Niles is best known in the Chicago area for its signature roadside attraction: The Leaning Tower of Niles. Constructed in 1934, the tower is a half-sized replica of the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy. The Niles version was built to hide a water tank, but now it entices visitors and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. While the Leaning Tower is a good conversation starter, most homebuyers are drawn to Niles for different reasons, like its convenient access to employment options. Many of the roughly 30,000 residents benefit from a short commute to employers in Chicago, while Niles itself is home to employers like the Coca-Cola Bottling Company and Shure, Inc., an audio products corporation. The village also provides access to community parks, restaurants and highly rated public schools.
Niles is home to employers like Shure Inc., an audio products corporation.
Many of the roughly 30,000 residents in Niles benefit from a short commute to Chicago.
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Condos, townhouses and midcentury homes line Niles' streets
The median single-family home price is $425,000, well over Chicago’s median and slightly above the national median. On the village’s north end, Washington Park has apartment, townhouse and condo complexes. Several neighborhoods on the north end have midcentury bungalows, bi-levels and New Traditional-style homes. On the south end, Lawrencewood Gardens and O'Shanter Estates were developed during the same period and have similar home styles. The south end of the village also has several apartment complexes. “One benefit of Niles is that it has lower taxes than Chicago and Park Ridge,” says Realtor Carol Harczak, who sells homes with RE/MAX All Stars.
Brick, mid-century bungalows are well represented in Niles.
Niles' numerous condos and townhouses are priced from $200,000 to $450,000.
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Highly rated school districts like Maine Township High School District No. 207
Four school districts serve students from elementary through middle school: East Maine School District No. 63, Park Ridge—Niles District 64, Golf Elementary School District No. 67 and Fairview South School District 72. All four have B-plus ratings or higher from Niche. Maine Township High School District No. 207 and Niles Township Community High School District No. 219 each have A-plus Niche ratings.
Niles North is a highly rated school in Niles Township Community High School District 219.
Maine East High School earns an A rank for Maine Township High School District near Niles.
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Retail and dining at Millbrook Shopping Center
North Milwaukee Avenue runs diagonally through Niles and is lined with fast-food spots, coffee shops and restaurants serving Mediterranean, Mexican and Polish fare. On the village’s north end, Millbrook Shopping Center has clothing retailers and an AMC movie theater. On the village’s south end, just off Lehigh Avenue, there are multiple grocery stores and another AMC movie theater. Additional retailers and local restaurants are along the village's borders.
Niles features restaurants like Mr. Falafel, which serves Mediterranean cuisine.
Niles features several retail malls, including Millbrook Shopping Center.
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Warming up at Tam O'Shanter Golf Course and cooling off at Oasis Waterpark
The neighborhoods are all within walking distance of community green spaces with tennis courts and playgrounds. Many residents can also walk to the 18-hole Tam O'Shanter Golf Course, which is open to the public. The south end of the village overlaps with Caldwell Woods, which has 13 miles of paved trails along the North Branch Chicago River. IceLand Ice Arena is home to local hockey leagues and skating classes, and Oasis Waterpark has a splash pad, slides and pools. Much of the real estate in Niles is taken up by its two Catholic cemeteries, which are common spots for strolls.
Bikers, runners and walkers all share the same trail at Caldwell Woods in Niles.
Niles residents can golf 9 holes at Tam O'Shanter Golf Course near Oasis.
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Cultural events like Big Greek Food Fest
Niles is big on getting together, from community-wide garage sales organized by the local government to story times at Niles-Maine District Library. During the summer, residents enjoy concerts at Oak Park. Niles also offers cultural events for the community, including the annual Maria Santissima Lauretana Italian Festival, Harvest Hustle 5k, and the Big Greek Food Fest hosted by St. Haralambos Greek Orthodox Church.
Niles residents can celebrate local events like the 124th Annual Feast of Maria SS. Lauretan.
Niles runners can participate in events like the Harvest Hustle 5K race at Oak Park.
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Taking the Pulse Milwaukee Line to Chicago
Commuters can take the Pulse Milwaukee Line into Chicago, where downtown is 15 miles southeast via Interstate 94. The Niles Free Bus transports residents to shopping centers and public facilities. “Niles is fairly walkable and bikeable to various nearby shopping centers, especially compared to Chicago,” says David Goldberg, a Chicago native and managing broker at Bluestone Asset Management.
Chicago O’Hare International Airport is about 8 miles southwest of Niles via Dempster Street and Interstate 294. Northwestern Memorial Hospital is 14 miles southeast of Niles via interstates 94 and 90.
According to FBI data, the village’s violent crime rate is well below the state and national average, and the property crime rate is in line with state and national averages. The village’s violent crime and property crime rates have dropped over the past three years
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.
