Northwest Chicago suburb “Where friendliness is a way of life”
Mount Prospect sprawls about 24 miles northwest of Chicago and close enough to Chicago O’Hare International Airport to hear engines close overhead. “When Mount Prospect started in the late 1800s, it was a flag stop,” says Tom Zander, a longtime resident and Realtor partner with his wife Mary Zander at Berkshire Hathaway Starck Real Estate. “The train didn’t regularly stop here unless the town put a flag out on a pole and indicated someone needed to stop. There were a lot of farms out here, dairy farms for miles.” Later developments occurred right around the station, and neat blocks of midcentury homes still extend outward to this day as modern Metra connections head down the tracks.
Mount Prospect’s transition from a sleepy bedroom community to its current state was strengthened by an extensive downtown redevelopment in the 1990s and 2000s, which brought wrought iron lampposts, brick crosswalks and mixed-use properties around the Village Hall and Centennial Green park downtown. Other walkable commercial developments, several highly-rated school districts and highly involved community organizations attract newcomers as the current population just passes the 54,000 mark. “It’s middle America," Zander says. “We’ve got all the luxuries of the city of Chicago but that peaceful, ‘Leave it to Beaver’ atmosphere.”
Mount Prospect sprawls about 24 miles northwest of Chicago.
Mount Prospect homes sit on quiet, tree-lined streets.
Mount Prospect's Village Hall sits in the center of the downtown area.
Moehling Park in Downtown Mount Prospect has paved paths, a gazebo and a butterfly fountain.
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Condos and apartments join Mount Prospect’s long blocks of single-family homes
Homes in Mount Prospect sell swiftly, averaging 18 days on the market compared to the national average of 44 days. The median price for a home is $395,000—higher than that of Prospect Heights and Des Plaines, but lower than Arlington Heights. Split-levels, ranch-style homes, Cape Cods, bungalows and colonial-style homes line long city blocks throughout much of the village. “Most are 11 houses on each side and 22 houses to a block,” Zander says. These from $350,000 to $650,000, though larger properties in neighborhoods like Lions Park can reach over $1 million.
Today’s residents are also drawn to condos ranging from $130,000 to $330,000 and townhouses from $250,000 to $500,000. “It's not development, but redevelopment,” Zander says. “Mount Prospect is pretty much landlocked, there’s no more land to annex in the community because it abuts the next town over. The redevelopment was a thing even when we moved here 40 years ago.” These options are centered downtown and along arterial roads. Front porches and condo balconies are decorated for the holidays of each season, from warm and humid summers to cold winters. “Although, last winter I only had to use my snowblower twice," Zander says. "I almost got a feeling of nostalgia doing the long driveway."
Split-level homes are well represented in the Mount Prospect neighborhood.
Condos and townhouses in Mount Prospect can range from $250,000 to $500,000.
Ranch homes with neat lawns are scattered about the Mount Prospect neighborhood.
Brick Cape Cod homes add a charming touch to Mount Prospect's residential streets.
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Collaborative park districts and redeveloped indoor recreation
Mount Prospect Park District works in tandem with Arlington Heights, Des Plaines, Prospect Heights and River Trails. Melas Park—which features play structures, baseball and softball fields on synthetic turf, and an expansive dog park known as Melas Park Canine Commons—is a joint venture between Mount Prospect and Arlington Heights, situated between the two communities. Mt. Prospect Golf Club and Old Orchard Country Club are both open to the public, the former with an updated 40,000 square-foot driving range and the latter including a clubhouse for weddings, birthdays and more.
The village’s history of redevelopment continues with Randhurst Village, a walkable outdoor shopping center on the former Randhurst Mall site. Playroom Cafe Mount Prospect and The Golf Factory bring the park and the driving range indoors, down the block from AMC Randhurst 12. “They occupy places that used to be grocery stores to make something more community oriented,” Zander says. Biking and hiking extend across 3,700 acres at Busse Woods, a large portion of the Forest Preserves of Cook County 5 miles from Mount Prospect. The Des Plaines River Trail traces through Allison Woods and Camp Pine Woods on the northeast side, past Oakton College and the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, a Catholic pilgrimage destination.
