The Near North Side is where Chicago’s downtown meets its oldest residential streets. Within a short walk you can pass a historic mansion district, a cobblestone block of Victorian cottages, a former warehouse district turned gallery and restaurant row, and the high-rise towers along the lakefront. This guide covers all of it, so you can compare the pieces side by side.
Neighborhoods covered on this page: the Gold Coast, Old Town, River North and Streeterville, which includes the Magnificent Mile. Goose Island, in the Chicago River, is also part of the story. Lincoln Park is covered in my Moving to Lincoln Park guide, and River West sits across the river in West Town.
The short version: The Near North Side sits directly north of the Loop, on the north and east side of the Chicago River, with Lake Michigan on the east and North Avenue on the north. It has Red Line and Brown Line access, the lakefront, Oak Street and Michigan Avenue shopping, a National Register historic district, and housing that runs from vintage mansions and rowhouses to high-rise condominiums and converted lofts.
What neighborhoods make up the Near North Side, and where are the boundaries?
The Near North Side is a community area bounded by the Chicago River on the south and west, Lake Michigan on the east and North Avenue on the north, which was the city limit in the early 1800s. Inside it, the smaller neighborhoods are generally described this way:
- Gold Coast: North Avenue on the north, Lake Michigan on the east, Chicago Avenue on the south and Clark Street on the west.
- Old Town: North Avenue on the north, Division Street on the south and LaSalle Street on the east, with Larrabee Street and Clybourn Avenue on the northwest and southwest sides. Old Town north of North Avenue is part of Lincoln Park.
- River North: Michigan Avenue on the east, Chicago Avenue on the north and the Chicago River on the south and west.
- Streeterville: the Chicago River on the south, Michigan Avenue on the west and Lake Michigan on the north and east.
- Magnificent Mile: North Michigan Avenue, from the river to Oak Street.
Neighborhood boundaries drift over time. Old Town began as the Old Town Triangle, named on a World War II civil defense map for the triangle formed by Clark Street, North Avenue and Ogden Avenue. The name has since stretched south. I go by the property’s address and the listing’s area rather than the name on a sign. In MRED data, all of these neighborhoods are grouped in the Near North area shown in the charts below.
What is the history of the Near North Side?
The Near North Side is where Chicago began. Jean Baptiste Point du Sable built the first known permanent settlement in the 1780s near today’s Michigan Avenue Bridge, and Pioneer Court marks the site.
Gold Coast. The Gold Coast took off in the 1880s, when Potter Palmer moved north from Prairie Avenue, filled in a swampy stretch of lakefront that became Lake Shore Drive and built a 42-room castle-like mansion. Other Chicago families followed him north. The Gold Coast Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places on January 30, 1978.
Old Town. Old Town grew up after the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. Old Town avoided citywide rules that banned wood-frame construction, which is why a number of the small wooden cottages built right after the fire still stand here. The Second City opened in Old Town in 1959, and the neighborhood is also known for its art fairs.
River North. Developed after the fire as an industrial district of warehouses, factories and worker housing, the area was once nicknamed Smokey Hollow for its smog. The Merchandise Mart opened in 1930. In 1974, developer Albert Friedman began buying and restoring properties and renting low-cost space to photographers and advertising firms, and the River North name came from that effort. Art galleries started moving in around 1979.
Streeterville. It is named for George “Cap” Streeter, born in Michigan in 1837, who ran his steamship aground on a sandbar off Superior Street in the summer of 1886 and decided to stay. Local builders dumped debris near the ship, the area filled in, and Streeter declared the new land the independent “District of Lake Michigan.” He sold lots, squatters built shacks, and he famously ran off an industrialist who claimed the land with a load of buckshot. Raids on the district came and went until 1918, when he was ousted for good. He died in 1921, and the Mayor of Chicago attended the funeral. For the full story, see WBEZ’s “Hooray for Captain Streeter!”
Goose Island. The island was formed in 1853, when the North Branch Canal was dug. Irish immigrants had settled it a decade or so earlier, and they called their settlement Kilgubbin. Polish immigrants later joined them for industrial work. The island is now home to Goose Island Brewery and has been undergoing redevelopment.
What kinds of homes are on the Near North Side?
The Near North Side has the widest range of housing in this guide. You will find single-family mansions and rowhouses, vintage walk-ups, converted lofts and high-rise condominiums, sometimes within a few blocks of each other.
- Gold Coast: historic mansions and rowhouses in Italianate, Queen Anne and Moderne styles, alongside vintage and modern high-rise condominium buildings. The Palmolive Building and the Drake Hotel are two of the area’s landmarks.
- Old Town: Victorian homes, wood-frame cottages and brick rowhouses on narrow streets, many inside the Old Town Triangle Historic District.
