Who is my alderman? What ward am I in?
Type a Chicago address to resolve it to its ward — the City Council district your alderperson represents. Below: how wards work, and where to find the current officeholder.
Your ward, your alderperson
Chicago is divided into 50 wards, each represented by one member of the City Council — the alderperson (historically “alderman”). Your ward decides who votes on the zoning changes, permits, and menu-money spending on your block, so it is the single most useful piece of civic geography to know for any address.
Enter your address above and Civic Worth resolves it to its Cook County parcel and its ward (for example, Ward 42). Wards are redrawn after each census, which is why they rarely match Chicago’s 77 community areas — those are stable statistical neighborhoods that never change. One address always has exactly one of each.
Because aldermanic seats turn over with elections, Civic Worth reports your ward number rather than a name that would go stale — look up the current officeholder and their ward office in the Chicago City Clerk’s ward directory once you know your ward.
Frequently asked
- How do I find my alderman in Chicago?
- Enter your Chicago address above. Civic Worth resolves it to its Cook County parcel and shows the parcel’s ward on the parcel page — the district your alderperson represents. Chicago has 50 wards, each with one City Council member.
- What is the difference between a ward and a community area?
- A ward is a City Council district — one of 50 — and its boundaries are redrawn after each census. A community area is one of Chicago’s 77 stable statistical neighborhoods, which do not change. A single address has exactly one ward and one community area, and they rarely line up.
- Who is the alderman for my ward right now?
- Ward representation changes with elections, so for the current officeholder and their ward-office contact, use the Chicago City Clerk’s ward directory. Civic Worth resolves your ward number so you know which one to look up.