The
South Side is a major part of the
City of Chicago, which is located in
Cook County,
Illinois, United States. Much of it has evolved from the city's incorporation of independent townships, such as
Hyde Park Township which voted along with several other townships to be annexed in the June 29, 1889 elections.
Regions of the city, referred to as sides, are divided by the
Chicago River and its branches.
The South Side of Chicago was originally defined as all of the city south of the main branch of the Chicago River,
but it now excludes the
Loop.
The South Side has a varied ethnic composition, and it has great disparity in income and other
demographic measures.
The South Side covers 60% of the city's land area, with a higher ratio of single-family homes and larger sections zoned for industry than the rest of the city.