Oak Park is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States, located next to Chicago. It is the 26th most populous city in Illinois, with a population of 54,318 as of the 2020 census. Oak Park was first settled in 1835 and officially became a city in 1902, when it separated from Cicero. It shares a chamber of commerce and a high school, Oak Park and River Forest High School, with the nearby town of River Forest.
Architect Frank Lloyd Wright and his wife moved to Oak Park in 1889. His work greatly influenced the local architecture and design, including the Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio. Over time, the village grew quickly because of railroads and streetcars that connected it to jobs in nearby Chicago. In 1968, Oak Park passed an Open Housing Ordinance to help integrate the community racially and prevent white flight.
Oak Park has remained a diverse and politically progressive community. It has had 80% or higher voter turnout in every presidential election since 2000. The village is connected to Chicago through public transportation, including the Chicago Transit Authority’s Green and Blue Line “L” trains and the Metra Union Pacific West Line station in downtown Oak Park.
History
In 1835, Joseph and Betty Kettlestrings, who moved to the United States from Yorkshire, England, claimed a piece of land and built a home near Lake Street and Harlem Avenue, west of Chicago. After their children were born, they moved to Chicago in 1843 to take advantage of better schools, and returned in 1855 to build a larger house on their land, which was located slightly east. More farmers and settlers had arrived in the area. Locally, their land was called Oak Ridge, Harlem, and Kettlestrings Grove. When the first post office was created, it could not use the name Oak Ridge because another post office in Illinois already used that name. Instead, the post office chose the name Oak Park, and the settlement grew to be known by that name. The town officially became a city in 1902.
By 1850, the Galena and Chicago Union Railroad (later called the Chicago & Northwestern and now the Union Pacific) was built as far as Elgin, Illinois, and passed through the area where Oak Park now lies. In the 1850s, the land where Oak Park is today was part of the town of Cicero, a new Chicago suburb. The population of the area increased greatly during the 1870s, as people from Chicago moved to Cicero after the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 and because railroads and streetcars were being built. In 1872, Oak Park received its own railroad station on the Chicago and Northwestern Railway, which marked the start of its growth as a residential suburb of Chicago. By 1877, the railroad ran thirty-nine trains daily between Oak Park and Chicago. In the following year, more railroads and streetcar lines connected Oak Park to Chicago. As Chicago grew from a regional center to a major city, Oak Park expanded rapidly. Its population increased from 500 people in 1872 to 1,812 in 1890, to 9,353 in 1900, to 20,911 in 1910, and to 39,585 in 1920. Oak Park became one of Chicago’s most important suburbs.
A 2006 review by Wiss, Janny, Elstner Associates explained the role of railroads and streetcars in Oak Park’s development. The Village of Oak Park was officially formed in 1902, separating from Cicero after a vote by residents. According to the local historical society, most of the housing and buildings in Oak Park were built between 1892 and 1950. The village’s population grew quickly, reaching 64,000 people by 1930, a number larger than today’s population. Oak Park was known as the “World’s Largest Village.” Chicago grew rapidly in the 19th century, with its population increasing from 4,470 people in 1840 to 1,099,850 in 1890 and 1,698,575 in 1900. Chicago became the second-largest city in the United States and the fifth-largest city in the world in 1900. Its location on Lake Michigan helped with transportation, and after the 1871 fire, the city was rebuilt. Oak Park grew alongside Chicago because of its location and connections to railroads and streetcars.
After World War II, Oak Park was affected by changes in the Chicago area. The Eisenhower Expressway was built in the mid-1950s, cutting through the southern part of the village. From the 1960s and 1970s, Oak Park worked to adapt to changes in the population and society while keeping its suburban character. In the 1960s, Oak Park faced challenges related to racial integration. The village passed the Open Housing Ordinance in 1968, which helped create a diverse population that still exists today.
Oak Park had a history of banning alcohol sales within its limits when the village was formed. This rule was relaxed in 1973, allowing restaurants and hotels to serve alcohol with meals. It was further changed in 2002, when some grocery stores were allowed to sell packaged liquor. Today, beer and wine are widely available, with many bars and cocktail lounges in the village.
In 1889, Frank Lloyd Wright and his wife, Catherine Tobin, moved to Oak Park. He designed many homes and the Unity Temple, his church, before leaving in 1911. Oak Park is famous for its collection of Wright-designed homes, the largest in the world. Since the 1970s, efforts to preserve historic buildings and architectural styles have continued, with three historic districts identified. Other attractions include Ernest Hemingway’s birthplace and boyhood home, the Ernest Hemingway Museum, three homes of Edgar Rice Burroughs (the creator of Tarzan), Wright’s Unity Temple, Pleasant Home, and the Oak Park-River Forest Historical Society.
