Living in a Hyde Park apartment may automatically raise your I.Q. This neighborhood plays host to the University of Chicago. All the education in the air is bound to rub off some! Students, professors, and others have been flocking to Hyde Park since 1893, when Rockefeller donated money for the University. Hyde Park is on the sedate side for a college town, however. Expect more serious studying than fraternity mayhem. With parkland on three sides, Hyde Park is also quite an attractive place to call home.
Chicago annexed Hyde Park in 1889. Three years later, the University of Chicago—one of the world’s most prestigious schools—opened its doors. Hyde Park benefitted from the student influx. Economic decline hit Hyde Park in the 1950s, but it was followed by urban renewal in the 1960s. This allowed the neighborhood to remain diverse while avoiding the plight and blight that afflicted other Chicago neighborhoods.
Hyde Park is a great place to be a student. Independent bookstores, cafés, and inexpensive restaurants can all be found along these streets. You wont have trouble finding Asian restaurants or other kinds of ethnic eateries. The Hyde Park Shopping Center has a grocery store and other essentials.
In terms of attractions, the Museum of Science and Industry offers exhibits for all ages. The 57th Street Art Fair, started in 1948, is one of Chicago’s oldest. Promontory Point provides amazing views up and down the lakeshore as well as a place to swim. Large Jackson and Washington parks are connected by the Midway. This network of grassland helps make Hyde Park a perfect place to walk or bike.
A large student population means rental opportunities abound. The racially diverse residents of Hyde Park rent apartments and condos, including some in lakeshore high-rises. While a lot of those living here are associated with the University of Chicago, many just appreciate the area’s perks. The average two-bedroom in Hyde Park rents for $1,110 a month.
Hyde Park is far from the Loop and commuting isn’t the easiest. Buses run downtown or to Red and Green Line ‘L’ stations. Metra’s Electric Line and South Shore Line stop in Hyde Park.
Hyde Park falls within two Chicago City Council wards—the 4th and the 5th. Near here, you’ll find the Blackstone Branch of the Chicago Public Library. There are two United States Post Offices in Hyde Park, one of them on campus.
Zip codes serving Hyde Park are 60615 and 60637.