< back to the Housing Market Indicators Data Portal

South Chicago

South Chicago, formerly known as Ainsworth, is one of the 77 well-defined community areas of Chicago, Illinois. This chevron-shaped community is one of Chicago's 16 lakefront neighborhoods near the southern rim of Lake Michigan 10 miles south of downtown. A working-class neighborhood, it is bordered by East 79th Street on the north, South Chicago Avenue (the Chicago Skyway) on the southwest, a small stretch of East 95th Street on the south. With the Calumet River on the community's southeast side, South Chicago can be considered the literal gateway to the Calumet Region and the first among the four Chicago neighborhoods (East Side, Hegewisch and South Deering) that are considered by the locals as Chicago's Southeast Side. The Southeast Side is a description that, although true, the city itself continues to resist including this neighborhood with all of Chicago's South Side communities. (Source: Wikipedia)

Housing stock map

See the share of the area's total housing units that are in single family homes, condominiums, two-to-four unit buildings, buildings with five to 49 units, and buildings with 50 units or more.


The Composition of Cook County’s Housing Market >

Housing market indicators

All of these property level data sets are connected to parcel-level data files from the county Assessors offices that include data on every parcel in the Chicago metropolitan area. All of these parcel-level data sets include historical data and are updated on a regular basis ranging from every week to every year depending on the data set.

Housing Stock Composition

The composition of a neighborhood's housing stock determines the appropriate targeted strategies for stabilizing local housing markets.

Housing Units by Property Type

The composition of a neighborhood's housing stock determines the appropriate targeted strategies for stabilizing local housing markets.


Property Type 2023
Single Family 32.1%
Condominium 1.6%
Building with 2-4 Units 45.0%
Building with 5+ Units 21.2%


Property Sales Activity

This indicator provides information on how active local residential property markets are, what types of properties are being purchased, who is buying them, and how much buyers are paying for properties.

Total Sales Activity

This is the total number of property sales in a given year. In Cook County, data are broken out separately for total sales activity on single family homes, condominium units, two-to-four unit buildings, and in buildings with five or more units. Outside of Cook County, data are for all residential parcels.


Property Type 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
All Residential Properties 691 633 325 260 311 286 241 228 299 260 278 292 308 354 384 288 422 379 323
Single Family 325 284 168 132 134 139 101 121 143 124 148 147 152 202 214 148 220 187 169
Condominium 22 31 20 17 8 10 13 11 20 8 6 10 11 12 9 12 11 6 10
Building with 2-4 Units 324 305 124 105 164 131 113 87 125 105 105 121 124 124 134 111 168 161 133
Building with 5+ Units 20 13 13 6 5 6 14 9 11 23 19 14 21 16 27 17 23 25 11


Sales per 100 Residential Parcels

This indicator allows users to compare the level of property sales activity across geographies. This data point represents the total number of sales on all residential parcels divided by the total number of residential parcels in a given year, multiplied by 100.


Property Type 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
All Residential Properties 9.9 9.0 4.6 3.7 4.4 4.1 3.4 3.3 4.3 3.8 4.0 4.3 4.5 5.2 5.6 4.3 6.3 5.6 4.8


Share of Sales, Business Buyers

This represents a range of investor types from small mom-and-pop investors to large Wall Street-traded equity funds. Heightened levels of single family homes purchased by business buyers is often indicative of a distressed and low priced inventory of homes, and low demand for owner-occupied housing in a neighborhood. In Cook County, this data point is available as the share of total sales activity where the buyer was a business entity by property type (single family homes, condominium units, two-to-four unit buildings, and in buildings with five or more units). Outside of Cook County, data are for all residential parcels.


