Highland Park · Lake County · IL
Homes for sale in
Highland Park.
- Active listings
- 38
- Median list
- $1.27M
- Avg time on market
- 14 days
- Sold · last year
- 0
Photo: Teemu008 from Palatine, Illinois / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Active listings
38 homes on the market
About the community
Living in Highland Park.
Highland Park sits on the bluffs above Lake Michigan in southeastern Lake County, about 25 miles north of downtown Chicago. The city has roughly 30,000 residents and an established North Shore character built around a historic downtown along Central Avenue, miles of lakefront parks, and the Ravinia Festival, the summer home of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Three Union Pacific North Metra stations sit within city limits (Highland Park, Ravinia, and Braeside), plus the seasonal Ravinia Park stop during festival season. Children attend North Shore School District 112 for K-8 and Township High School District 113 (Highland Park High School) for 9-12. Highland Park borders Highwood, Lake Forest, Deerfield, Glencoe, Lincolnshire, and Bannockburn.
At a glance
~30,176 residents
2020 Census. One of the larger established North Shore cities.
Lake Michigan frontage
Public beaches operated by the Park District of Highland Park, including the only guarded swimming beach at Rosewood.
Ravinia Festival
Summer home of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra since 1936. Outdoor concert pavilion and lawn at 200 Ravinia Park Road.
Three UP-N Metra stations
Highland Park, Ravinia, and Braeside on the Union Pacific North line. Plus the seasonal Ravinia Park stop during festival season.
NSSD 112 + Township HSD 113
North Shore School District 112 for K-8 across nine schools; Township High School District 113 for 9-12 (Highland Park HS and Deerfield HS).
Historic downtown
Walkable commercial core along Central Avenue with restaurants, retail, and the Metra station.
Median income $168,094
Data USA 2024. Among the higher-income North Shore communities.
Property tax rate ~2.65%
Ownwell-reported average effective rate. Median annual tax bill around $14,931 according to Ownwell.
What’s close
Highland Park stretches along the Lake Michigan bluffs in southeastern Lake County, with downtown and the Metra station clustered around Central Avenue, and the Ravinia neighborhood about a mile south.
- Ravinia Festival
- 200 Ravinia Park Road. Summer concert venue and home of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra's summer season.
- Downtown Central Avenue
- Historic commercial core with restaurants, retail, and the Highland Park Metra station nearby.
- Park Avenue Boating and Fishing Beach
- City's boat launch and lakefront facility, home to the North Shore Yacht Club.
- Rosewood Beach
- 11-acre lakefront park with the city's only guarded swimming beach and an Interpretive Center.
- Heller Nature Center
- Park District nature preserve with trails and educational programming.
- Sunset Foods
- 1812 Green Bay Road. Family-owned grocery serving Highland Park since 1937.
What it’s actually like to live here
Highland Park functions as an established North Shore community with a walkable downtown around Central Avenue, three Metra stations within the city, and a lakefront defined by ravines, bluffs, and Park District beaches. Many residents commute into downtown Chicago via the Union Pacific North line to Ogilvie Transportation Center, a trip of about 54 minutes from Highland Park station. The housing stock is mature and varied, ranging from historic Prairie and bluff estates near Sheridan Road to mid-century ranches and newer infill on the west side, reflected in a Zillow Home Value Index of about $735,271 as of March 2026.
Summer life centers on Ravinia Festival evenings, the swimming beach at Rosewood, boating at Park Avenue, and walks along the bluff and ravine paths. The Park District of Highland Park operates the beaches, the Heller Nature Center, golf, and recreation facilities citywide. Downtown anchors include Walker Bros. Original Pancake House at 620 Central Avenue and Sunset Foods on Green Bay Road, and the school system (NSSD 112 and Township HSD 113) consistently ranks among the strongest in Illinois.
Neighborhoods
Detailed Highland Park community pages coming soon.
Browse the listings above. Detailed neighborhood pages with market stats, school info, and lifestyle take-downs land here as we roll them out.
Schools
Districts serving Highland Park.
Boundary lines do shift. Always confirm in writing for a specific address before writing an offer.
- D112Grades Pre-K to 8
North Shore School District 112
Schools serving the area
- Braeside Elementary
- Indian Trail Elementary
- Red Oak Elementary
- Sherwood Elementary
- Oak Terrace Elementary
- Wayne Thomas Elementary
Serves Highland Park and Highwood with about 3,800 students across nine schools. Two middle schools serve grades 6-8.
- D113Grades 9 to 12
Township High School District 113
Schools serving the area
- Highland Park High School
- Deerfield High School
Serves Highland Park, Deerfield, Highwood, Bannockburn, and Riverwoods. About 3,683 students across two high schools. Most Highland Park residents attend Highland Park HS at 433 Vine Avenue.
Around town
What there is to do in Highland Park.
A handful of the places people who live here actually use. Not a directory.
- Culture
Ravinia Festival
Summer concert season featuring the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and touring artists at the Ravinia pavilion and lawn.
- Parks
Park Avenue Boating and Fishing Beach
City lakefront beach for kayaking, paddleboarding, and fishing. Home to the North Shore Yacht Club.
