The Loop
Millenium Park, Riverwalk, Skyline Condos
MEDIAN: $705,000
Get to know The Loop
The Loop is Chicago at full scale: world-class museums, theaters, parks and the city's famous skyline, all within a short walk of home. It's the heart of downtown, wrapped by the Chicago River on the north and west and Lake Michigan and Grant Park on the east, with the New Eastside and Lakeshore East in its northeast corner.
People move here for convenience and culture. Every CTA rail line meets in the Loop, Millennium Park and the Riverwalk are steps away, and residents can walk to work, the theater and the lakefront.
The Loop was rebuilt after the Great Chicago Fire and became the birthplace of the skyscraper. In recent decades it has grown into a true residential neighborhood, with its population growing by nearly half between 2010 and 2020.
Why People Love The Loop
Residents say the Loop has everything within walking distance: art, culture, shopping, dining and entertainment.
Parks are your backyard. Millennium Park, Maggie Daley Park, Grant Park, the Riverwalk and Lakeshore East Park give residents room to run, skate, picnic and catch free concerts.
Culture is next door. The Art Institute, Symphony Center, the Lyric Opera, the Chicago Cultural Center and the Theatre District's historic stages are all a short walk away.
Getting anywhere is easy. Seven of the CTA's eight rail lines run through the Loop, Metra trains connect to the suburbs, and both airports are a train ride away.
The architecture never gets old. Residents live among some of the world's most important skyscrapers, with river, lake and skyline views from many homes.
There's always something new. The Chicago Loop Alliance is launching a new Loop Arts District, and State Street's storefronts are filling back in.
Want to live in The Loop?
John will match you with a Chicago agent who knows these blocks, at no cost to you.
What to do in The Loop
In the Loop, a good day can include a run along the lake, an afternoon with the Impressionists and a Broadway show.
Start with a run on the Lakefront Trail or a loop through Maggie Daley Park, then grab coffee and walk the Riverwalk. Pick up groceries at Mariano's in Lakeshore East, or let the dog run at the Lakeshore East Park dog area.
Spend an afternoon at the Art Institute, then walk the Nichols Bridgeway into Millennium Park for one of the best skyline views in the city. Step inside the Chicago Cultural Center to see the world's largest Tiffany stained-glass dome, a free stop most visitors miss.
Evenings run from classic to cultural. Grab a stein at The Berghoff, open since 1898, catch a touring Broadway show or a play at the Goodman, or hear the Chicago Symphony at Symphony Center. In summer, the Grant Park Music Festival brings free classical concerts to Pritzker Pavilion.
The seasons bring their own traditions: skating on the ribbon at Maggie Daley Park and Christkindlmarket in Daley Plaza in winter, and festivals in Grant Park in summer. In fall, the new Loop Arts Fest brings performances and art to State Street.
Housing Types & Architecture
The Loop is a high-rise neighborhood: nearly every home is a condo in a tower, many with skyline, river or lake views.
The newest buildings cluster in Lakeshore East and the New Eastside, a master-planned area of glass towers wrapped around a six-acre park, including Jeanne Gang's wavy Aqua tower. Many offer doormen, fitness centers, pools and attached parking.
Along Michigan Avenue and in the historic core, condos fill landmark towers and early-20th-century buildings converted from offices, with high ceilings, big windows and a front-row seat to Millennium Park.
Just to the south, around Dearborn Street, the Printer's Row area offers condos in converted brick printing lofts, with exposed brick, timber beams and a quieter, residential feel.
The quick read: a strong fit if you want a full-service condo, views and the city's best transit and culture outside your door. A harder search if you want a single-family home, a private yard or a quiet block after dark.
Get Personalized Guidance
LetsMovetoChicago.com founder John knows how to find the right real estate agent because he has been one since 2015. When it’s time to start your home search, John can connect you with a local real estate agent who specializes in the neighborhoods you’re focused on, at no cost to you!
Paris Metra Station Entrance, Grant Park, Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL
View from Adams/Wabash Station, Union Loop, Wabash Avenue and Adams Street, Chicago, IL
110 North Wacker, Wacker Drive and Washington Street, Chicago, IL
Civic Opera Building, Wacker Drive and Madison Street, Chicago, IL
Crown Fountain, Millennium Park, Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL
Grant Park from Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL
Get the The Loop Neighborhood Report
Current selling trends, median income, recent sale prices, commute times, and walkability.
What People Are Saying
Here's how people who live in The Loop describe it, summarized from public resident reviews: