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Brook Creek

Brook Creek

Neighborhood in Lawrence, Kansas

Douglas County 66044

$223,933 Average Value
$193 Average Price per Sq Ft
1 Home For Sale

East Lawrence neighborhood teeming with outdoor activities

A wishing tree leans over East 12th Street, a narrow roadway tucked behind groups of houses in Lawrence’s Brook Creek neighborhood. Numerous tags hang from the twigs and strings tied around the trunk, with a couple of the colorful slips bearing messages about food and staying “wild.” The road leads down to Brook Creek Park, a green space close to acres of woodlands. “That area has a lot of green space. It has the walking trail, and recently added was a water play park,” says Victoria Perdue, leader of Keller Williams Integrity’s Complete Home Advisors team, who’s made a few sales in the neighborhood. The splash pad is at Burroughs Creek Park, one of several recreational sites in the neighborhood. Weekly activities here range from bike rides across east Lawrence on the Burroughs Creek Trail to afternoons working on tricks at the skate park south of the East Lawrence Recreation Center. The neighborhood further stands out with a small group of new and industrially-themed houses. “We do have beautiful large trees. Both cemeteries are a delight to walk in and real close to about everyone. We have a lot of double lots, so that makes for nice, open space,” says Fred Sack, president of the Brook Creek Neighborhood Association. “We have a lot of nice amenities, and you can get in pretty cheap over here.”

Veterans Park has a great basketball court the whole family can enjoy.
Veterans Park has a great basketball court the whole family can enjoy.
South Park has several cozy place to relax and read.
South Park has several cozy place to relax and read.
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Ranch-styles, Craftsmen and sleek new builds

Homes here sit atop raised lots behind young and mature trees. A few walking paths allow for strolls under the shade of the natural canopy. Cut-through alleys exist in parts of the neighborhood, and some homeowners have converted a few into yards with gardens. Brook Creek has many clapboard and traditional ranch-style houses. The neighborhood also has many Craftsman cottages, particularly along the alleys. Studio 804, a renowned architecture program at the University of Kansas, designed a few houses for the neighborhood. These projects stand out with modern features like prominent metal and glass exteriors. One of the contemporary builds is a flat-roofed and rectangular-shaped house with all-glass siding that reflects the surrounding scenery. Although the neighborhood has become a little more cramped over the years, a few residents like Sack enjoy double lots and land footprints that can reach up to 1 acre. With a recent average sale price that is $140,000 below that of Lawrence, many seek Brook Creek to enter the housing market. Most houses here are between 1,000 and 2,200 square feet and were built between the mid-20th century and the 2000s. Depending on size and age, price points for those houses run between $175,000 and $300,000. The handful of new contemporaries run roughly between 300 thousand dollars and 600 thousand dollars.

Ranch style homes with nice curb appeal line the streets of Brooks Creek.
Ranch style homes with nice curb appeal line the streets of Brooks Creek.
Kansas University architectural program also builds homes in the community for residents.
Kansas University architectural program also builds homes in the community for residents.
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Summer fun at Burroughs Creek Park and skating near Edgewood Park

Many in the neighborhood live within arm’s reach of several parks and recreational spaces. The 7-acre Brook Creek Park is a convenient spot for parents looking to keep their children active. The green space comes with a playground complete with a swing set and a court for teens looking to meetup for pickup basketball games. Visitors can also walk over to the 43-acre preserve and forested area next to the main part of the park. Right outside of the neighborhood’s bounds is Burroughs Creek Park, an outdoor destination for this part of the city. The park provides a colorful and creatively designed playground equipment and access to the Burroughs Creek Trail, which combines with the Haskell Rail Trail to form a roughly 3-mile path across east Lawrence. Many children also enjoy having fun in the park’s recently added splash pad. Located in the heart of the neighborhood, the East Lawrence Recreation Center in Edgewood Park is free to all who live in Douglas County. The facility’s gym can host anything from basketball games to evening dance classes. Aspiring gymnasts can also hone their skills in the Tumble Zone, which features a tumble track and balance beam. Just south of the rec center, many young skaters test their skills on the graffiti-covered ramps. The site also draws scooter riders.

Burroughs Creek Park has a great splash pad for the kids.
Burroughs Creek Park has a great splash pad for the kids.
Edgewood Park has a great skate park for any age.
Edgewood Park has a great skate park for any age.
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Stop in to Taqueria La Pasadita for a quick lunch and some great taco's.
Stop in to Taqueria La Pasadita for a quick lunch and some great taco's.

Authentic tacos at Angeles Panaderia and close to downtown Lawrence institutions

While there aren’t any restaurants within the neighborhood itself, those looking for places to dine don’t need to travel far. Right East 19th Street and Haskell is a nearby favorite in the Angeles Panaderia Mexican Restaurant & Bakery. Regulars can pick anything from authentic street style tacos and tamales to sticks of sweet churros. The restaurant is down the road from the 1900 Barker - Bakery and Cafe in the adjacent Barker neighborhood. A multiple James Beard award nominee, the cafe is a community favorite for artisan breads and pastries like almond croissants. The southern outskirts of Brook Creek are also a few blocks north of East 23rd Street, which is dense with eateries and shops. The Fields & Ivy Brewery is among the staples here. Along with craft brews, patrons can order bowls of fresh fruit and lettuce salads or freshly baked and doughy pretzels paired with beer cheese dip. The Dillons in neighboring Barker provides a grocery shopping option. Brook Creek also isn’t too far from downtown Lawrence and the several institutions in that part of the city. “You really could walk to downtown from there, like on the very western edge of th Brook Creek area. I’ve done that walk,” Perdue says. One of the most beloved spots here is the Free State Brewing Company, which has served the area since the late 1980s.

