Homes in the
Barrington HS district.

Living in the Barrington area means settling into one of the most established and affluent corners of the northwest suburbs, roughly 30 miles northwest of downtown Chicago. The greater Barrington area pulls together the village of Barrington with its sister communities, Barrington Hills, North Barrington, South Barrington, Lake Barrington, Tower Lakes, and Deer Park, each with its own feel but a shared reputation for space, privacy, and top-tier schools. Barrington Hills is the heart of the area's famous equestrian character, where a minimum 5-acre zoning restriction on new construction has been in place since 1963 and horse farms predate the village itself.

The village of Barrington itself gives the area a true town center. Its historic downtown grew up around the railroad, and after a series of late-1800s fires, frame buildings were rebuilt in brick and stone, many of which still stand today. The Union Pacific Northwest Line runs right through town with Metra commuter service to Chicago, which is a big part of why families who want acreage and quiet still feel connected to the city. Route 14, known as Northwest Highway, and Route 59, Hough Street, are the main arteries that tie the communities together.

The surrounding villages round out the lifestyle. South Barrington is home to The Arboretum of South Barrington, an upscale outdoor lifestyle center, and its homes sit on large lots with some of the highest household incomes in the area. North Barrington offers low-density estate neighborhoods and gated golf communities. Deer Park is the shopping anchor with Deer Park Town Center. Across all of these towns, the strength and reputation of Barrington 220 schools is consistently one of the biggest drivers of home values.