- River North: converted warehouse lofts and high-rise condominiums.
- Streeterville: mostly high-rise condominium and apartment buildings near the lake and the river.
If you are buying in a historic or landmark district, exterior changes are reviewed. The City of Chicago Department of Planning and Development can explain the specific rules for any address, and I can help you ask the right questions before you write an offer. In a condominium building, the association’s rules, reserves and assessments matter as much as the unit itself, and your attorney can review them with you.
What does the Near North Side housing market look like right now?
The live charts below pull current Near North data from MRED through InfoSparks. They update automatically, so you are always looking at the latest numbers rather than a screenshot. Single-family homes and condominiums and townhomes move differently, so each is shown separately.
Near North: single-family homes
Near North: condominiums and townhomes
Source: MRED, through InfoSparks. Market data changes over time. For a read on a specific building or street, send me a message.
How do I get to the Loop from the Near North Side?
The Near North Side is the closest residential area to the Loop, and many residents walk across the river bridges. The CTA Red Line and Brown Line serve the area.
- Red Line: Clark/Division, Chicago and Grand stations, and North/Clybourn at the north edge of Old Town. The Red Line runs 24 hours a day.
- Brown Line: Sedgwick in Old Town, and Chicago and Merchandise Mart stations in River North.
- On foot or by bike: the Chicago Riverwalk and the Lakefront Trail connect the area to the Loop.
- By car: Lake Shore Drive, Michigan Avenue and the nearby expressways reach the area quickly.
Your trip time depends on whether you take a bus or a train and what time of day you travel, so use the CTA Trip Planner for your exact route. Schedules and service patterns change.
What is there to do on the Near North Side?
- Magnificent Mile and the Water Tower. Michigan Avenue shopping, the historic Water Tower and Water Tower Place.
- Navy Pier. A lakefront entertainment pier in Streeterville.
- Museum of Contemporary Art, 220 E. Chicago Ave. In Streeterville, near the lake. This is the one I want to highlight. It has amazing exhibits on a regular basis.
- Richard H. Driehaus Museum, 50 E. Erie St. A museum in a Gilded Age mansion.
- Charnley-Persky House Museum, 1365 N. Astor St. A historic house museum in the Gold Coast.
- Intuit Art Museum, 756 N. Milwaukee Ave. On the edge of River North and River West.
- Chicago Riverwalk. A walking route along the river with places to eat and kayak rentals in summer.
- Oak Street Beach. The Gold Coast’s lakefront beach.
- The Second City. At 1616 N. Wells St. in Old Town. Zanies Comedy Club and the Red Orchid Theatre are nearby on and around Wells.
- Old Town Art Fair and Wells Street Art Festival. Held the same weekend in June. The Old Town Triangle Association runs the juried art fair, which includes a Garden Walk of private residences. The Old Town Merchants & Residents Association runs the Wells Street Art Festival and puts on many other fun activities on Wells Street through the year.
- River North galleries and the Gallery Walk. The district has one of the largest concentrations of art galleries in the country, and the Fall Gallery Walk in River North is a fun way to see them. The River North Design District runs it.
- Dearborn Garden Walk. A fun event in the Gold Coast, run by the North Dearborn Association. Check the website for dates.
Old Town also has the Carl Street Studios by artist Edgar Miller. Edgar Miller Legacy offers limited tours a few times a year. See my Events category for what is happening now.
Where do people shop on the Near North Side?
The Magnificent Mile is a well-known shopping street, running along North Michigan Avenue from the river to Oak Street. The Oak Street district in the Gold Coast, just steps from Michigan Avenue, has luxury fashion and jewelry boutiques, including Hermès, Chanel, Prada and Cartier. Rush Street nearby has more.
Old Town is more neighborhood scale. Wells Street has independent shops, including Judy Maxwell Home, Old Town Oil, The Spice House and House of Glunz, which has been selling wine since 1888. River North has galleries, home design showrooms and the Merchandise Mart. Shops change often, so check hours and addresses before you go. More ideas are in my Shopping category.
One of my favorite shops for gifts is The Spice House, 1512 N. Wells St. You can order online, so I have bought spices for friends and family and they simply refill online, which is a really nice feature. The selection and combinations are incredible, and many blends are named for Chicago neighborhoods. My two favorites are Lakeshore Shallot & Herb and Greektown Mediterranean Seasoning.
When I am looking for a gift for someone who has everything, I can usually find something at Jonathan Adler, 676 N. Wabash Ave.
Where should I eat and drink on the Near North Side?