Liberty Memorial Central Middle School has a B grading from Niche.
Liberty Memorial Central Middle School has a B grading from Niche.

STEM focuses at Liberty Memorial and Lawrence High

Children in Brook Creek start at New York Elementary, which receives a B-minus from ratings site Niche. They then go on to Liberty Memorial Central Middle School and Lawrence High School, which receive B and A-minus grades respectively from Niche. Both the middle and high school emphasize STEM through their curricula, with the former giving its students early exposure through courses on coding and app creation. The highly rated Lawrence High is among the top 25 best high schools in Kansas for STEM. Parents can also take their preschool age children to the Kennedy Early Childhood Center. The programs there include pre-kindergarten readiness and early childhood special education services.

The Fair ground have a good selection of lily's blooming in the community garden.
The Fair ground have a good selection of lily's blooming in the community garden.

On the doorstep of the Douglas County Fairgrounds

The neighborhood sits just north of the site that hosts the annual Douglas County Fair. The event occurs over a period of several days in late July and early August and features a myriad of entertainment. Goers can enjoy a lineup of live music acts, get on carnival rides and sign up for cornhole tournaments. The fair also offers a variety of agricultural activities like llama, alpaca and poultry shows and a petting zoo.

The Amtrak Station is a great way to get into Downtown Kansas City.
The Amtrak Station is a great way to get into Downtown Kansas City.

Few miles from I-70 commute route and Amtrak line

Brook Creek sits about 4 miles south of Interstate 70, which provides direct routes to both Topeka and Kansas City for commuters to each of those cities. Downtown Lawrence sits about 2 miles north of Brook Creek. Amtrak’s Lawrence station near downtown is a stop for the passenger rail service’s Southwest Chief Train, which also stops in Kansas City and runs as far west as Los Angeles. The Lawrence Memorial Hospital west of downtown provides a major and nearby medical facility for this part of the city. For out-of-state flights, many here travel to the Kansas City International Airport about 53 miles east.

Additional community notes

Brook Creek has an overall CAP Index crime score of four out of 10, which is on the par with the national average.

Yann Ranaivo
Written By
Yann Ranaivo
John Collins
Photography Contributed By
John Collins
Taylor Gilbert
Video By
Taylor Gilbert

Agents Specializing in this Area

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Schools

Source:
GreatSchools: The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process. View GreatSchools Rating Methodology

Interested in learning more about homes in this area? Reach out to Lesia McMillin, an experienced agent in this neighborhood.

Parks in this Area

Crime and Safety

1 - Low Crime, 10 - High Crime Brook Creek US
Homicide 4 4
Sexual Assault 4 4
Assault with Weapon 4 4
Robbery 4 4
Burglary 4 4
Motor Vehicle Theft 4 4
Larceny 4 4
Crime Score 4 4

Source: WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com

Demographics and Home Trends

Home Trends

Median Price (12 Mo)
$212,500
Median Single Family Price
$215,000
Median Townhouse Price
$212,500
Average Price Per Sq Ft
$193
Number of Homes for Sale
1
Last 12 months Home Sales
56
Months of Supply
0.20
Median List Price
$219,950
Median Discount From 1st List Price
3%
Median Home Sale Price YoY Change
-1%

Home Facts

Number of Homes in Neighborhood
910
Median Year Built
1958
Avg. Single Family Home Size Sq Ft
1,197
Significantly below the national average
1,936
Average Townhouse Size Sq Ft
1,473
Median Lot Size Sq Ft
7,405

Distribution of Home Values

Source: Public Records

Homes for Sale

Homes for Rent

Interested in learning more about homes in this area? Reach out to Lesia McMillin, an experienced agent in this neighborhood.

Average Home Value




Source: Public Records

Property Mix - Square Feet

This Neighborhood Has More Owners

Demographics

Total Population
3,372
Median Age
36
Population Density
4 ppl/acre
Population under 18
25.5%
On par with the national average
23.8%
Population over 65
13.5%
Below the national average
19.1%

Finances

Median Household Income
$55,060
Significantly below the national average
$71,702
Average Household Income
$65,266

Education and Workforce

High School Graduates
91.4%
College Graduates
28.2%
Below the national average
34.1%
Advanced Degrees
11%
% Population in Labor Force
78.7%
Above the national average
65.1%

Weather

Annual Precipitation
40''
Average Winter Low Temperature
20°F
Average Summer High Temperature
88°F
Annual Snowfall
11''

Area Factors

Bikeable

Bike Score®

60 / 100

Car-Dependent

Walk Score®

18 / 100
Source: Walk Score
Source: Walk Score

Sound Score® measures the noise level of any address. Transit Score® measures access to public transit. Bike Score® measures the bikeability of any address.

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Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
NEIGHBORHOOD
Brook Creek