In 2025, the village hall experienced major changes, with nine senior officials leaving and describing the workplace as “toxic.”
Geography
Oak Park is located directly west of the city of Chicago. The line between Oak Park and Chicago is Austin Boulevard on Oak Park’s east side and North Avenue/ Illinois Route 64 on Oak Park’s north side. Oak Park shares a border with Cicero to the south, along Roosevelt Road/ Illinois Route 38, from Austin to Lombard. It also borders Berwyn from Lombard to Harlem Avenue. Harlem/ Illinois Route 43 is Oak Park’s western border. Between Roosevelt and South Boulevard, Oak Park borders Forest Park. Between North Boulevard and North Avenue, it borders River Forest.
The entire village of Oak Park is located on the shore of ancient Lake Chicago, which covered most of Chicago during the last Ice Age and was the predecessor to today’s Lake Michigan. Ridgeland Avenue in eastern Oak Park marks the shoreline of the lake, which was once a raised area of land. Like the Chicago River, which connects to Lake Michigan north of Chicago’s downtown area, the ancient Des Plaines River once flowed into glacial Lake Chicago, making prehistoric Oak Park part of a "Plains river Delta" system. One of North America’s four continental divides runs through Oak Park. This divide, a slight rise running north–south through the village, separates the Saint Lawrence River watershed from the Mississippi River watershed. It is marked by two plaques: one on Lake Street at Forest Avenue and another in the northwest corner of Taylor Park.
According to the 2010 census, Oak Park has a total area of 4.7 square miles (12.17 square kilometers), all of which is land.
- Birthplace of Ernest Hemingway
- Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio
- Unity Temple, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright
- Frank Lloyd Wright–Prairie School of Architecture Historic District
- Ridgeland–Oak Park Historic District
- Edgar Rice Burroughs homes
- Oak Park Conservatory
Frank Lloyd Wright spent the first 20 years of his 70-year career in Oak Park, building many homes in the community, including his own and the Walter Gale House. He lived and worked in the area from 1889 to 1909. His earliest work, such as the Winslow House in neighboring River Forest, Illinois, is also located there. The first prairie-style houses in the United States are found in Oak Park. He also designed Unity Temple, a Unitarian-Universalist church, which was built between 1905 and 1908. Several well-known architects and artists worked in Wright’s Oak Park Studio, including Richard Bock, William Eugene Drummond, Marion Mahony Griffin, and Walter Burley Griffin.
Many buildings in Oak Park were built by other Prairie School architects, such as George W. Maher, John Van Bergen, and E.E. Roberts.
Oak Park’s housing stock reflects its rapid growth during its time as part of the town of Cicero and since it became a village in 1902. Historic preservation has been a priority since a rule passed in 1972 and updated later. There are 2,400 historic sites in Oak Park, most of which are homes built in the Queen Anne, Prairie School, and Craftsman styles of architecture. The Village of Oak Park displays these sites online on an interactive website. Three historic districts recognize the variety of architectural styles often found next to each other. These districts are Frank Lloyd Wright, Ridgeland–Oak Park, and Seward Gunderson, as shown on a map from the village. A fourth district, including 176 homes built by Thomas Henry Hulbert, is under consideration as of 2015.
Ernest Hemingway spent the first six years of his life at 339 N. Oak Park Ave. The house was restored to its original 1890s Victorian style in 1992 and is open to the public for tours through The Ernest Hemingway Foundation of Oak Park.
The Art Deco-style main post office on Lake Street was designed by White and Weber in 1933. It is part of the Ridgeland–Oak Park Historic District.
Demographics
As of the 2020 census, there were 54,583 people, 21,701 households, and 12,774 families living in the village. The population density was 11,613.40 people per square mile (4,483.96 per square kilometer). There were 25,953 housing units, with an average density of 5,521.91 per square mile (2,132.02 per square kilometer). The racial makeup of the village was 60.18% White, 18.69% African American, 0.05% Native American, 5.39% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.52% from other races, and 5.84% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race made up 9.31% of the population.
There were 21,701 households, with 30.4% having children under 18 living with them. Of these households, 45.56% were married couples living together, 9.89% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.14% were non-families. Thirty-five point three-three percent of all households consisted of individuals, and 13.35% had someone living alone who was 65 years or older. The average household size was 3.14, and the average family size was 2.38.
