Along the shores of Lake Michigan and home to one of the premier research universities in the country, the city of Evanston is just across Chicago’s northern border. “I wouldn’t even call Evanston a suburb. It’s the first city you come to when you travel north from Chicago,” says Julie Jensen, lead broker with the Julie Jensen Group at Baird & Warner Realty. She’s lived in Evanston for close to 30 years. “It’s also the southernmost part of Chicago’s North Shore.” The North Shore is a group of affluent Chicago suburbs along the lake. There are about 75,000 people who live in Evanston, many of whom are employed by Northwestern University, which has a picturesque campus on the lakefront.
Although Northwestern University is a big part of Evanston, Jensen doesn’t view it as a college town. “It’s not like Evanston is dead when the students are not here,” Jensen says. “It’s also a school that stresses academics.” There’s a lot of diversity in Evanston, and more young people are attracted to the city. “They want to raise their kids here without worrying about paying extra for private schools. The public schools are good here,” she says.
Students in Evanston sit out on the lawn overlooking Lake Michigan and the Chicago Skyline.
Evanston has plenty of green space and easy access to the lake for residents to enjoy.
Northwestern students play a game of Spike Ball on Lincoln Street Beach in Evanston.
An Evanston family hangs out at Robert Crown Community Center on a sunny day.
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Schools feed into an A-plus Evanston Township High School
As with many school districts in the Chicago suburbs, elementary and middle schools are in separate districts from the high school. The Evanston Community Consolidated School District 65 has ten elementary schools, three middle schools and two magnet schools. The district grade is a B-plus on Niche. Evanston Township High School District 202 has only one school - the A-plus-rated Evanston Township High School. The school serves all of Evanston and a small portion of the adjacent village of Skokie. The school is on 65 acres and is more than 1.2 million square feet. Private schools include St. Athanasius Elementary, which serves K-8 students, and Beacon Academy, a college prep high school. Both receive A-plus grades.
Lincolnwood Elementary School in Evanston serves students in grades K-5.
Haven Middle School in Evanston offers multiple outdoor amenities to its students.
Evanston Township High School is has many honor-level courses offered to students.
Evanston's Northwestern Division 1 athletics is a major draw for prospective students.
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More public beaches along Lake Michigan in Evanston
With Lake Michigan's proximity, several beaches are open from Memorial Day through Labor Day. “Evanston has a good amount of lakefront on public property, as opposed to further north where there are more houses along the waterfront.” Beach access passes are free for Evanston residents with proof of address. A walkway south of the Northwestern campus passes four public beaches and four parks. There are close to 90 parks of various sizes in Evanston. Catamarans, kayaks and stand-up paddle boards can be rented at Northwestern Sailing Center for those who want to explore Lake Michigan on a boat. North of Northwestern’s campus, Grosse Point Lighthouse, built in 1873, is open on summer weekends for tours and close to Lighthouse Beach.
Music venues in the city include Evanston SPACE, an indoor facility. During the summer, outdoor concerts are held at The Evans at Canal Shores Golf Club during a series called Out of SPACE. Dawes Park was the site of the first Evanston Folk Festival on the lakefront in early September. Other events include the Fall Fest in Downtown Evanston in October around Fountain Square Park on Sherman Avenue between Davis and Grove Streets. The Downtown Evanston Farmers Market runs on Saturdays from early May through November, featuring nearly 60 vendors.
On Northwestern University's campus, there are opportunities to catch athletic events, like basketball or volleyball at Welsh-Ryan Arena or a football game on the lakefront at Martin Stadium, the temporary home of the Wildcats while Ryan Field is being renovated.
The Evanston lakefront is a favorite place for residents to workout and exercise.
The beaches in Evanston are a perfect place for students to study or hang out on a warm day.
There are many iconic sites in Evanston including the Grosse Point Lighthouse built in 1873.
There will be many smiling faces at the Downtown Evanston's Night Market.
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History is all around Evanston
There are historic houses all around Evanston. Because of that, the Evanston History Center periodically conducts a walking tour of homes. One of the homes, a Chateau-influenced mansion built in 1894, belonged to U.S. Vice President Charles Gates Dawes.“Because Evanston is so big, there’s a wide range of home prices. Modest condos can be had for a couple hundred thousand dollars, and the sky’s the limit when you’re closer to the lake. They’re in the multi-millions,” says Jake McClure, a broker and team leader at the Burling Square Group. Condos are priced from $120,000 to $600,000—houses under $1 million range from $300,000 to $800,000.
While there are more modern houses, it’s only because a newer house was built where an old house used to be. “There are no subdivisions in Evanston where there are homes that were all built 20 years ago,” Jensen says. “That makes working in Evanston cool because you have to go in every house to see what it’s like because there have been various improvements. People have real pride in ownership here.” As of Fall of 2024, the amount of inventory is low in Evanston, but when there are homes on the market, it’s usually a seller's market. “Homes will consistently sell over the asking price,” she adds.