Property Type 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
All Residential Properties 15.6% 14.2% 15.7% 32.7% 33.4% 41.6% 32.0% 36.8% 47.8% 46.5% 46.0% 40.4% 39.0% 43.2% 45.6% 32.3% 41.0% 34.8% 31.3%
Single Family 16.9% 10.6% 13.7% 34.8% 35.1% 41.0% 30.7% 35.5% 52.4% 41.1% 39.9% 39.5% 34.2% 44.1% 45.8% 23.6% 41.8% 29.4% 28.4%
Condominium 13.6% 19.4% -- 5.9% 50.0% 50.0% 46.2% 54.5% 15.0% 37.5% 33.3% 60.0% 72.7% 41.7% -- 8.3% 63.6% 33.3% 60.0%
Building with 2-4 Units 11.4% 15.1% 16.9% 33.3% 31.7% 41.2% 23.9% 31.0% 45.6% 44.8% 47.6% 37.2% 35.5% 35.5% 38.1% 37.8% 32.1% 32.3% 29.3%
Building with 5+ Units 65.0% 61.5% 53.8% 50.0% 20.0% 50.0% 92.9% 88.9% 72.7% 87.0% 89.5% 64.3% 76.2% 93.8% 96.3% 88.2% 87.0% 92.0% 72.7%


Share of Sales, Extremely Low Value

This represents the percent of sales that were purchased for less than $20,000 in a given year. In Cook County, this data point is available as the share of total sales activity that sold for less than $20,000 by property type (single family homes, condominium units, two-to-four unit buildings, and in buildings with five or more units). Outside of Cook County, data are for all residential parcels.


Property Type 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
All Residential Properties 0.3% 0.5% 0.6% 13.8% 46.0% 39.2% 38.2% 36.0% 42.5% 34.2% 25.2% 20.5% 15.9% 14.1% 9.4% 3.5% 3.8% 2.1% 1.9%
Single Family 0.6% 0.7% 0.6% 14.4% 35.1% 30.2% 34.7% 39.7% 40.6% 40.3% 24.3% 19.7% 18.4% 12.9% 8.9% 2.7% 4.1% 1.1% 1.2%
Condominium -- -- -- 5.9% 12.5% 40.0% 53.8% 54.5% 80.0% 50.0% 66.7% 50.0% 36.4% 41.7% 22.2% 8.3% 9.1% 33.3% --
Building with 2-4 Units -- 0.3% -- 15.2% 57.3% 50.4% 43.4% 32.2% 42.4% 33.3% 27.6% 19.0% 13.7% 15.3% 11.2% 3.6% 3.0% 2.5% 3.0%
Building with 5+ Units -- -- 7.7% -- 20.0% -- 7.1% -- -- -- 5.3% 21.4% -- -- -- 5.9% 4.3% -- --


Mortgage Activity

These data measure the flow of mortgage credit into an area and indicates the level of lender investment. The level of mortgage activity in a neighborhood relative to other areas can assess how access to credit has changed over time in a community and how the flow of credit differs across geographies and for different property types.

Total Mortgage Activity

This is the total number of mortgages in a given year. In Cook County, data are broken out separately for total mortgage activity on single family homes, condominium units, two-to-four unit buildings, and in buildings with five or more units. Outside of Cook County, data are for all residential parcels.


Property Type 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
All Residential Properties 2,095 2,085 1,340 642 396 303 239 221 286 232 263 310 312 339 358 356 587 554 439
Single Family 1,093 1,128 778 387 273 189 155 133 194 148 169 196 178 202 203 213 338 316 247
Condominium 51 43 51 22 8 1 2 4 8 3 6 6 1 4 3 1 4 7 4
Building with 2-4 Units 902 868 471 207 109 104 71 73 72 68 72 96 115 120 120 125 224 213 177
Building with 5+ Units 49 46 40 26 6 9 11 11 12 13 16 12 18 13 32 17 21 18 11


Mortgages per 100 Residential Parcels

This indicator allows users to compare the level of mortgage activity across geographies. This data point represents the total number of mortgage liens on all residential parcels divided by the total number of residential parcels in a given year, multiplied by 100.


