Naperville · DuPage County · IL
Homes for sale in
East Highlands.
- Active listings
- 7
- Median list
- $1.70M
- Avg time on market
- 44 days
- Sold · last year
- 18
Active listings
7 homes on the market
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About the community
A historic, walk-to-downtown Naperville neighborhood of large wooded lots.
East Highlands is an established, upper-tier neighborhood on the east side of Naperville, immediately next to downtown and North Central College. Developer Harold Moser launched it in 1954 as Naperville's first large subdivision, deliberately using many different builders to guarantee variety, and donating land for a school and parks. The defining features are large lots and winding, tree-lined streets within walking distance of downtown, which is exactly why the neighborhood has seen widespread teardown-and-rebuild activity. Today it blends preserved mid-century homes with larger newer custom builds, and its value is driven by land and location as much as by any single home.
At a glance
Walk to downtown
Shops, restaurants, the Riverwalk, and the Metra station are within walking distance for much of the neighborhood.
North Central College
The college campus, its athletics, and cultural programming sit directly adjacent.
Large wooded lots
Generous lots on winding streets with a mature tree canopy, a legacy of the original 1954 plan.
Mid-century plus custom builds
Original 1950s and 1960s homes interspersed with larger teardown-rebuild customs.
District 203 schools
Naperville CUSD 203, a highly regarded district. Confirm the assigned schools by address.
Metra BNSF line
The Naperville station on the BNSF line runs to Chicago Union Station.
No blanket HOA
As an established pre-HOA-era neighborhood, no community-wide association is documented. Confirm per property.
What’s close
East Highlands sits on the east side of Naperville next to downtown and North Central College, with the Riverwalk, the Metra BNSF station, and I-88 all close by.
- Downtown Naperville
- Walking-distance adjacency to shops, dining, the Nichols Library, Naper Settlement, and the DuPage River Riverwalk.
- Train
- The Naperville station on the Metra BNSF line, with commuter service to Chicago Union Station.
- Schools
- Naperville CUSD 203, likely feeding Highlands Elementary, Lincoln Junior High, and Naperville Central High School. Confirm by address with the district.
- Highway
- I-88 (Reagan Memorial Tollway) north of downtown for east-west access across the region.
- Hospital
- Edward Hospital in Naperville, a short drive south.
- College
- North Central College is adjacent, an anchor of the east side.
What it’s actually like to live here
East Highlands offers a rare Naperville combination: large, established lots on quiet winding streets, yet within walking distance of one of the most active downtowns in the western suburbs. Residents can leave the car at home and reach restaurants, the Riverwalk, the library, Naper Settlement, and North Central College events on foot. The mature tree canopy, generous setbacks, and mix of preserved mid-century homes and newer customs give the streets a settled, non-cookie-cutter feel that newer subdivisions cannot replicate.
The honest tradeoff is that this is a redeveloping neighborhood, not a frozen historic district. A large share of the original 1950s homes have already been replaced with newer custom builds, so a buyer may live next to both a preserved ranch and a brand-new home. Some see that variety as charm, others find the ongoing teardown activity and shifting streetscape a drawback. Lot value is high, so an original mid-century home may be priced largely for its land, and buyers should decide whether they are buying a home to keep or a lot to rebuild.
Cost of entry and carrying cost are the other realities. This is an upper-tier part of Naperville, and DuPage County property taxes run in the low-2-percent effective range, which is a meaningful annual expense on higher-value homes. In exchange, buyers get top-rated District 203 schools, a walkable lifestyle, and durable demand driven by the downtown and college location. It suits households that value location and character over a turnkey, uniform, HOA-managed community.
The questions buyers actually ask
East Highlands FAQ
The questions I get most from buyers shopping East Highlands. If yours isn't here, text 224-385-8779, same-day reply.
- What are property taxes like?
- Roughly $14,000 – $30,000 per year, depending on home size and value. DuPage County assessor records are the source of truth. Happy to pull a specific bill on any home you're considering.
- When was East Highlands built?
- Harold Moser (original developer, multiple builders) built the community between 1954 and 2026.
- What's the typical closing timeline?
- 30 to 60 days from accepted offer to keys. Cash deals can close in two weeks. Conventional financing is usually closer to 60.
- How old are the homes in East Highlands?
- The subdivision was launched in 1954 by developer Harold Moser as Naperville's first large subdivision. Many original mid-century homes remain, but a large share of lots have been redeveloped with newer custom builds, so home ages vary widely from street to street.
- Is there an HOA?
- No mandatory community-wide HOA is documented for East Highlands, which predates the master-planned HOA era. Confirm on a per-property basis, since individual parcels can carry their own arrangements.
- What schools serve East Highlands?
- The neighborhood is in Naperville CUSD 203, a highly regarded district, likely feeding Highlands Elementary, Lincoln Junior High, and Naperville Central High School. Assignments follow the address rather than the subdivision, so confirm your specific home with the district before relying on any school.
- Can I really walk to downtown Naperville?
- Yes. The neighborhood sits directly next to downtown and North Central College, so shops, restaurants, the Riverwalk, and the Metra station are within walking distance for much of the area. Walk times vary by exact location.
- Why do prices vary so much here?
- Because the neighborhood is a mix of preserved mid-century homes and newer custom rebuilds on large, walk-to-downtown lots. An original ranch may be priced largely for its land, while a recent custom build reflects new construction, so the range from home to home is wide.
- What do homes cost, what are the taxes, and how is the market?
- Pricing moves with the market, so for current list prices, recent sales, and activity, see the live Market snapshot on this page rather than any fixed figure. For taxes, think in terms of an effective rate: Naperville and DuPage County generally run in the range of roughly 2.0 to 2.2 percent of market value before exemptions, which is a significant annual cost on higher-value homes.
- Who is the real estate agent for East Highlands?
- Joe Keegan is the local licensed Illinois real estate broker who covers East Highlands in Naperville, IL through Subdiview, a neighborhood-first home search for the Chicago suburbs and collar counties. Joe prices and negotiates from the live MRED sold comps for East Highlands specifically, not national averages, and can help you buy or sell here. Reach Joe at 224-385-8779 or joe@joekeeganhomes.com.
Your local agent
Joe knows East Highlands
Most agents will list anything. I focus on the places I actually know, and the things that move value here don't show up in the MLS write-up: which streets and buildings hold demand, what the HOA or assessments really cover, how the comps read once you account for condition and location, and where buyers consistently want to be.
When you're ready to tour or list, you want someone who has read the last 50 closed comps in this specific market, not a national average, and can tell you what they actually mean for your price. That's how I work. Text or call any time, and I'll give you a real take, not a brochure.
- Licensed Illinois broker
- Comp-driven pricing
- Naperville specialist
- Honest local market take
- Brokerocity
Market snapshot
East Highlands, by the numbers
Live MRED data, refreshed daily. The numbers below tell you what this market is doing today, not what Zillow's algorithm thinks it might be doing six weeks from now.
Typical list price
$1,700,000
Typical sale price · last 90 days
$1,367,500
Homes for sale right now
7
Avg time on market
44 days
Sold in the last year
18
This representation is based in whole or in part on data supplied by Midwest Real Estate Data, LLC for the period August 8, 2025 through August 8, 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.
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