Mt. Prospect residents can fish at the River Trails Nature Preserve on the Des Planes River.
Melas Park features a dog park and walking paths in Mount Prospect.
Practice your golf game in the winter months at Golf Factory in North Mount Prospect.
Randhurst Village is an up and coming retail destination for Mount Prospect residents.
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Walkable dining and shopping districts, from downtown Mount Prospect to Randhurst Village
Storefronts topped with condos line the streets of downtown Mount Prospect, the village’s central collection of chain restaurants, boutiques and bars. Mount Prospect Public Library and the Metra station are within walking distance for residents, while those driving in from throughout the city have the option of parking in the central garage for the day. Other shopping pockets sit along major thoroughfares around big box grocery stores like Jewel-Osco, Aldi and Angelo Caputo's Fresh Markets. “The Costco in Mount Prospect is one of the busiest in the whole area,” Zander says. The wholesale store is one of many brand names in open-air Randhurst Village. Those looking for a more traditional indoor experience head 6 miles west to the largest mall in Illinois, Woodfield Mall in Schaumburg.
Mount Prospect shoppers can select from a number of boutiques in the downtown area.
The Mount Prospect Public Library offers a variety of public resources to the community.
Woodfield Mall features many retail stores in the Mount Prospect and Arlington Heights area.
Aldi offers affordable produce options in Mount Prospect.
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Several school districts serve Mount Prospect
Mount Prospect School District No. 57, which encompasses the central city, scores an overall B grade from Niche. It’s joined by River Trails School District 26 to the north and east and Elk Grove Community Consolidated School District 59 to the south and southwest; a small number attend school with kids in Buffalo Grove, Arlington Heights and Prospect Heights. Niche gives River Trails an A-minus and District 59 a B-minus. After graduating middle school, kids filter into one of three high schools in Township High School District 214, which scores an A-plus from Niche. Mount Prospect is also home to Christian Life College, a private, Pentecostal institution offering 2- and 4-year degrees for ministerial career paths.
Christian Life College offers a faith based education in Mount Prospect.
After middle school, students in Mount Prospect can attend Prospect High School.
Lincoln Middle School is a highly rated public school in Mt. Prospect, IL.
Fairview Elementary School serves grades 2-5 in Mount Prospect.
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Commuting to the Windy City or throughout Chicagoland from Mount Prospect
Mount Prospect's infrastructure updates are pedestrian- and cyclist-focused, from rapid flashing beacons at major intersections to a designated bike path along Algonquin Road. The Metra Union Pacific Northwest Line runs from Harvard, IL to Ogilvie Transportation Center in downtown Chicago, with a stop in downtown Mount Prospect arriving on the hour Monday through Saturday. “The downtown condos and apartment buildings are occupied by a lot of people who work in the city,” Zander says. “Some don't even have a car because they don’t need one, which is rare for a suburban area.” Nine Pace bus routes pass through the area on their way to other locations in the northwest suburbs. Driving is still the most popular means of transportation, whether to the grocery store, Endeavor Health Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights or Chicago O’Hare International Airport, 8 miles away by car.
Crime and safety in Mount Prospect
The Mount Prospect Police Department submits filed report data to an online mapping system that shows exact locations from the previous 12 months. All landlords and rental property managers—from apartments to single-family homes—must complete a Crime Free seminar sponsored by the village before they can receive their residential operator’s license. According to data compiled by Niche, rates for violent crimes and property crimes are below average.
Block parties downtown or down the block
Mount Prospect’s motto is “Where friendliness is a way of life,” and year-round events hosted by the Chamber of Commerce, Lions Club chapter and other local organizations create opportunities for neighbors to connect. The Village Hall looks out over many of these, from the Downtown Block Party that celebrates summer with live music, beer tents and a kid’s zone to periodic movies on the green and concerts on the green. Neighbors also get together on their own and celebrate throughout the year. “We’ll block off the street to traffic, get the folding chairs, and as the fire department or the police to bring a squad car and the kids get to play around in it,” Zander says.
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