If you are relocating to Illinois, chances are that you'll be buying a home in or around Chicago because that is where more than fifty percent of the people throughout the state have settled. The following article describes a few of the upscale neighborhoods around the city to help get your Illinois real estate search underway.

Lincoln Park

If you aren't looking for a high-rise apartment on The Loop downtown, the next best choice in many people's minds is Lincoln Park. As the name implies, there is an extensive network of parks in this area with recreation areas, running trails and beautiful landscaping.

The community's location north of Chicago also grants residents easy access to beaches, restaurants and entertainment along the shore of Lake Michigan. Single-family homes can cost anywhere from $700,000 to several million in Lincoln Park, but there are also smaller and more affordable condos in the area starting around $200,000.

Bucktown

Bucktown used to be numbered among Chicago's more affordable residential areas, but the property values have definitely been rising over the past couple of years. Although Bucktown is still more affordable than Lincoln Park, the median price for a single family home is still about $852,000 and town home prices usually start around $380,000.

Loft apartments are another real estate option that buyers will find in Bucktown. Made from renovated warehouses, loft apartments are often roomy with their own kind of antiquity charm. They typically cost about $280,000. If none of those choices fit your budget, condos and one or two bedroom apartments are also found in the area.

Bucktown is a popular place for artists, students and other young adults who entail retail shopping, a diverse cultural atmosphere and a large assortment of street cafes and specialty restaurants. Bucktown is on the west side of the city.

Burr Ridge

If you are looking for an area with more yards and single-family homes to choose from, Burr Ridge is one of the more affluent neighborhoods lying southwest of Chicago. For example, the median income for a household is about $129,500.

Gated communities, gently rolling hills, good schools and community parks are just a few of the attributes you'll find in Burr Ridge. The average price for a home can be as high as $1,200,000 but at least half of the listings in the area sell for less than $725,000.

These three communities are just three of the dozens that constitute Chicagoland, but they should help give you an idea of what is available on the Illinois real estate market.