$1,080,634Average Value$376Average Price per Sq Ft4Homes For Sale
Quiet northern Chicago suburb in Cook County
The Cook County village of Northfield, a small, quiet, northern suburb of Chicago, is home to about 5,800 people. "It doesn't really have a downtown," says Daniel O'Donoghue, a real estate broker with Compass. "Way back when in the 1950s, it was essentially farmland, and developments sprang up from the lake." It's about 4 miles east to reach Lake Michigan.
Winnetka, the village where O'Donoghue grew up, separates Northfield from the lake shore. His grandparents lived in Northfield, so he spent a lot of time in both communities and has served them his entire career. He says that there are a lot of similarities between the adjacent villages. "Northfield shares the post office and other services with Winnetka, but it's smaller and has its own government, police and volunteer firefighters."
Village life is centered around things close to home, as there are plenty of parks, nature preserves, school and community activities and local businesses to frequent. When residents get a hankering for more of a metropolitan experience, the excitement of the Windy City is just 19 miles away.
Welcome to the Village of Northfield, established in 1926.
Northfield has a wide variety of home styles including Ranch.
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Redevelopment, more acreage in Northfield
Both Northfield and Winnetka are well established in terms of housing, though there's been a fair share of redevelopment in recent years. "What you'll see is where a home has been torn down," O'Donoghue says. A new house will be built in that case, though some homeowners choose to remodel or renovate existing structures.
Though there are some older houses, most are from the 1950s or later. Starting prices hover above $500,000, the cost for a three-bedroom midcentury ranch of 1,400 square feet. Homes with more square footage or a later build date go from the $700,000s to $900,000s. Royal Ridge, a 24-hour gated community by a country club, has homes from the 2000s. One 3,000-square-foot with three bedrooms can sell for over $1.2 million. Ranch-style homes remained popular throughout the decades, and other architecture includes Colonial Revivals, French Provincials and contemporary farmhouses.
One reason to choose this village over its neighbors is the size of the lots and the amount of space between houses. "The big thing about Northfield that's different is that, in general, there are larger pieces of property," O'Donoghue says. "It's not uncommon to have a home on an acre."
Homes built later and larger in Northfield are pricier.
Northfield maintains a relaxed suburban vibe.
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K-3, 4-8 schools, then New Trier High
Kids may attend public schools like Middlefork School, serving kindergarten through third grade. Niche lists it as No. 9 in its category for the county. Sunset Ridge School, for fourth through eighth grades, is named No. 23 in the state. Both have an A grade from Niche.
O'Donoghue points out a difference between Northfield and Winnetka's school districts: "Kids in Winnetka don't get letter grades until seventh grade. Northfield uses standard grading."
At the next level, New Trier Township High School, is shared by students from Northfield, Winnetka and Glencoe. Graded A-plus by Niche, New Trier has programs lauded by mainstream media and the Grammy Foundation. The freshman campus is in Northfield, and upper-level students go to the Winnetka campus.
Other public school districts that serve the area are Avoca School District 37 and Glenbrook districts 34 and 225, all of which have a grade of B+ or higher.
"Some families send their kids to Loyola Academy, a private Jesuit Catholic high school," O'Donoghue says. The college prep, co-ed school has an A-plus from Niche and is located in Wilmette.
Sunset Ridge School teaches close to 300 students in grades 4-8 in Northfield.
Middlefork Elementary School teaches Northfield students in grades PK-3.
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Lake beaches, Watersmeet Woods and sports
Locals travel a short distance to enjoy Lake Michigan's parks and beaches. There are a number of community parks in the village, and forest preserves and other outdoor destinations surround the area.
Toward the south, Watersmeet Woods, part of the Forest Preserves of Cook County, is a setting where two forks of the Chicago River converge. Native landscapes include prairies, savanna and woodlands. There's no parking at the preserve, but it links to other forest preserves via the North Branch Trail. Also linking to the trail is the area of the Skokie River and its lagoons. "People do fish, kayak and canoe there," O'Donoghue says. The running and biking trails around the lagoons are popular with locals. "You can ride the trails up to the botanic gardens in Glencoe, too." It's about 5 miles to the 385-acre Chicago Botanic Garden.
Sports activities are a big part of the Northfield lifestyle, especially for families, who spend much of their time running around to baseball or soccer games, O'Donoghue says. "Near Middlefork School, there'll be a bunch of kids playing baseball, lacrosse. They are basically community leagues."
Golfers might choose between the private Sunset Ridge Country Club and the public Winnetka Golf Club. There's also an ice arena and tennis facilities in Winnetka.
Northfield residents have access to Glencoe Beach, along the shores of Lake Michigan.
Northfield residents have access to fishing at the Skokie Lagoons.
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Stormy's Tavern, Hofherr Meat Co. and more
Many stores and businesses are found around the intersection of Willow and Happ roads, right by Interstate 94. It's also a destination for dining or evening fun. "There's Stormy's, which is a long-established watering hole," O'Donoghue says. "People might go there to whet their whistle." The Happ Inn Bar & Grill is another spot to check out for food or socializing.
Other eateries include Taco Nano, a quick-service taqueria; Northfield Restaurant, with American and Greek dishes; and Tapas Gitana for Spanish delights and an outdoor patio for the warmer months.
Specialty shopping includes game store Retro City Collectibles, Isasi Maria furniture store and antique mall Heritage Trail Mercantile, housed inside a former grain store. There are plenty of spots for household shopping, such as Mariano's and Hofherr Meat Co. In adjacent villages, there's Jewel-Osco, Whole Foods and The Fresh Market, and various shopping malls offer stores and services.
Stormy's Tavern and Grille is in Northfield is available for a drink and meal.
Hofherr Meat Co. has the goods for weekly grocery shopping.
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Events like Northfield Holiday Fest
Northfield hosts unique regular events, like environmental discussion groups hosted by the local public library. The park district puts on a Fourth of July celebration with crafts, a bike parade, a beer tent and races. The suburb also started a new winter tradition in 2021: the Northfield Holiday Fest, which has featured carolers in the Clarkson Park bandshell, refreshments from Stormy's Tavern, snow globe classes at the public library and a lighting ceremony with Santa.
Stormy's Tavern and Grille is a local bar serving the Northfield people.
There are many bike trails available to Northfield residents with forest preserves and parks.
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Edens Expressway, Pace Suburban Bus
To the east, Interstate 94, or the Edens Expressway, leads south to Chicago. Proximity to the city's Loop is undoubtedly why some people choose to move to the area.
Metra stations are nearby in Winnetka, and Pace Suburban Bus service is a public transportation option within Northfield. Bus routes 421, 422 and 423 stop at locations such as New Trier High School, Northfield Village Hall and Northfield Plaza. A paratransit reservation system for portions of north suburban Cook County is also available.
Edens Expressway is a main mode of transportation for Northfield residents.
Take the Metra train from nearby Winnetka to head to downtown Chicago.
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Written By
Robin Silberman
Interested in learning more about homes in this area?
Reach out to
Debbie Mora Evans,
an experienced agent in this area.
GreatSchools:
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