The Near North Side has one of the densest restaurant concentrations in the city. A few names that appear on 2026 dining guides:
- Gold Coast: Osteria del Pastaio, NAIA, Francesca’s on Chestnut, Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse, Le Colonial and Rosebud on Rush.
- Old Town: Twin Anchors for ribs, Kamehachi for Japanese, and the Old Town Ale House, a cash-only bar open since 1958.
- River North: Maple & Ash, Siena Tavern, Bavette’s Bar & Boeuf, Frontera Grill and Eataly, plus tiki bar Three Dots and a Dash.
Restaurants open and close often, so confirm hours and reservations before you go. For more, browse my Restaurants category.
My Near North favorites
- Third Coast Cafe, 1260 N. Dearborn St., (312) 649-0730, in the Gold Coast, on the corner just south of Goethe Street. This is my favorite place to grab soup or lunch with a friend. I love their soups and their salads.
- RH Chicago, the Gallery at the Three Arts Club, 1300 N. Dearborn St., (312) 475-9116. When I feel like getting swanky, we go across the street to the north corner for a table at the 3 Arts Club Cafe at RH. I recently found out there is a lovely roof deck on top of the building with seating. I have not been up there yet. I spotted it from a roof deck across the street while showing a condo.
- RL, in The Peninsula Chicago, 115 E. Chicago Ave., (312) 475-1100. When I want a fancy holiday lunch, this is where I meet friends.
- Nomi, at the Park Hyatt, 800 N. Michigan Ave., just off Michigan Avenue. My husband and I sometimes go there to celebrate our anniversary. It overlooks the Water Tower, where he proposed to me.
- Topo Gigio, on Wells Street in Old Town. I love going there.
- Orso’s, 1401 N. Wells St. A legendary Old Town Italian restaurant that has been around forever. It has a great patio where you can sit outside through the fall and as early as the spring.
- Erie Cafe, in River North. A solid A+.
Where do I buy groceries on the Near North Side?
Jewel-Osco opened a flagship store at Clark and Division streets in the Gold Coast in 2017, and Eataly, a large Italian market with several restaurants inside, is in River North. Check each store’s website for current hours and status.
How do I find the schools for a home in the Near North Side?
Chicago Public Schools assigns every address to one elementary school boundary and one high school boundary, and those boundaries can change. The only reliable way to know which schools serve a specific home is to enter that exact address into the CPS School Locator. Do this for every home you are seriously considering, before you write an offer. Magnet and selective programs use applications rather than addresses.
One more piece of advice from my years as a teacher. Schools change. Principals, programs and enrollment all shift over time, so look at a school’s current information rather than relying on an old reputation.
Who is the alderman for the Near North Side, and which neighborhood groups can I join?
Ward lines do not follow neighborhood lines, and the ward map changes, so I do not list ward numbers here. Enter your own address on the City of Chicago wards page to see your ward and alderman, or confirm it with the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners. Neighborhood boundaries and ward maps are subject to change.
- Old Town Triangle Association. Serves the Triangle, bounded by North Avenue, Clark Street and the former Ogden Avenue, and runs the Old Town Art Fair each June.
- Old Town Merchants & Residents Association. A chamber of commerce and more for Old Town. It runs the Wells Street Art Festival.
- Gold Coast Neighbors Association. The neighborhood group for the Gold Coast.
- North Dearborn Association. Runs the Dearborn Garden Walk in the Gold Coast.
- Streeterville Organization of Active Residents (SOAR). A community organization for Streeterville.
- River North Residents Association. A residents group for River North.
- Greater River North Business Association. A business association for the Greater River North community.
- River North Design District. A River North association that hosts the fall Gallery Walk.
How does parking and permit parking work on the Near North Side?
Many streets here are in Residential Permit Parking zones. If you live in one, you add a zone number to your Chicago city vehicle sticker, and you can buy guest passes from the City Clerk. In high-rise buildings, parking is often a deeded space or a monthly rental, and the cost varies a lot from building to building.
Parking is one of the first things I look at with buyers. Confirm current zones, hours and fees with the Chicago City Clerk for any home you are considering, and ask the building what a space costs.
What do I need to do when I move to Chicago’s Near North Side?
Chicago has a few rules that catch new residents off guard. I keep them all on one page, so each stays current in one place. Go straight to what you need:
- Address change and utility setup: who to call for electric, gas, water and internet.
- City sticker and neighborhood parking zones: how to buy your city sticker, add your zone and show proof of residency.
- Illinois driver’s license and license plates: how long new residents have to switch over.
- Street cleaning and garbage collection: where to find your schedule.
- Snow removal and winter parking: the overnight parking ban and 2-inch snow rule.
- Your ward and alderman: how to find yours and register to vote.
What parks are on the Near North Side?
