Brighton Park, Chicago: Community Area #58 Guide

Brighton Park is Chicago community area #58, on the Southwest Side between the Sanitary and Ship Canal and 49th Street. It was incorporated in 1851, took its name from an 1855 racetrack and is home to the Chicago Park District’s headquarters. About 43,000 people live there, according to CMAP’s 2026 snapshot.

Brighton Park key facts

Fact	Detail
Community area number	#58 of 77
Side of the city	Southwest Side
Population	42,994 (2020–2024 American Community Survey five-year estimate, CMAP Community Data Snapshot, June 2026 release)
Neighborhoods within	Brighton Park
Main L and Metra stations	CTA Orange Line: Western (4901 S. Western Ave.) and Kedzie (4900 S. Kedzie Ave.), both on the southern edge
Major parks	Kelly Park (2725 W. 41st St.)

Boundaries

The former Illinois and Michigan Canal and the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal form the north edge. Western Avenue is the east edge, 49th Street the south edge and Drake Avenue the west edge.

Parts of the area fall in the city’s 12th, 14th and 15th wards.

Neighborhoods within Brighton Park

Brighton Park is one neighborhood that shares the community area’s name. The Brighton Park crossing, a rail junction near Western and Archer avenues, sits at its eastern side.

History

1851: the area is incorporated as a municipality.
1855: Mayor John Wentworth builds the Brighton Park horse racetrack.
1889: Brighton Park joins Chicago after Lake Township votes for annexation.
1905–1925: most of the neighborhood’s housing is built.
1964: the Stevenson Expressway (I-55) opens.
1993: the CTA Orange Line opens.

Landmarks and parks

Chicago Park District headquarters.
Corwith Intermodal freight yard.
Brighton Park branch of the Chicago Public Library, 4314 S. Archer Ave.
Kelly Park, 2725 W. 41st St., a 7.3-acre neighborhood park.
Gunsaulus Scholastic Academy and Shields Elementary and Middle schools.

Getting there

The Orange Line’s Western and Kedzie stations sit on 49th Street, between Brighton Park and Gage Park. Trains run downtown to the Loop and southwest to Midway Airport.

The Stevenson Expressway (I-55) runs along the north side of the area.

Frequently asked questions

What community area number is Brighton Park?

Brighton Park is community area #58.

What L stations serve Brighton Park?

The Orange Line’s Western and Kedzie stations, both on the area’s southern edge near 49th Street.

Where did the name Brighton Park come from?

The name dates to the 1850s; Mayor John Wentworth opened the Brighton Park horse track there in 1855.