Douglas is among the 77 community areas of Chicago. The neighborhood takes its name from Stephen A. Douglas, who was a former Illinois politician. He was well known as a political foe of Abraham Lincoln. The community area is located at the Southern part of Chicago. The area of Douglas is approximately 4.325 square kilometers. The demographic representation of the area includes whites, African-Americans, Hispanics, and Asians. African-Americans have the largest representation in the area. The area zip code is 60616.
Maps
Douglas has notable places in Douglas. Camp Douglas is located next to King Drive and 33rd Street. Douglas extends from 26th Street. It is along the Lake Shore. The Burnham Park is along the community area’s shoreline. It is also worth noting that Douglas contains a section of Bronzeville.
Population
Different populations live in Douglas. The population representation includes African Americans, whites, Hispanics, and Asians. In terms of percentage, African-Americans are 70%, whites 4.2%, Hispanics 4.6%, and Asians 18%. The total population of the area is 18,452. The median household income of the area is around $36 665. In terms of the gender population of the area, there are more females than males. The males have a total population of 8,041 while that of females is 10, 410. The median age of the males according to the population representation of the area is 28 years. The median age of females in Douglas is 41 years.
Statistics related to households show that the average household size in Douglas is 2 people. Of the households represented in this area, the total of family households is 36%. The total of married-couple families is 7.6%. Among all the households in Douglas, the total of married-couple households with children is 6.4%. The single-mother households in the area are 73%.
In terms of occupation, the people of Douglas have varied occupations depending on their particular areas of training. Here are some of the occupations of males in the area.
· Males in management occupations 9%
· Males in financial and business operations 7%
· Males in engineering occupations 3%
· Males in legal-related occupations 4%
· Males in transportation occupations 8%
· Males in healthcare and technical jobs 5%
There is also an occupational representation of females in Douglas in relation to their areas of expertise.
· Females in management jobs 3%
· Females in financial and business jobs 14%
· Females in Technical and mathematical 7%
· Females in social science jobs 3%
· Females in training and education occupations 4%
From the percentages above, it is evident that a good number of people in Douglas work in the formal sector.
Real Estate
Douglas is a well-known neighborhood for people wishing to buy homes. For persons who have the capacity to afford homes in the $300K price range, Douglas is a good place to consider. Towards the end of 2021, the median listing price of homes in Douglas was $299.9K. According to the statistics in the previous years, the price has been going up. This is a clear indication that real estate is a promising business in Douglas. The median selling price is $255K. In 2021, the real estate market was balanced. This means that the demand and supply of homes was at the same level.
There are different types of homes you’ll find in Douglas. They include Condo, Loft, Townhouse, and Single-family home. You can find homes with up to 6 bedrooms and up to 5 bathrooms. There are rental homes and apartments for the people living in Douglas. The reason why there is a high demand for homes in the area is because of the continuous growth of the area. A good number of the people in the area are in occupations that need them to stay in nearby areas. This gives real estate businesses the leverage to invest in the area. Depending on the type of house that a potential buyer would want to own, there are options to choose from. Whether you want to own a home or rent, there are options for you to settle for in Douglas.
Schools
Education in Douglas Chicago is an important part of the area’s growth and development. There are public schools that have contributed in equipping the students of the area to have the necessary skills and abilities to brighten their future. Here are the public schools that provide educational opportunities to the people of Douglas, Chicago.
Payton College Preparatory High School
Rating A+
The number of students enrolled is 1,220
Ratio of student-teacher 16:1
Northside College Preparatory High School
Rating A+
The number of students enrolled in the school 1,078
The student-teacher ratio 18:1
Whitney M. Young Magnet High School
Rating A+
The number of students enrolled in the school 2,198
Student-teacher ratio 18:1
Immanuel Lutheran School
Rating A
The number of students enrolled 253
The student-teacher ratio 16:1
Lane Tech College Pre High School
Rating A+
The number of enrolled students 4,500
The student-teacher ratio 19:1
Westinghouse College Prep
Rating A
Students enrolled 1,238
Student-teacher ratio 17:1
Hawthorne Scholastic Academy
Rating A-
Students enrolled 568
Student-teacher ratio 15:1
STEM Magnet Academy Elementary School
Rating A-
Students enrolled in the school 448
Students-teacher ratio14:1
Edison Regional Gifted Center
Rating A-
The number of students enrolled 264
Student-teacher ratio 17:1
Crime Rating
Douglas is a relatively safe place to stay. If you’re thinking of moving to the area, you can consider staying in the area. According to recent statistics, there have not been serious numbers of reported criminal activities. There has been a considerable drop in criminal activities since the year 2020. The percentage of drop is approximately 11%. In terms of specific crimes, the violent crime rate has dropped to approximately 13%. These statistics indicate that the security authorities in the area have been keen to ensure that the residents of the area are safe. It currently has a safety rating of C- buy Niche.com
History
The history of Douglas, Chicago dates back in the 1850s. The person who comes to mind when talking about the community area in Chicago is Stephen Douglas. He was a lawyer and politician. The area started having increased interest from people because of various factors. One of the factors that brought people into the area was the commuter stop of the Central Railroad of Illinois. Also, there were a good number of street car lines that gave an increasing number of Chicago residents an interest in the area. After the end of the Civil War, there were wealthy people who bought pieces of land near the area. This contributed towards increasing the value of the place significantly. As a result of the prospects of growth in the area, leading Jewish families of Chicago got attracted to the area. This led them to build a hospital in Douglas in 1881. The move to build a hospital in the area played a major role in expanding the popularity of the area as well as widening its value in the neighborhood. As a result, the Jewish community went ahead to build a synagogue in 1890.
As the area continued to grow, working class families started making the place their home. The people were working in railway shops as well as the meat industry. They were able to build small homes that sustained their livelihoods while working in the area. Moreover, the area attracted people from other nationalities. Particularly, it attracted the Irish community who were working in the area. They were able to build a church were they worshipped in the 1880s. The Irish community was able to come up with establishments that contributed to the growth of the area. A major establishment was the building of the Catholic Academy that served young men. Notable people like Mayor Martin Kennelly enrolled at the academy and graduated. The African-American community was also a notable community in the area in the 1890s. Black institutions played an integral role in the growth of the community. For example, the Olivet Baptist church was instrumental in serving the African-American community in the area. It had the largest congregation of the African-American community in the city. It is because of the growth of the community of African-Americans during the latter years of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century that the number of African-Americans grew in Douglas.
In the 1920s up to the 1940s, Douglas was popularly referred to as the Black Metropolis. This is because of the cultural significance it had to the African-American community. It became the central point of Black business and a center of cultural life. The area was instrumental in showing the diversity of the area in terms of the professional and business image of the city. During the day, African-Americans worked in different companies in the area and during the night they were entertaining themselves in clubs. They used to listen to music and enjoy with their friends after a long day at work. Today, most of the residents of the area are African-Americans who have continued to work and stay in Douglas. It is still a vibrant community area with prospects of more growth.
