Chicago, IL·CPS
Homes in the
Walter Payton College Prep district.
Chicago's top-ranked selective-enrollment high school, in the heart of Old Town and the Gold Coast.
- Homes for sale
- 4
- Typical list
- $479,500
- Most expensive
- $1,824,999
- Most affordable
- $329,000
229 Lake Shore Drive →
175 DELAWARE Place →
Grizzlies · Navy Blue & Orange · 1,226 students · Chicago Public League
Active listings
4 homes on the market
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Market snapshot
The Walter Payton College Prep area, by the numbers
Live MRED data, refreshed daily. What this market is actually doing right now, sales included, not a portal estimate.
Homes for sale now
4
Typical list price
$479,500
Avg time on market
21 days
Sold in the last year
15
Typical sale price · last 90 days
$403,750
Living near Walter Payton College Prep
The area, not just the school
Living around Walter Payton College Prep puts you in one of Chicago's most walkable and coveted pockets, where Old Town, the Gold Coast, and the Near North Side meet. You are steps from the historic tree-lined blocks of Old Town, the shops and stages along Wells Street, and a quick stroll to the lakefront, Lincoln Park, and Michigan Avenue.
Transit is effortless with the CTA Brown and Purple Line stops at Sedgwick and Chicago Avenue plus several bus routes, so downtown is minutes away without a car. Housing character runs the full range here, from glass high-rise condos and vintage co-ops to graystone two-flats and classic brownstones on quiet side streets, offering something for nearly every buyer.
🏫District 299
Chicago Public Schools selective-enrollment high school.
📅Opened 2000
Named for Bears Hall of Famer Walter Payton.
🏆No. 1 in Illinois
Ranked the top public high school in Illinois by U.S. News.
🐻Grizzlies, Navy & Orange
Colors and the number 34 honor Walter Payton.
🎓99% graduation rate
Among the highest of any public high school in the state.
📍1034 N. Wells Street
Old Town, near the Gold Coast and lakefront.
The school
About Walter Payton College Preparatory High School
Walter Payton College Preparatory High School opened in 2000 as a public magnet high school operated by Chicago Public Schools, located in the Old Town neighborhood on the Near North Side. The school is named for Chicago Bears star running back and humanitarian Walter Payton, and its identity carries his legacy throughout: the school colors of blue and orange are the Bears colors, and his jersey number, 34, appears across the school. Payton is one of Chicago's eleven selective-enrollment high schools. In 2016 a 17 million dollar annex opened behind the original building, adding a new gym and a black box theater.
Payton is one of Chicago's eleven selective-enrollment high schools and in recent years has been the most difficult to gain admission to, with applicants needing a near-perfect cutoff score. The curriculum centers on honors and Advanced Placement courses across math, science, language, and the humanities. Since 2019, U.S. News & World Report has ranked Payton the No. 1 public high school in Illinois, and the school reports a 99 percent graduation rate.
Payton competes in the Chicago Public League and the Illinois High School Association as the Grizzlies. The girls tennis team won the IHSA state championship in 2018. The girls volleyball program reached the IHSA Class 3A state finals three times, finishing fourth in 2009, 2011, and 2014.
- District
- CPS
- Founded
- 2000
- Principal
- Dr. Fareeda J. Shabazz-Anderson
- Conference
- Chicago Public League
- Address
- 1034 N. Wells Street, Chicago, IL 60610
Trophy case
- 🏆 Girls Tennis · 2018
Notable alumni
- Chris Eversley. College and professional basketball player.
- Evan King. Professional tennis player.
- Sir Michael Rocks. Rapper and member of the hip-hop duo The Cool Kids.
- Eva Lewis. Activist and community organizer.
Facts on this page sourced from Wikipedia and the District CPS website. Last verified 2026-07-02.
Listings filtered by the school the MRED listing agent assigned. Roughly 7 in 10 active listings have this field populated; the remaining listings will surface once the school-district boundary pipeline ships. School assignment is not a guarantee. Always verify with the district before writing an offer.
The questions buyers actually ask
Walter Payton College Prep FAQ
The questions I get most from buyers shopping the Walter Payton College Prep district. If yours isn't here, text 224-385-8779, same-day reply.
- Is Walter Payton College Prep a selective-enrollment school?
- Yes. Payton is one of Chicago's eleven selective-enrollment high schools and in recent years has been the hardest to get into, with applicants needing a near-perfect cutoff score to make the first cut.
- How is Walter Payton College Prep ranked?
- Since 2019, U.S. News & World Report has ranked Payton the No. 1 public high school in Illinois and among the top public high schools in the country.
- Who is the school named after?
- It is named for Walter Payton, the Chicago Bears Hall of Fame running back and humanitarian. The school's blue and orange colors and the number 34 throughout the building honor his legacy.
- What kind of homes are near the school?
- The Old Town, Gold Coast, and Near North Side area offers everything from glass high-rise condos and vintage co-ops to graystone two-flats and classic brownstones. For homes in a specific area, text 224-385-8779.
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This representation is based in whole or in part on data supplied by Midwest Real Estate Data, LLC for the period July 3, 2025 through July 3, 2026. Midwest Real Estate Data, LLC does not guarantee nor is it in any way responsible for its accuracy. Data maintained by Midwest Real Estate Data LLC may not reflect all real estate activity in the market.