Along with the Lakefront Trail and Oak Street Beach, the Near North Side has several smaller city parks. This list is a start, and the Chicago Park District park finder has every park and field house.
- Washington Square Park, 901 N. Clark St.
- Lake Shore Park, 808 N. Lake Shore Dr.
- Ward (A. Montgomery) Park, 630 N. Kingsbury St., in River North.
Three nonprofits help look after green space across the city. Join one if you want to get involved: Friends of the Forest Preserves, Friends of the Chicago River and Friends of the Parks.
Where can I take my dog on the Near North Side?
The Chicago Park District lists several dog-friendly areas on and near the Near North Side:
- Ward Dog Friendly Area, 630 N. Kingsbury St., in River North.
- Larrabee Dog Park, 652 N. Larrabee St.
- Park No. 598, 1514 N. Larrabee St., in the Old Town area.
- Ohio Place Dog Park, 360 W. Ohio St.
- Exhibit Dog Park, at Superior and N. Wells St.
- Park No. 551, 353 N. Des Plaines St.
- Lake Shore East Dog Friendly Area, 450 E. Benton Pl., near Streeterville.
Chicago Park District Dog Friendly Areas require a permit and a registration tag for each dog, and the permit covers one calendar year. Owners show proof of vaccinations and a recent exam at a participating veterinary office to get one. Rules and fees change, so read the city’s dog friendly area FAQ before your first visit.
Where can I work out on the Near North Side?
The Lakefront Trail and Oak Street Beach are the free options, and the Chicago Riverwalk is a popular route for walking and running along the water. In Old Town, Studio Lagree is at 1419 N. Wells St., SoulCycle is at 1225 N. Wells St. and Old Town Fit Body Boot Camp is at 625 W. Division St. Equinox Lincoln Park, at 1750 N. Clark St., is just across North Avenue, and FFC Lincoln Park is at 939 W. North Ave. Many high-rise buildings also have fitness centers, which is worth asking about when you tour.
More clubs and studios:
- East Bank Club, 500 N. Kingsbury St.
- Leblon Fitness Club, 750 N. Orleans St. #101.
- BODYROK River North Studio, 714 N. Clark St.
One observation from researching this guide: the Near North Side seems to have about as many gyms as it has dog parks, and in the Gold Coast alone I found more gyms than dog parks. That probably has something to do with density, though it may be a coincidence. I have not named every gym here.
Frequently asked questions about moving to the Near North Side
What neighborhoods are in Chicago’s Near North Side?
The Gold Coast, Old Town, River North and Streeterville, which includes the Magnificent Mile. The area sits north and east of the Chicago River, with Lake Michigan on the east and North Avenue on the north.
How do I get to the Loop from the Near North Side?
Take the Red Line or Brown Line, or walk across the river. Your trip time depends on the route and time of day, so use the CTA Trip Planner.
What is the Gold Coast Historic District?
A National Register historic district added on January 30, 1978, roughly bounded by North Avenue, Lake Shore Drive, Clark Street and Oak Street.
Is there residential permit parking on the Near North Side?
Yes, on many streets. Residents add a zone number to their city sticker and can buy guest passes from the City Clerk. Confirm current details before you move.
How do I find out which public school a home is assigned to?
Enter the exact address in the CPS School Locator. Each address has one elementary and one high school boundary.
Keep exploring
Comparing neighborhoods? Read Lincoln Park vs. Lakeview vs. Bucktown vs. Wicker Park.
More neighborhood guides:
Planning your move:
- New Resident Information
- Buying a Home in Chicago
- Selling a Home in Chicago
- Free Guides
- Chicago Real Estate FAQ
More from the blog: Gold Coast | Old Town | River North | Restaurants | Shopping | Events
Thinking about a move to the Near North Side?
Choosing between a rowhouse, a loft and a high-rise is a different decision from choosing a neighborhood, and the details matter: the building’s rules and assessments, the landmark rules, the permit zone and the school boundary. I help buyers and sellers sort through those details every week. If you are weighing the Gold Coast, Old Town and River North against Lincoln Park or Lakeview, send me a message and tell me what matters most to you. I will help you compare them honestly.
You can reach me at 312-953-7811. If you would like neighborhood news and market updates in your inbox, sign up for my newsletter.
Maureen Moran, REALTOR®, @properties Christie’s International Real Estate. Information is believed accurate but is not guaranteed. Parking rules, fees, schedules, hours, school boundaries, neighborhood boundaries and ward maps change, so please verify details with the source.
What’s new on the Near North Side?
These are my latest posts about the Gold Coast, Old Town, River North and Streeterville: restaurant openings, events, market updates and what I’m seeing on the street. See every Near North Side post.
