Little Village

In the 1970s, Little Village, or La Villita, became home to a growing Latino population as many Mexican and Mexican-Americans moved west from Pilsen, Chicago ’s principal port-of-entry for Mexican immigrants. La Villita has gained more than 37,000 residents since 1960 to reach 98,551 in the 2010 census.

Mexicans from all over the Midwest visit Little Village’s vibrant 26th Street retail district for the kinds of products they would find in Mexico. Home to many restaurants that serve the right mix of authentic Mexican food in a festive setting, La Villita is quickly becoming a tourist destination for non-Latinos as well. Though traffic along these streets has increased tremendously, most residents appreciate the business and are interested in keeping the dollars in their community.

The lead agency in Little Village is Enlace Chicago. See the 2005 Quality-of-Life Plan.

Little Village Community Area

Population

Population (2010)	98,551	down 1% from 2000
Racial/ethnic makeup (2010)	88% Latino, 5% white, 4% African American

Housing

Total occupied units (2010)	20,450	down 4% from 2000
Owned housing units (2010)	8,871	up 7% since 2000

Income

Median household income (2010)	$41,633	up 24% from 2000
Percentage above $50,000 (2010)	39%	18% above $75,000

A Neighborhood of All Stars: Feb 16, 2017; Founded by LISC Chicago, Hoops in the Hood gives hundreds of Chicago students an opportunity to play basketball, compete in tournaments and show their team spirit.
Data Processing: Know Your Neighborhood: Carl Vogel, Oct 29, 2015; LISC is helping community organizations get a grip on municipal data to make the case for what their neighborhoods need.
Slow Roll Highlights Biking, Neighborhoods: Patrick Barry, Sep 14, 2015; Slow Roll Chicago organizes weekly bicycle rides in underserved Chicago communities to promote cycling, fitness and neighborhood pride. Recent rides were in Englewood and Little Village.
Plans Aim to Make Neighborhoods Healthy: Carl Vogel, Aug 6, 2015; Health care providers, residents and community-based organizations teamed up to rethink how to improve health and wellness in Chicago Lawn, Little Village and South Chicago.
Police-Community Programs Win MetLife Foundation Awards: Carl Vogel, Dec 18, 2014; Police, Enlace Chicago and the North Lawndale Employment Network are honored for making their neighborhoods safer places to live.
Keeping It Real: John McCarron, Oct 1, 2014; LISC’s partners, programs and ideas about neighborhood vitality were woven into this year’s UIC Urban Forum.
Response to Violence: Build "Culture of Peace": Keri Blackwell and Kathryn Bocanegra, Jun 3, 2014; LISC Chicago and its community partners approach violence as part of a comprehensive approach to community development, working on multiple fronts to help neighborhoods become safer.
In 22nd Ward, Residents Get Say in ‘Menu’ Money: Paolo Cisneros, Apr 1, 2014; Every ward in Chicago gets “menu money” for local improvements, but traditionally the only person able to choose off that menu has been the local alderman. But now that process, in the…
Youth Build Paths Away from Violence: Kimberly Harris, Nov 22, 2013; Reducing the violence that cuts across so many Chicago neighborhoods will require multiple strategies, but at least one element was strengthened this year in Auburn Gresham and other neighborhoods…
Neighborhood Focus for 2013 Artists Month: Oct 4, 2013; Chicago neighborhoods will put their arts and culture on display in October as Chicago rolls out its 18 th annual Chicago Artists Month (CAM), which will feature individual artists and organizations…
ISU Teacher Pipeline Brings Gusher of Talent to CPS: Ed Finkel, May 21, 2013; Program that partners with LISC and its lead agencies brings Illinois State University education students into communities to student-teach, and sometimes to live; many return to work
Panel Traces Path from Childhood Trauma to Youth Violence: Ed Finkel, Apr 2, 2013; Evidence continues to grow that trauma like abuse, neglect and witnessing violence at an early age rewires children’s brains and thus adversely affects their mental health going forward.
A Safe Place to Play: Gordon Walek, Jan 28, 2013; Health and fitness are significant issues in neighborhoods throughout the city, rich and poor alike. In Pilsen, Little Village, Brighton Park, Woodlawn, Chicago Lawn and South Chicago, neighborhood…
Altgeld Park, Little Village Gain New Green Fields: Gordon Walek, Oct 26, 2012; Funders, neighborhood partners work to turn grass and dirt playlots into football, soccer field.
For An Instant, City Streets Become Neighborhood Playgrounds: Gordon Walek, Oct 4, 2012; PlayStreets periodically closes off streets in Pilsen, Little Village, Brighton Park, Woodlawn, Chicago Lawn and South Chicago to provide safe, supervised space with organized sports, fitness and…
"Hoops" Tips Off vs. Youth Violence: John McCarron, Jul 31, 2012; As Chicago scrambles for ways to curb youth violence, LISC’s “Hoops in the ’Hood” continues to show one way to take back the urban street.
Little Village Businesses Hang Tough in Tight Economy: Adriana Diaz and Andrea Hart, May 4, 2012; The 26th Street corridor has not been immune to hard times, but residents and businesses are planning for a prosperous future.
Hundreds Hit the Courts for Hoops in the Hood: Sep 15, 2010; The 2010 Hoops in the Hood Cross-City Tournament winners for the Major Division from East Garfield also won a victory for their neighborhood, for the spirit of teamwork, and for safe streets.
ISU Teacher Pipeline Expands to Auburn Gresham: Sep 15, 2010; The Chicago Teacher Education Pipeline, a unique partnership between LISC/Chicago, Illinois State University (ISU), State Farm Insurance, Chicago Public Schools and Enlace Chicago in Little…