- Parks
Rosewood Beach
11-acre lakefront park with the city's only guarded swimming beach and an Interpretive Center.
- Parks
Heller Nature Center
Park District nature preserve with trails, native habitat, and educational programming.
- Culture
Willits House
Frank Lloyd Wright's 1901 Prairie School landmark at 1445 Sheridan Road, widely considered the first mature Prairie house.
- Food & Drink
Walker Bros. Original Pancake House
Longtime downtown breakfast institution at 620 Central Avenue.
Getting around
Commute + transit from Highland Park.
MetraUP-N line
- Stations: Highland Park, Ravinia, Braeside
- Terminal: Chicago Ogilvie (OTC)
- Distance: 24 miles to downtown Chicago
DriveBy car
- Routes: US 41 (Skokie Highway) · IL 22 (Half Day Road) · I-94 (Edens Spur / Tri-State Tollway) · Sheridan Road
- O'Hare Airport: ~30 min
- Chicago Loop: ~40 min
By the numbers
Highland Park taxes + market stats.
Property tax rates vary by exact township and assessor district. Confirm per address before pricing a purchase.
Property tax rate
2.65%
effective avg
Sales tax
8.00%
combined
Median sold price
$775,000
MRED · last 12 mo (397 sales)
Median household income
$168,094
ACS
How Highland Park got here
A bit of history.
The Illinois legislature granted Highland Park its charter on March 11, 1869, with an initial population of about 500. The city grew along the bluffs above Lake Michigan and the Chicago and Milwaukee Electric Railroad, and its winding street pattern reflects late 19th century romantic landscape planning shaped by the ravines and lake bluff. Frank Lloyd Wright designed the Ward W. Willits House at 1445 Sheridan Road in 1901, widely considered the first mature Prairie School house. In 1904, the A.C. Frost Company opened Ravinia Park as a high-end amusement and music park to draw passengers north on the electric railroad. The first orchestra performed at Ravinia on June 17, 1905, and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra began its formal summer residency in 1936, a relationship that continues today.
Highland Park grew steadily through the 20th century alongside neighboring Fort Sheridan, which served as a U.S. Army post until 1993 and whose decommissioned grounds now form a residential community and forest preserve along the lakefront. On July 4, 2022, a gunman opened fire on the city's Independence Day parade, killing seven people and wounding dozens. The Highland Park Community Foundation established a response fund that distributed more than $5.2 million to victims and families, and the city resumed an annual remembrance walk and parade along a revised route in subsequent years.
The questions buyers actually ask
Highland Park FAQ
The questions I get most from buyers shopping Highland Park. If yours isn't here, text 815-355-0582, same-day reply.
- Where is Highland Park, Illinois?
- Highland Park is a city on the Lake Michigan shoreline in southeastern Lake County, about 25 to 27 miles north of downtown Chicago, between Highwood and Glencoe along the North Shore.
- How big is Highland Park?
- The 2020 U.S. Census recorded a population of 30,176, making Highland Park one of the larger established North Shore communities.
- What school districts serve Highland Park?
- North Shore School District 112 (NSSD 112) serves Pre-K through 8th grade across nine schools, and Township High School District 113 operates Highland Park High School and Deerfield High School for grades 9 to 12.
- How is the Metra commute to Chicago?
- Highland Park sits on the Union Pacific North line, with stations at Highland Park, Ravinia, and Braeside (plus the seasonal Ravinia Park stop during festival season). Trains terminate at Ogilvie Transportation Center; the Highland Park to OTC trip runs about 54 minutes and the station is in Zone 4.
- What is the Ravinia Festival?
- Ravinia is an outdoor summer music festival founded in 1904 and located on Lake Cook Road in Highland Park. It has been the summer home of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra since 1936 and books a full season of classical, jazz, and popular acts each summer.
- What are the property taxes like?
- Ownwell reports an average effective property tax rate of about 2.65 percent in Highland Park, with an average annual homeowner bill around $14,931. Rates vary by school district levy, special service areas, and parcel value.
- Can you swim at the Highland Park beaches?
- Yes, but swimming is only permitted at Rosewood Beach, the city's guarded swimming beach. Park Avenue and the north lakefront access points are designated for boating, fishing, and shoreline use, not swimming.
Nearby
Towns next to Highland Park.
If you’re cross-shopping the area, these are the places that border Highland Park.
Your local agent
Joe knows Highland Park
Most agents will list anything. I focus on the communities I actually know, and the details that determine resale value here aren't in the MLS write-up: which lots back to open space, which streets carry the most consistent demand, which floor plans buyers ask for by name, and what each HOA actually covers.
When you're ready to tour or list, you want someone who's walked the streets, talked to the residents, and read the last 50 closed comps in this market specifically. That's how I work. Text or call any time, and I'll give you a real take, not a brochure.
- Lives in McHenry County
- Local specialist
- Highland Park specialist
- Honest local market take
- Brokerocity
Thinking of selling?
What's your home actually worth?
Not a Zestimate. A real CMA from someone who's sold this neighborhood, knows the floor plan premiums, and can tell you which upgrades the buyer pool here actually pays for.
- Pricing range with comp-by-comp logic
- Pre-list improvements that pay back, and the ones that don't
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