Property Type 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
All Residential Properties 29.9 29.8 19.1 9.2 5.7 4.3 3.4 3.2 4.1 3.4 3.8 4.5 4.6 5.0 5.3 5.3 8.7 8.2 6.5


Foreclosure Filing Activity

This is an indicator of distress in a local housing market and viewing changing levels of activity allows for an understanding of the evolving nature of the foreclosure crisis in a neighborhood.

Total Foreclosure Filings Activity

This is the total number of new foreclosure filings in a given year. In Cook County, data are broken out separately for foreclosure filing activity on single family homes, condominium units, two-to-four unit buildings, and in buildings with five or more units. Outside of Cook County, data are for all residential parcels.


Property Type 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
All Residential Properties 204 334 385 432 338 317 277 292 197 140 136 113 108 137 116 44 33 91 76
Single Family 113 153 190 215 165 147 167 170 116 84 86 74 71 91 67 26 23 61 50
Condominium 3 11 8 9 18 17 9 7 10 7 3 6 5 4 3 -- -- 1 1
Building with 2-4 Units 83 166 183 199 145 138 91 105 65 48 42 29 32 42 45 18 10 27 23
Building with 5+ Units 5 4 4 9 10 15 10 10 6 1 5 4 -- -- 1 -- -- 2 2


Foreclosure Filings per 100 Residential Parcels

This indicator allows users to compare the level of foreclosure filing activity across geographies. This data point represents the total number of foreclosure filings on all residential parcels divided by the total number of residential parcels in a given year, multiplied by 100.


Property Type 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
All Residential Properties 2.9 4.8 5.5 6.2 4.8 4.5 4.0 4.2 2.8 2.0 2.0 1.6 1.6 2.0 1.7 0.6 0.5 1.3 1.1


Cumulative Foreclosure Filings Activity

Annual levels of foreclosure filing activity likely do not convey the impact that foreclosure has had in a particular community, as geographies vary in density and size, and the drivers behind the Great Recession foreclosure crisis led to very different annual patterns of foreclosure filing activity across the region. This indicator represents the cumulative impact of foreclosure in a neighborhood measured as the unique share of residential properties that have had at least one foreclosure filing since 2005.


Property Type 2023
All Residential Properties 39.8%


Foreclosure Auctions

These are properties that have completed the foreclosure process. Understanding foreclosure auction activity helps determine the flow of year-over-year of REO (real estate owned) properties into a market, how third-party demand at auctions differs based on property types, and the density of REO activity across geographies. The level of completed foreclosure auctions activity in a neighborhood indicates distress in a local housing market.

Total Auction Activity

This is the total number of completed foreclosure auctions in a given year. In Cook County, data are broken out separately for total auction activity on single family homes, condominium units, two-to-four unit buildings, and in buildings with five or more units. Outside of Cook County, data are for all residential parcels.


Property Type 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
All Residential Properties 67 80 171 216 182 152 94 100 163 124 109 76 71 70 70 9 16 50 37
Single Family 40 40 74 94 91 65 41 57 90 62 67 47 36 49 40 8 13 32 23
Condominium 1 1 4 3 1 14 6 4 5 7 1 4 7 1 3 -- -- 1 --
Building with 2-4 Units 24 39 90 114 88 66 42 38 65 48 40 24 27 18 27 1 3 17 13
Building with 5+ Units 2 -- 3 5 2 7 5 1 3 7 1 1 1 2 -- -- -- -- 1


Share of Auctions Resulting in REO

This is the percent of completed foreclosure auctions in a given geography where there were no bidders and the property became bank-owned REO (real estate owned).


