A quiet subdivision on Springfield's northwest edge
Harrison Park is a small subdivision of less than 150 homes on Springfield's quiet northwest edge, where city bustle ends, and suburban life begins. It’s far enough from the city that it's actually part of Pleasant Plains’ school district, but still only a 4-mile commute into downtown. There’s a tight-knit feel thanks to the active Harrison Park Homeowners Association, but it’s not a stuffy or cookie-cutter neighborhood. The homes built in the late 1980s have unique facades and vintage interiors. Front lawns are used for gardens, and cul-de-sacs end in basketball hoops — much beloved by the neighborhood's kids. "My wife and I first moved here in 1996, and we stayed because our kids made lots of friends in the neighborhood," says the current HOA president, Paul Miedema. "It's a place where you feel safe taking a late-night stroll, and people really care about taking care of their properties."
Family-friendly homes from the 1980s
The smooth streets and sidewalks of Harrison Park are often filled with residents walking dogs or kids riding bikes and it's the kind of neighborhood where homes have decorative signs reading "welcome" propped up by the door. Dating back to the late 1980s, the houses in Harrison Park have vintage features like cherry wood kitchen cabinets and unfinished basements. Home styles include low-slung ramblers, boxy colonial revivals and stone-sided New Traditional builds. Prices stay consistent across the neighborhood, usually around $250,000 to $350,000. Yards are generally around a quarter-acre in size, and most properties have an attached garage.
Harrison Park homes date back to the late nineteen eighties, including low-slung ranch styles.
Lots are typically about a quarter-acre, with most properties featuring an attached garage.
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HOA events and an annual block party
Harrison Park has an active homeowner's association, which comes with pretty minimal fees. "Most years, our annual fees are around $50, sometimes more, sometimes less," Miedema says. "That primarily goes towards maintaining our entrance sign—we get it professionally landscaped." The HOA hosts a bi-annual garage sale by putting up ads and signs to encourage visitors to stop by and browse. They also provide a small gift to every new resident who moves in, and they hold an annual meeting to hear any residential concerns. And there's a block party every year, not planned by the HOA, just run by enthusiastic volunteers. "We get the city to barricade the streets for the block party so kids can ride their bikes around, and someone sets up to grill hot dogs. It's a really nice way to meet the neighbors," Miedema says.
Kids attend the Pleasant Plains School District
Despite being within city limits, Harrison Park is one of the few Springfield neighborhoods that are a part of the Pleasant Plains School District. Springfield Public Schools get an overall B-minus grade from Niche, and Pleasant Plains Schools get an overall B-plus. Kids are zoned to start at Farmingdale Elementary School, rated B-plus. Then it's on to Pleasant Plains Middle School, rated B-minus, and Pleasant Plains High School, rated A-minus. The high school offers dual enrollment courses with Lincoln Land Community College and specialty courses in fields ranging from agriculture to engineering to art. All three schools are located a significant distance from the neighborhood: the elementary and middle schools are about 7 miles away, and the high school is located in the village of Pleasant Plains, a 13-mile trip.
Pleasant Plains School was rated B- on Niche.
Unlike most of Springfield, Harrison Park is zoned for the Pleasant Plains School District.
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A county-wide bike trail and a potential new park
The biggest outdoor attraction in Harrison Park is the Sangamon Valley Trail, an 11-mile paved bike trail that is directly accessible from the neighborhood. Locals enjoy using the trail to take a brisk 4-mile bike ride to the popular Centennial Park, which has dog parks, ponds, sports fields and a skate park. Closer to home, residents hope to see a silver lining to demolishing the former Lutheran High School building. Though the building is slated for removal in 2024, the school board has decided to leave its outdoor athletic facilities open to the next-door neighborhood. The facilities include a baseball diamond, running track, football field and soccer field. The school was torn down due to a mine subsidence issue, which means nothing is recommended to be built on the site for 10 years. "The neighborhood has talked about lobbying the city to make that area a permanent public park," Miedema says. "But discussions are still ongoing."