The village’s age distribution included 23.8% under 18, 6.1% aged 18 to 24, 27% aged 25 to 44, 27.5% aged 45 to 64, and 15.7% who were 65 or older. The median age was 40.6 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.7 males. For every 100 females aged 18 or older, there were 83.5 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $96,945, and the median income for a family was $142,785. Males had a median income of $79,284, while females had a median income of $54,639. The per capita income for the village was $58,262. About 3.3% of families and 7.0% of the population lived below the poverty line, including 3.7% of those under 18 and 8.7% of those 65 or older.
Starting in the 1960s, Oak Park residents worked to prevent the movement of white residents from neighborhoods and the loss of investment that were happening on Chicago’s West Side. White residents left neighborhoods that had previously been all-white as Black residents moved in. This process was made faster by practices like racial steering and blockbusting. These practices caused rapid racial changes across the West Side, including the Austin neighborhood near Oak Park. White residents left these areas because of fears tied to declining property values and rising crime, and many white-owned businesses also left.
The Village of Oak Park passed a fair housing law in 1968 (the same year as the federal Fair Housing Act). In 1972, Roberta "Bobbie" Raymond started the Oak Park Housing Center to help stop white residents from leaving and to support racial integration. One part of this effort was a rule that banned "for sale" signs on homes. This rule was later declared unconstitutional in a court case called Linmark Associates, Inc. v. Township of Willingboro (1977), though local realtors still strongly discourage using such signs.
A 2003 evaluation of Oak Park’s policies to stop white residents from leaving noted a slow increase in the share of the village population that was Black, reaching 22% in 2000. It also observed:
Arts and culture
Oak Park has a strong arts community because of its good location near Chicago (7 miles (11 km) west of the "Loop") and its links to famous people in the visual, literary, and performing arts, such as Ernest Hemingway, Frank Lloyd Wright, Betty White, and Tymoteusz Karpowicz. This tradition continues today, as Oak Park is home to many theater, music, dance, and fine-arts professionals. The arts district on Harrison Street, between Austin Avenue on the east and Ridgeland Avenue on the west, includes small galleries, shops, and restaurants.
Oak Park is home to several professional dance and theater groups, including Circle Theatre, Oak Park Festival Theatre, Laurel Theater, and Momenta, the resident dance company of The Academy of Movement and Music. Oak Park and nearby River Forest also host the Symphony of Oak Park and River Forest, which marked its 75th anniversary in 2009.
Oak Park is also the location of WEUR, a radio station that broadcasts from the former Oak Park Arms Hotel at 1490 AM since 1950. Previously called WPNA and operated by the Polish National Alliance, the station’s programming supports the many different language and culture groups in the Chicago area. In the late-1960s, WPNA had the only "underground" disc jockey in Chicago, named Scorpio. The Oak Park Art League (OPAL), a nonprofit visual arts center started after World War I (renamed in 1970), offers classes, workshops, lectures, demonstrations, and exhibitions. Since 1921, OPAL has provided opportunities for people to engage with the arts and enjoy cultural activities. More than 4,500 artists take part in OPAL’s events each year.
Oak Park has hosted many festivals and holiday events. The July 4 celebration with fireworks attracts thousands to the Oak Park-River Forest High School football stadium. A Day in Our Village, held in June, gives local groups a chance to set up tables and find new members.
The Oak Park, Illinois Film Festival (OPILFF) started in 2024. It celebrates films connected to Oak Park through their cast, crew, subject, or filming location.
Government
Since 1951, Oak Park has used a type of government called the council-manager form. This system includes an elected president and a village board, which chooses a village manager to handle daily tasks. Oak Park also has five other groups that collect real estate taxes. These groups are Oak Park Township, the high school district (which also collects taxes from nearby River Forest), the elementary school district, the library district, and the Oak Park Park District.
The United States Postal Service operates two post offices in Oak Park. The main post office is at 901 Lake Street, and the Oak Park South Post Office is at 1116 Garfield Street.
Oak Park’s village board, president, and other elected officials are chosen through a two-step election process. A primary election selects candidates from political parties, and a general election chooses the officials. Voter turnout in Oak Park varies depending on the type of election. In the 2012 presidential election, Oak Park had the highest voter turnout in suburban Cook County, with 79.8% of registered voters voting. Municipal elections for the board of trustees and village clerk usually have much lower turnout, averaging about 20%. These elections are held in spring, as required by state law. Municipal elections are nonpartisan, meaning political parties do not choose the candidates. Candidates are nominated by citizens or groups that help find people to run for office.
