| Albany Park | |
|---|---|
| — Community area — | |
| Community Area 14 - Albany Park | |
| Location within the city of Chicago | |
| Coordinates: | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Illinois |
| County | Cook |
| City | Chicago |
| Neighborhoods |
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| Area | |
| • Total | 1.9 sq mi (5.00 km2) |
| Population (2000) | |
| • Total | 57,656 |
| • Density | 29,865.7/sq mi (11,531.2/km2) |
| population up 16.6% from 1990 | |
| Demographics | |
| • White | 7.15% |
| • Black | 3.31% |
| • Hispanic | 66.7% |
| • Asian | 17.7% |
| • Other | 5.14% |
| Time zone | CST (UTC-6) |
| • Summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) |
| ZIP Codes | parts of 60625, 60630 |
| Median income | $40,711 |
| Source: U.S. Census, Record Information Services | |
Albany Park is one of 77 well-defined Chicago, Illinois, community areas on the Northwest Side of the City of Chicago. It includes the Albany Park neighborhood, one of the most ethnically diverse in the United States. It has one of highest percentages of foreign-born residents of neighborhoods in Chicago.
Although the majority of those foreign-born residents are from Latin America, the majority from Mexico (especially from the state of Michoacán) and Guatemala, substantial numbers are from the Philippines, India, Korea, Cambodia, Somalia, the Former Yugoslavia (Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia), Romania, Pakistan and the Middle East (especially Iraq, Iran, and Lebanon). Over 40 different languages are spoken in its public schools.
Due to the diverse population and immigrant population attraction, the population of the neighborhood has increased by 16.5% in the last decade.[1] It is part of the 60625 zip code, which is known as one of the most diverse areas in the entire country.[2]
Contents |
-5150 N. Kimball Avenue
-4440 W. Lawrence Avenue
- 2322 West Foster Avenue
- 4426 North Kedzie Avenue
- 4017 North Tripp
-3034-60 W. Foster Avenue
The Chicago Transit Authority's Ravenswood Brown Line terminates at Lawrence and Kimball Avenues. Albany Park is accessible through the Kimball, Kedzie and Francisco stations of the Brown Line, the Montrose CTA Blue Line Station, as well as by the Edens expressway (Interstate 94). The name "Albany Park" refers both to one of Chicago's 77 official community areas and the traditional name of a neighborhood within that community. The official community is bounded very approximately by Foster Avenue and the North Branch of the Chicago River on the north, Montrose Avenue on the south, Elston Avenue on the southwest, and the North Branch of the Chicago River on the east. It is in Jefferson Township, which was annexed into Chicago in 1889.
The area is one of the most Democratic of the country: In 2004, John Kerry won 22,800 votes (97.47%) to only 529 (2.26%) for George W. Bush. This is due to strong Democratic party involvement at the local level and Chicago's heavily Democratic tilt. Currently, Albany Park is in 3 wards. The 33rd ward (Alderman Richard Mell - Democrat), the 39th wards (Alderman Margaret Laurino - Democrat), and the 40th Ward (Alderman Patrick O'Connor - Democrat). Alderman Richard Mell is the father-in-law of former Governor Rod Blagojevich.
The traditional neighborhoods within the official community are (including rough boundaries):
Immediately to the north, in North Park, lie Northeastern Illinois University, North Park University, and the Bohemian National Cemetery.
The neighborhood has been the "Koreatown" of Chicago since the 1980s. The majority of Korean shops in Albany Park can be found on Lawrence Avenue (4800 North) between Kedzie (3200 West) and Pulaski (4000 West). This particular section of Lawrence Avenue has been officially nicknamed by the city of Chicago as "Seoul Drive" because of the multitude of Korean-owned enterprises on the street. Although many of the Korean Americans in the neighborhood have been moving to the north suburbs in recent years, it still retains its Korean flavor. Every year there is a Korean festival, and the neighborhood is home to a Korean television station (WOCH-CA Ch. 41) and radio station (1330 AM) as well as two Korean-language newspapers. There are still many Korean businesses interspersed among the newer Mexican bakeries and Middle Eastern grocery stores. Approximately 45% of the businesses on this particular stretch of Lawrence Avenue are owned by Korean-Americans.[3]
The Chicago Shimpo has its offices in Albany Park.[4]
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| Forest Glen, Chicago | North Park, Chicago | |||
| Jefferson Park, Chicago | Lincoln Square, Chicago | |||
| Albany Park, Chicago | ||||
| Portage Park, Chicago | Irving Park, Chicago | North Center, Chicago |