Lewis Park and Trails connects to the Sangamon Valley Trail in Harrison Park.
Lewis Park and Trails is located off of S Koke Mill Rd, in Harrison Park.
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Three miles from the west side retail hub
Because Harrison Park is located on Springfield's less developed northwest side, most shopping and dining options are more than a mile away. The nearest grocery store is the County Market, 2 miles east, though heading south down Veterans Parkway for 3 miles yields more options. The parkway leads to the east sides major shopping hub surrounding the White Oaks Mall, which has a variety of big brands to choose from, including Lowe's, Sam's Club and Target. There’s also a variety of restaurants, from popular chains to Springfield specialties like Pease’s at Bunn Gourmet’s handmade confections.
Most shopping and dining options from Harrison Park are more than a mile away.
The parkway leads to the east sides major shopping hub surrounding the White Oaks Mall.
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A car-dependent commute into the city
There are no bus lanes on this side of the city, so residents of Harrison Park are reliant on cars. The neighborhood's entrance is a mile from Veterans Parkway, a major thoroughfare that connects to Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport in 5 miles and then heads out towards Chicago. To get to downtown Springfield and the medical district, it's about a 4-mile drive.
Nearby mine subsidence and slight flooding risks
The neighborhood used to border the private Lutheran High School, which closed in 2022 due to structural damage caused by mine subsidence. Most of the city of Springfield is built upon a network of old coal mines, so the collapse of these tunnel is not a phenomenon specific to Harrison Park. The collapse has not affected any properties in the neighborhood, and mine subsidence insurance is automatically included for property owners in Sangamon County. In addition, the northwest edge of the neighborhood has a slight chance of flooding due to the proximity of a drainage stream.
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
Jim Fulgenzi,
an experienced agent in this neighborhood.
Parks in this Area
Lewis Park and Trails
Transit
Airport
Abraham Lincoln Capital
10 min drive
Crime and Safety
1 - Low Crime, 10 - High Crime
Harrison Park
US
Homicide
1
4
Sexual Assault
2
4
Assault with Weapon
1
4
Robbery
1
4
Burglary
1
4
Motor Vehicle Theft
1
4
Larceny
1
4
Crime Score
1
4
Source: WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com
Demographics and Home Trends
On average, homes in Harrison Park, Springfield sell after 49 days on the market compared to the national average of 47 days. The average sale price for homes in Harrison Park, Springfield over the last 12 months is $321,250, up 10% from the average home sale price over the previous 12 months.
Home Trends
Median Price (12 Mo)
$321,250
Median Single Family Price
$321,250
Average Price Per Sq Ft
$99
Last 12 months Home Sales
2
Median List Price
$328,000
Median Discount From 1st List Price
2%
Median Home Sale Price YoY Change
5%
Home Facts
Number of Homes in Neighborhood
68
Distribution of Home Values
Source: Public Records
Interested in learning more about homes in this area?
Reach out to
Jim Fulgenzi,
an experienced agent in this neighborhood.
Average Home Value
Source: Public Records
Property Mix - Square Feet
This Neighborhood Has More Owners
Demographics
Total Population
288
Median Age
48
Population Density
5 ppl/acre
Population under 18
23.3%
On par with the national average
23.8%
Population over 65
28.5%
Above the national average
19.1%
Finances
Median Household Income
$128,750
Significantly above the national average
$71,702
Average Household Income
$141,504
Education and Workforce
High School Graduates
97.1%
College Graduates
58.3%
Above the national average
34.1%
Advanced Degrees
26.2%
Above the national average
13.3%
% Population in Labor Force
64.3%
Weather
Annual Precipitation
38''
Average Winter Low Temperature
20°F
Average Summer High Temperature
86°F
Annual Snowfall
7''
Area Factors
Somewhat Bikeable
Bike Score®
48/ 100
Car-Dependent
Walk Score®
5/ 100
Minimal Transit
Transit Score®
0/ 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.
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.