There is a minimal flood risk for homes in Evanston as there are fewer homes directly on the lakefront than in suburbs north of Evanston.
The historic Charles Gates Dawes House in Evanston is home to the Evanston History Center.
There are a large number of affordable brick bungalow homes in the Evanston neighborhood.
You can find large historic estates throughout Evanston.
Large two story contemporary homes with classic elements can be found in Evanston.
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Evanston has nine business districts
Whether it’s the downtown area or the shops on Central Street, Evanston is known for its retail business districts. “There are many places to walk and get coffee,” Jensen says. “They’re mostly Mom-and-Pop stores. There are chains, but that does not define the retail landscape in Evanston.” In downtown Evanston, Edzo’s Burger Shop specializes in giant, char-grilled hamburgers and garlic fries. Hewn, located in the Central Street Business District, has a substantial selection of warm pastries and hot coffee. Locally owned shops include Vintage Vinyl, which has been open since 1979 and specializes in the same format that was popular when it opened: The vinyl 33 RPM record. The Howard Street Business district is in southern Evanston, across the border from Chicago. Popular Evanston grocery stores include Mariano’s, Jewel-Osco and Whole Foods Market.
Cupitol Coffee and Eatery in Downtown Evanston is a local favorite.
Evanston residents have a number of great local stores like Patisserie Coralie.
Evanston has several big grocery store options including Jewel Osco.
Central Street is a bustling area with plenty to do.
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Crime in Evanston
Niche ranks Evanston as a C-plus for crime, with theft closer to the national average than any other indicator. The theft number is at 1,904 incidents per 100,000 residents, as opposed to the national average of 2,042. Most of the crimes tend to be in the downtown area.
Climate and transportation in Evanston
Multiple train stations in the city have Metra commuter rail, or the Purple Line CTA elevated train for commuting to downtown Chicago. Public bus transportation is served by Pace bus lines, which travel throughout the Chicago suburbs and CTA buses, which travel into Chicago. Access to Interstate 94 is 4 miles to the west, and Chicago O’Hare International Airport is about a half-hour drive.
Evanston's average summer high temperature is about 83 degrees, and the average winter low temperature is 17. The area gets about 17 inches of snow yearly, and the total precipitation is around 40 inches.
On average, homes in Evanston, IL sell after 15 days on the market compared to the national average of 70 days. The median sale price for homes in Evanston, IL over the last 12 months is $281,500, down 20% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
Housing Trends
Median List Price
$275,000
Median Sale Price
$281,500
Median Single Family Sale Price
$970,000
Median Townhouse Sale Price
$651,000
Median 2 Bedroom Sale Price
$267,000
Median Change From 1st List Price
0%
Last 12 months Home Sales
326
Median Home Sale Price YoY Change
-20%
Average Price Per Sq Ft
$279
Neighborhood Facts
Number of Homes in Neighborhood
13,763
Number of Homes for Sale
12
Median Year Built
1949
Months of Supply
0.40
Average Single Family Home Size Sq Ft
2,843
Significantly above the national average
1,924
Average Townhouse Size Sq Ft
2,000
Average 2 Bedroom Size Sq Ft
1,256
Average 1 Bedroom Size Sq Ft
901
Average Studio Size Sq Ft
450
Median Lot Size Sq Ft
6,969
Average Home Value
Source: Public Records
Top Schools in Evanston, IL
Source:
Best Public Elementary Schools
#1 McKenzie Elementary School
A
Niche
10
GreatSchools
#2 Romona Elementary School
A+
Niche
9
GreatSchools
#3 Central Elementary School
A
Niche
9
GreatSchools
#4 East Prairie Elementary School
A
Niche
9
GreatSchools
#5 Orrington Elementary School
A
Niche
8
GreatSchools
#6 Highcrest Middle School
A
Niche
8
GreatSchools
#7 Dewey Elementary School
A
Niche
7
GreatSchools
#8 George Armstrong Elementary School
B+
Niche
8
GreatSchools
#9 Lincoln Elementary School
A
Niche
6
GreatSchools
Best Public Middle Schools
#1 East Prairie Elementary School
A
Niche
9
GreatSchools
#2 Wilmette Junior High School
A
Niche
8
GreatSchools
#3 Oliver Mccracken Middle School
A-
Niche
8
GreatSchools
#4 Chute Middle School
B+
Niche
8
GreatSchools
#5 George Armstrong Elementary School
B+
Niche
8
GreatSchools
#6 Rogers Elementary School
B
Niche
8
GreatSchools
#7 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Literary and Fine Arts School
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Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