Property Type 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
All Residential Properties 70.1% 88.8% 97.7% 99.5% 98.9% 98.0% 96.8% 95.0% 93.9% 88.7% 89.9% 90.8% 88.7% 90.0% 81.4% 88.9% 62.5% 88.0% 73.0%
Single Family 72.5% 95.0% 98.6% 100.0% 98.9% 95.4% 95.1% 91.2% 92.2% 82.3% 88.1% 93.6% 86.1% 85.7% 82.5% 87.5% 61.5% 90.6% 73.9%
Condominium -- 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 75.0% 100.0% 100.0% 66.7% -- -- 100.0% --
Building with 2-4 Units 70.8% 82.1% 98.9% 100.0% 98.9% 100.0% 97.6% 100.0% 95.4% 97.9% 92.5% 87.5% 88.9% 100.0% 81.5% 100.0% 66.7% 82.4% 69.2%
Building with 5+ Units 50.0% -- 33.3% 80.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 71.4% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% -- -- -- -- 100.0%


REO per 100 Residential Parcels

This indicator allows users to compare the level of REO activity across geographies. This data point represents the total number of auctions resulting in REO status on all residential parcels divided by the total number of residential parcels in a given year, multiplied by 100.


Property Type 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
All Residential Properties 0.7 1.0 2.4 3.1 2.6 2.1 1.3 1.4 2.2 1.6 1.4 1.0 0.9 0.9 0.8 0.1 0.1 0.7 0.4


Population and Age

Reflects the composition of a community's population by age.

Population and Age

Reflects the composition of a community's population by age.


Indicator Value
Total Population 30,315


Population and Age

Reflects the composition of a community's population by age.


Indicator Value
Share of Population Aged 18 to 44 35.2%
Share of Population Aged 45 to 64 23.2%
Share of Population Aged over 65 15.1%
Share of Population Aged under 18 26.5%


Race and Ethnicity

The composition of a community's population by respondent race and ethnicity.

Race and Ethnicity

The composition of a community's population by respondent race and ethnicity.


Indicator Value
Share of Population that is Hispanic or Latino 18.9%


Race and Ethnicity

The composition of a community's population by respondent race and ethnicity.


Indicator Value
Share of Population that is White 3.4%


Race and Ethnicity

The composition of a community's population by respondent race and ethnicity.


Indicator Value
Share of Population that is African American 75.0%
Share of Population that is Asian 0.5%
Share of Population that is Some Other Race 2.2%


Household Income

Represents the composition of households by income in a particular geography.

Household Income

Represents the composition of households by income in a particular geography.


Indicator Value
Share of Households with Income Less than $25,000 30.9%


Household Income

Represents the composition of households by income in a particular geography.


Indicator Value
Share of Households with Income $25,000 to $50,000 24.7%
Share of Households with Income $100,000 or More 18.9%
Share of Households with Income $50,000 to $100,000 25.5%


Household Income

Represents the composition of households by income in a particular geography.


Indicator Value
Total Households 11,329


Poverty Rate

Reflects the share of the population that is below a current poverty threshold.

Share of Population that is under the Poverty Level


Indicator Value
Share of Population that is under the Poverty Level 28.7%


Resident Tenure

The composition of households by tenure indicates the share of households that rent versus the share of households that own.

Total Households

Represents the composition of households by tenure.


Indicator Value
Total Households 11,329


Share of Households that are Owner-Occupied

The composition of households by tenure indicates the share of households that rent versus the share of households that own.


Indicator Value
Share of Households that are Owner-Occupied 43.2%


Share of Households that are Renter-Occupied

The composition of households by tenure indicates the share of households that rent versus the share of households that own.


Indicator Value
Share of Households that are Renter-Occupied 56.8%


Cost Burdened Households

A household is considered to be cost-burdened when more than 30 percent of its income is spent on mortgage, rent, or other housing needs.

Share of Owner-Occupied Households that are Cost-Burdened


Indicator Value
Share of Owner-Occupied Households that are Cost-Burdened 29.6%


Share of Renter-Occupied Households that are Cost-Burdened

A household is considered to be cost-burdened when more than 30 percent of its income is spent on mortgage, rent, or other housing needs.


Indicator Value
Share of Renter-Occupied Households that are Cost-Burdened 55.3%


Share of All Households that are Cost-Burdened


Indicator Value
Share of All Households that are Cost-Burdened 43.9%