Hickory Hills, IL Area Guide

Hickory Hills carries a history rooted in mid-20th century suburbanization, though its most enduring landmark predates the city itself by decades. The Hickory Hills Country Club was founded in 1917, with an 18-hole course designed by Scottish-American golfer James Foulis, and it remains an active part of the community today. The surrounding area was largely rural until September 1951, when the village was incorporated from a modest stretch of territory with around 600 residents. Voters later approved a change to city status in 1966. Adding a note of architectural and spiritual character to the area, the Poor Clares, a branch of the Franciscan order, established a monastery on 20 acres at 89th Street and Keane Avenue in 1961. Together, these landmarks give Hickory Hills a sense of layered local identity that reaches well beyond its years as a incorporated community.

Dining in Hickory Hills centers along the 95th Street corridor, where U.S. Route 20 serves as the city's main commercial strip lined with casual restaurants, casual diners, and well-known chain options. The suburban setting means residents have easy access to everyday dining close to home, while nearby communities like Chicago Ridge and Bridgeview expand the variety with additional sit-down spots and quick-service cuisine. For a wider culinary range, residents often head toward the Chicago Ridge Mall area or venture into the broader southwest Chicago suburbs, all just a short drive away.

Hickory Hills is a car-dependent community where most residents rely on personal vehicles for daily errands and commuting. I-294 (Tri-State Tollway) runs along the city's edge and provides direct access north toward O'Hare and south toward Indiana, while I-55 is nearby for travel into the Chicago Loop. Commuters who prefer rail service can reach several Metra stations within about 10 minutes, including Willow Springs on the Heritage Corridor line and Chicago Ridge on the SouthWest Service line, both offering service into downtown Chicago. Chicago Midway International Airport is roughly 9 miles away, a 17-minute drive, and O'Hare is accessible in about 38 minutes. CTA Orange Line stations are reachable but require a drive of 16 to 20 minutes.

Hickory Hills sits alongside some of Cook County's most expansive natural areas, giving residents easy access to the broader Palos forest preserve system just minutes from home. Buffalo Woods and Country Lane Woods offer wooded trails for hiking and exploring amid mature tree canopy, while Crooked Creek Woods provides additional green space for walking and nature observation. Cranberry Slough Nature Preserve, reachable in about four minutes, protects a distinctive wetland habitat popular with birdwatchers. The Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center, run by the Forest Preserve District of Cook County, serves as a hub for nature education and wildlife observation, rounding out an impressive collection of outdoor destinations close to the city.

Hickory Hills sits well below the Illinois state average for rent, with studios averaging $768 per month, one-bedroom apartments averaging $846, and two-bedroom units averaging $1,115. Those figures place the city notably below neighboring communities such as Palos Hills and Justice, and below the Illinois statewide one-bedroom average of $1,736. Rents have risen modestly year over year across all unit types.

Shopping in Hickory Hills centers on the 95th Street corridor (U.S. Route 20), where several neighborhood shopping centers sit within a mile of one another. Maple Lake Center offers everyday retail, grocery, and service options without requiring a long drive. Residents also have easy access to larger regional malls in the surrounding area, including Chicago Ridge Mall to the east. This combination of walkable neighborhood centers and nearby regional retail makes it straightforward for residents to cover everything from weekly errands to broader shopping trips.

Hickory Hills is an affordable Cook County suburb about 15 miles southwest of Chicago, where one-bedroom apartments average just $846 a month and the Cook County Forest Preserves - including Buffalo Woods and Cranberry Slough - begin practically at the city's edge. The Hickory Hills Country Club, whose course dates to 1917, anchors local recreation, while I-294, nearby Metra stations, and a 17-minute drive to Midway Airport keep the city well connected to the broader region.