Loop, Chicago: A Neighborhood Guide for First-Time Buyers

The Loop is Chicago community area 32, a 1.7-square-mile area in the center of the city. The Loop is the city’s central business district, inside and around the elevated tracks that give it its name. Nearly every parcel is a condo unit, and 16 ‘L’ stations sit inside its boundary, more than any other area.

Also known as or includes: South Loop (part), Printer’s Row, New Eastside.

Last reviewed October 4, 2026 · Chicago First Time Home Buyer editorial team

Map: Loop on OpenStreetMap

Outline: City of Chicago community area boundary for Loop. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

At a glance: Loop

Fact	Figure
Community area number	32
Part of the city	Central area
Size	1.7 square miles
Borders	Near North Side, Near South Side, Near West Side
Parcels in the Assessor’s 2026 file	23,978
Houses and townhouses	0 (0%)
Buildings with 2–6 units	9 (0%)
Condo units	20,844 (87%)
CTA ‘L’ stations inside the area	16 (Red, Blue, Brown, Green, Orange, Pink, and Purple)
City Council wards	42nd, 34th, 4th Wards

Homes you will find in the Loop

The Cook County Assessor’s 2026 file lists 23,978 parcels in the Loop. 0% are houses or townhouses, 0% are buildings with two to six units, and 87% are condo units. There are also 110 apartment buildings with seven or more units.

This is a condo market. Most first-time buyers here will be buying a unit, so the building matters as much as the unit: the lender will review the association’s budget, reserves and owner-occupancy, and some loans need the building to be approved. Read our post on Fannie Mae’s new condo rules before you make an offer, and ask for the association’s budget and recent minutes during attorney review.

HomeGrown grants can be used for one- and two-unit homes, condos and townhomes, and the grant amount depends on income and on where in the city the home is. IHDAccess Home is available statewide. Compare the two on our side-by-side page.

Getting around

16 CTA ‘L’ stations are inside the Loop’s boundary: Adams/Wabash (Brown, Green, Orange, Pink, and Purple lines), Clark/Lake (Blue, Brown, Green, Orange, Pink, and Purple lines, accessible), Harold Washington Library-State/Van Buren (Brown, Orange, Pink, and Purple lines, accessible), Harrison (Red Line), Jackson (Blue Line, accessible), Jackson (Red Line, accessible), LaSalle (Blue Line), LaSalle/Van Buren (Brown, Orange, Pink, and Purple lines), Lake (Red Line, accessible), Monroe (Blue Line), Monroe (Red Line), Quincy/Wells (Brown, Orange, Pink, and Purple lines, accessible), State/Lake (Brown, Green, Orange, Pink, and Purple lines), Washington (Blue Line), Washington/Wabash (Brown, Green, Orange, Pink, and Purple lines, accessible), and Washington/Wells (Brown, Orange, Pink, and Purple lines, accessible).

Every ‘L’ line except the Yellow Line stops in the Loop, so it is the easiest place in the city to live without a car.

Parks and libraries

Chicago Park District facilities sit in 4 parks inside the Loop: Dearborn Park, Grant Park, Printers Row Park, and Roosevelt Park. The Chicago Public Library has Harold Washington Library Center here.

City Council wards

The Loop is split among 3 wards. The largest share of its land is in the 42nd Ward (about 51%), with the rest in the 34th (25%) and the 4th (24%). Ward lines do not follow community area lines, so check an exact address with the City’s ward lookup before you contact an alderperson’s office about zoning, permits or city services.

Neighboring community areas

The Loop borders Near North Side, Near South Side, and Near West Side. See all 77 community areas.

Common questions

Is the Loop mostly houses or condos?

Mostly condos: 87% of its parcels are condo units. These shares are from the Cook County Assessor’s 2026 parcel file.

Is there an ‘L’ station in the Loop?

Yes. The Loop has 16 CTA ‘L’ stations on the Red, Blue, Brown, Green, Orange, Pink, and Purple lines.

What ward is the Loop in?

It is split among the 42nd, 34th, and 4th Wards. Check a specific address with the City of Chicago’s ward lookup.

Can I use HomeGrown to buy a home in the Loop?

HomeGrown is a City of Chicago program, so homes in the Loop can qualify if the buyer and the property meet its rules. The grant amount depends on household income and the home’s location. See our HomeGrown guide for the current rules.

Sources

Boundaries, size and neighbors are measured from the City’s official community area boundary. ‘L’ stations, parks and libraries are placed inside the boundary by their coordinates; ward shares are approximate shares of land area. Parcel counts are from the Assessor’s tax year 2026 file, counted October 4, 2026. Houses include townhouses; condo units are counted one parcel per unit.

Cite this page: Chicago First Time Home Buyer, “Loop, Chicago: A Neighborhood Guide for First-Time Buyers,” reviewed October 4, 2026, chicagofirsttimehomebuyer.com/buying-process/chicago-neighborhoods/loop/.