chicago area zip codes in 2019:

Methodology

To determine the most expensive zip codes in the Chicago area, we looked at residential transactions closed between January 1, 2019, and November 22, 2019, taking into account condo, co-ops, and single- and two-family homes in Cook and DuPage counties. All package deals were excluded.

For an accurate representation, we considered only zip codes that registered a minimum of three residential transactions.

Due to a number of ties, 27 zip codes made it into our top of the 25 most expensive Chicago area zip codes in 2019.

Median sale prices were rounded to the closest $1,000.