Chicago, mapped
Civic maps of Chicago from the City’s and Cook County’s own open data — every one resolved to the 77 community areas and 50 wards, with the source, the method, and the benchmark shown. More are being added.
Where your property taxes go: TIF districts
Tax Increment Financing diverts about a billion dollars of property-tax growth a year. See how much of your community area sits inside a TIF — and how much it diverts.
Housing market & ownership
Development & land use
Where your property taxes go (TIF districts)How much of your community area sits in a TIF — and how much tax does it divert?
The appeal gap (assessment appeals)Who contests their assessment, and who wins a reduction?
Development pulse (building permits)Where is construction money flowing?
What can be built here (zoning)How much of each community area is locked to single-unit houses?
City-owned land (vacant lots for sale)Where does the City own vacant land — and how much is for sale?
Storefront vitality (business licenses & churn)Where is commerce concentrated — and which corridors are growing or thinning?
Individual landmarksWhere are Chicago’s designated landmark buildings — and who built them?
City services & blight
Democracy & representation
Everyday access
CTA frequency & the ‘L’How often does service come near you — and which ‘L’ stations are step-free?
Transit accessHow many homes are a short walk from frequent CTA service?
15-minute Chicago (libraries & parks)How many homes sit within a short walk of a library or field house?
Digital divide (home broadband)Which community areas have the most households without home internet?
Speed & red-light camerasWhere are the cameras — and how many violations does each record per day?
School attendance boundariesWhich neighborhood school is my address assigned to, and how is it rated?
Divvy & bike accessWhich neighborhoods can reach a Divvy station — and where are the docks?
Housing & affordability
Owner-occupancy & investor concentrationWhat share of homes have an owner who lives somewhere else?
Absentee & out-of-state ownersWho owns the property here — and how far away do they live?
Subsidized & affordable housingWhere are vouchers and LIHTC units concentrated?
Rent burdenWhere does fair-market rent eat the most of local incomes?
Aging housing stockHow old are the homes here — and where is lead-paint risk highest?
Health & environment
Neighborhood health outcomesWhere are chronic conditions concentrated across the city?
Floodplain exposureWhich community areas have the most parcels in a FEMA flood zone?
Natural-hazard risk (FEMA NRI)Which natural hazards threaten each community area most?
Environmental justice burden (EPA EJScreen)Where do pollution burdens and vulnerability stack up?
Large-building energy & emissionsHow GHG-intensive and how well-rated are the big buildings here?
Also mapping Columbus: Columbus civic maps ↗ — the same views by neighborhood.