Public elementary schools in Oak Park (Lincoln, Mann, Longfellow, Beye, Irving, Holmes, Whittier, and Hatch) and middle schools (Percy Julian Middle School, formerly Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Gwendolyn Brooks Middle School, formerly Ralph Waldo Emerson) are operated by Oak Park Elementary School District 97. These ten schools serve the entire city. There are also several private schools in Oak Park.
School performance ratings, based on standardized tests, are released regularly. These reports are called school report cards.
The names of the junior high schools, now middle schools, were changed to honor African-American leaders instead of famous writers. This change was meant to inspire minority students. A gap in school performance, called "this intolerable and persistent inequity," still exists.
Oak Park has two high schools: Oak Park and River Forest High School, which is part of educational District 200 and serves both Oak Park and neighboring River Forest, and Fenwick High School, a Catholic college preparatory school run by the Dominican order and affiliated with the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago. Both schools are known for high academic standards. Oak Park and River Forest High School honors distinguished alumni, such as Ernest Hemingway, Ray Kroc, Dan Castellaneta, and others, with the Tradition of Excellence Award. This school is one of seven in Illinois that can induct students into the Cum Laude Society.
The Park District of Oak Park was created in 1912 as the Recreation Department of the Village of Oak Park. Under leaders like Josephine Blackstock and Lilly Ruth Hanson, the department focused on providing recreation for residents. Playgrounds were named after famous children’s writers.
In the late 1980s, the Recreation Department was closed, and the Park District became a separate group that collects taxes. It includes thirteen parks covering 80 acres (320,000 m²), a historic house available for events, the Oak Park Conservatory, and two outdoor pools. The Park District also has dog exercise areas where owners pay fees to bring their pets. Ridgeland Common, built in 1962, includes a second outdoor pool, an ice rink, a green roof, and synthetic-turfed fields. It was completely renovated from March 2013 to June 14, 2014.
Founded in 1903, the Oak Park Public Library has a main branch near Scoville Park and two smaller branches: the Dole Branch Library and the Maze Branch Library. As part of the SWAN library consortium, the library offers access to nearly 8 million items for cardholders.
The Oak Park Fire Department provides fire protection and emergency medical services from three fire stations: Fire Station #1 (headquarters), Fire Station #2 (north), and Fire Station #3 (south). Each station is led by a battalion chief. The department uses three ALS engines, one ALS truck, three ALS ambulances, one ALS paramedic squad, one command unit, and other specialized equipment.
The Oak Park Police Department has about 118 officers, with 23 sworn officers per 10,000 residents.
In 2019, Oak Park had a violent crime rate of 298 per 100,000 residents, which was 28% lower than Illinois as a whole. The property crime rate was 3,047, which was 50% higher than the state average. In 2020, reported crimes in Oak Park increased by 10%, including more thefts, robberies, and assaults, but fewer burglaries compared to 2019.
Transportation
Oak Park can be reached from Chicago using the Green Line and Blue Line at five CTA stations in Oak Park. Oak Park also has a station for Metra’s Union Pacific West Line. Bus transit service within Oak Park and to other suburbs is provided by the CTA and Pace.
The Eisenhower Expressway is the main highway connecting Chicago and Oak Park. This highway also connects to O’Hare International Airport. Major east-west streets in Oak Park extend east into Chicago.
The streets in Oak Park are arranged in a grid pattern, with some local streets ending in a cul-de-sac to preserve the area’s character. Oak Park has its own street-numbering system. For east-west streets, numbering starts at Austin Boulevard (no east or west designation). For north-south streets, numbering begins at the elevated train tracks just south of Lake Street. Numbers increase as you move north or south, and addresses must include a north or south designation. Streets along Oak Park’s borders use the address system of the neighboring cities instead. For example, addresses on Austin Boulevard follow Chicago’s system, with the zero line at Madison Street. Along North Avenue, addresses match Chicago’s system, with Austin Boulevard at 6000 W and Harlem at 7200 W. Elizabeth Court, located in the Frank Lloyd Wright Historic District, keeps its original numbering. The houses on this cul-de-sac are numbered from 1 to 12.
Augusta Boulevard in Oak Park is part of the Grand Illinois Trail. The trailhead of the Illinois Prairie Path is less than 1 mile (1.6 km) from Oak Park. Oak Park has several bicycle clubs and groups, making it a bicycle-friendly community. Tree-lined streets and nearby trails attract cyclists, who can easily reach Oak Park using the Green Line, Blue Line, or Metra. Bicycle lanes are marked on many streets, though few separated bike paths exist.
Divvy bike sharing, which serves Chicago, began operating in Oak Park in 2016. Oak Park’s Village Board ended the Divvy program in 2017 because it was not cost-effective.