Ukrainian Village
Historic Churches, Brick Flats, Chicago Avenue
MEDIAN: $705,000
Get to know Ukrainian Village
Ukrainian Village is one of Chicago's most beautiful residential neighborhoods: tree-lined blocks of brick cottages and two-flats, crowned by gilded church domes, just south of Wicker Park. The city defines it as Division Street to Chicago Avenue, between Damen and Western avenues.
People move here for character and calm. The side streets feel quiet and settled, while Chicago Avenue, Division Street and Western Avenue bring restaurants, bars, music venues and shops within a few blocks of home.
Ukrainian immigrants began settling here around the turn of the 20th century, building churches, credit unions and cultural institutions that still anchor the neighborhood. Much of it is now a Chicago Landmark District, and in 2025 Illinois named Ukrainian Village one of its first state-designated cultural districts.
Why People Love Ukrainian Village
Residents and visitors describe Ukrainian Village the same way: old-world charm with modern city living.
The streets are beautiful. Landmark protections have preserved block after block of brick cottages, two-flats and three-flats under a canopy of mature trees.
The churches are landmarks. St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral, modeled after St. Sophia in Kyiv, and Louis Sullivan's Holy Trinity Orthodox Cathedral are two of the most striking buildings on the West Side.
Culture is close to home. The Ukrainian National Museum and the Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art both sit in the neighborhood, along with Ukrainian bakeries, delis and import shops on Chicago Avenue.
Food and nightlife have range. You can have pierogi for lunch, a steakhouse dinner on Western, gelato on Damen and a late show at the Empty Bottle, all without leaving the neighborhood.
The calendar is full of tradition. Summer and fall bring the Ukrainian Village Fest and the St. Helen Carnival, two long-running neighborhood celebrations.
Wicker Park is next door. Division Street's shops and the Damen Blue Line stop are a short walk north, and buses on Chicago, Division, Damen and Western connect to the rest of the city.
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What to do in Ukrainian Village
In Ukrainian Village, a good day mixes a church tour, a bakery stop and a night at one of the city's favorite music venues.
Start with coffee and a pastry at Shokolad on Chicago Avenue, then walk the landmark district's side streets. Stop at St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral to see its mosaics and domes, and continue a few blocks to Holy Trinity, one of Louis Sullivan's few churches.
Chicago Avenue is the neighborhood's heritage strip. Browse embroidered shirts, painted Easter eggs and books at Delta M, pick up rye bread at Ann's Bakery & Deli, and settle in for varenyky and borscht at Tryzub or Old Lviv. Then spend an hour at the Ukrainian National Museum or the Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art.
Evenings have something for everyone. Book a steak at Boeufhaus, grab a classic Chicago hot dog at Fatso's Last Stand, or catch a show at the Empty Bottle on Western. Black Dog Gelato on Damen is the neighborhood's favorite dessert stop.
In mid-August, the Ukrainian Village Fest at Sts. Volodymyr and Olha fills the neighborhood with music, dance ensembles and home cooking. In late September, the St. Helen Carnival brings rides and games to the neighborhood.
Housing Types & Architecture
Ukrainian Village is a neighborhood of brick workers’ cottages and vintage two- and three-flats, with single-family homes and newer construction mixed in.
Much of the neighborhood sits in the Ukrainian Village Landmark District, first designated in 2002 and expanded in later years. Roughly a third of the buildings in the original district are brick workers’ cottages built by developer William Kerfoot between 1886 and 1905, and most of the rest are brick two- and three-flats from the 1890s and early 1900s.
Two- and three-flats are the most common way in. Some buyers live in one unit and rent the others; others convert them into roomy single-family homes. Condos in converted flats and a handful of larger vintage buildings also come up regularly.
Outside the landmark district, newer single-family homes and small condo buildings fill in along the edges. Inside the district, exterior changes need approval from the city's landmarks commission, which protects the streetscape but adds a step to renovations.
The quick read: a strong fit if you want a vintage cottage or flat on a beautiful, walkable block close to Wicker Park. A harder search if you want new construction, easy parking or a train stop at your door.
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Winchester Avenue, Ukrainian Village, Chicago, IL
Sign, Former Schlitz-Tied Brew House, Grand Avenue and Damen Avenue, Ukrainian Village, Chicago, IL
Thomas Street and Winchester Avenue, Ukrainian Village, Chicago, IL
Damen Avenue and Haddon Avenue, Ukrainian Village, Chicago, IL
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Current selling trends, median income, recent sale prices, commute times, and walkability.
What People Are Saying
Here's how people who live in Ukrainian Village describe it, summarized from public resident reviews:
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