Far South Side Strong: New Study Reveals .5 Billion Economic Boom Transforming West Pullman and Its NeighborsBy Socialhood News · Il/Chicago/West Pullman ·
Big numbers are backing up what West Pullman residents already feel on the ground — their neighborhood is on the rise. A major new economic study commissioned by nonprofit developer Chicago Neighborhood Initiatives (CNI) has confirmed that sustained investment across the Far South Side has generated a staggering
.5 billion in economic impact, spanning West Pullman, Pullman, Roseland, and Riverdale. The findings, analyzed by the Anderson Economic Group, paint a compelling portrait of a community in real, measurable transformation.The results speak for themselves: unemployment in the Pullman corridor dropped from 21% to 13%, median household income surged from $37,947 to $56,317, and the number of residents holding graduate or professional degrees more than doubled — all between 2010 and 2023. More than 7,800 jobs were created across the four neighborhoods during that span. CNI President David Doig credits the progress to listening closely to community members from the start, who called for job creation, grocery access, affordable housing, and safe recreational spaces — and then delivering on those goals. "We've raised the bar," Doig said. "People expect more now and they want more. That's a good problem to have."
For West Pullman, the study adds analytical muscle to a neighborhood renaissance already visible in new housing, business investment, and infrastructure improvements taking shape across the Far South Side. Residents who want to track — or participate in — the next chapter of that growth can follow CNI's ongoing work at cnigroup.org.
Sources:
1. https://news.wttw.com/2025/08/07/pullman-community-sees-15b-economic-boost-decade-investment
2. https://www.chicagobusiness.com/commercial-real-estate/developer-cni-touts-impact-pullman-neighborhood
By Socialhood News · Il/Chicago/West Pullman ·
Big numbers are backing up what West Pullman residents already feel on the ground — their neighborhood is on the rise. A major new economic study commissioned by nonprofit developer Chicago Neighborhood Initiatives (CNI) has confirmed that sustained investment across the Far South Side has generated a staggering
The results speak for themselves: unemployment in the Pullman corridor dropped from 21% to 13%, median household income surged from $37,947 to $56,317, and the number of residents holding graduate or professional degrees more than doubled — all between 2010 and 2023. More than 7,800 jobs were created across the four neighborhoods during that span. CNI President David Doig credits the progress to listening closely to community members from the start, who called for job creation, grocery access, affordable housing, and safe recreational spaces — and then delivering on those goals. "We've raised the bar," Doig said. "People expect more now and they want more. That's a good problem to have."
For West Pullman, the study adds analytical muscle to a neighborhood renaissance already visible in new housing, business investment, and infrastructure improvements taking shape across the Far South Side. Residents who want to track — or participate in — the next chapter of that growth can follow CNI's ongoing work at cnigroup.org.
Sources:
1. https://news.wttw.com/2025/08/07/pullman-community-sees-15b-economic-boost-decade-investment
2. https://www.chicagobusiness.com/commercial-real-estate/developer-cni-touts-impact-pullman-neighborhood