A Local Guide For Buyers
If New Trier is on your list, you're not choosing a high school yet. You're choosing an elementary district, a town and a street, and the high school follows. I'm Sarah Jividen, a Wilmette Realtor who moved my own family to the North Shore in 2022. This page walks through how New Trier attendance works and which neighborhoods feed into it.
New Trier is one four-year public high school split across two campuses. Freshmen attend the Northfield Campus at 7 Happ Road. Sophomores, juniors and seniors attend the Winnetka Campus at 385 Winnetka Avenue. The district serves about 4,000 students and was founded in 1901.
The freshman-only campus gives ninth graders from different elementary districts a year to settle in together before moving to Winnetka. Families tell me this is a great way for students to connect and make friends before heading off to the main campus.
New Trier draws from six separate K–8 school districts, each with its own board:
Community | K–8 district | Notes |
|---|---|---|
Wilmette | Wilmette District 39 | Central, Harper, McKenzie, Romona → Highcrest → Wilmette Junior High |
Western Wilmette and parts of Glenview/Northfield | Avoca District 37 | Avoca West → Marie Murphy |
Kenilworth | Kenilworth District 38 | Joseph Sears School |
Winnetka | Winnetka District 36 | Crow Island, Greeley, Hubbard Woods (K–4) → The Skokie School (5–6) → Carleton Washburne (7–8) |
Glencoe | Glencoe District 35 | South School (K–2) → West School (3–4) → Central School (5–8) |
Northfield and parts of Northbrook/Glenview | Sunset Ridge District 29 | Middlefork School (K–3) → Sunset Ridge School (4–8) |
Because each elementary district is separate, two homes a few blocks apart can both feed New Trier and still sit in different K–8 systems. That's worth knowing before you fall for a house.
The specific address, not the town. Use each district's school locator. A Glenview or Northbrook mailing address can still be in New Trier, and some addresses near town edges are not.
Timing. Most of my clients want to close before a school transition, often the summer before kindergarten, fifth grade or freshman year. Plan your search 6–9 months ahead of that.
Property taxes. New Trier homes carry high property taxes, and they vary by township and district. Ask for the actual tax bill on any home you're considering.
McKenzie Elementary: central Wilmette, walk to the Metra & village
Central Elementary: east Wilmette, closets to the lake and beaches
Harper Elementary: Kenilworth Gardens and Indian Hill Estates
Romona Elementary: west Wilmette, bigger yards and more house for the money
Avoca District 37: the separate district in west and northwest Wilmette
Is New Trier one school or two? One school on two campuses: freshmen in Northfield, grades 10–12 in Winnetka.
Does every Wilmette address go to New Trier? Most do. Confirm any address with the district before you make an offer.
Do I need to live in Wilmette to attend? No. Six K–8 districts across Wilmette, Kenilworth, Winnetka, Glencoe, Northfield and parts of Glenview and Northbrook feed New Trier.
I live in Wilmette and walk its streets for my "walking every street in Wilmette" series, so I know how blocks differ inside the same attendance area. I work mostly with dual-income families upsizing into 4–5 bedroom homes before a school transition, and I manage the buy-and-sell timing so you aren't carrying two homes or rushing a decision.
"Sarah was absolute incredible from start to finish! As our real estate agent, she guided us wonderfully through buying our new home in a difficult and highly competitive market, making the entire process completely smooth and stress-free. She was always professional, incredibly helpful, and attentive to every single detail. We couldn't be more thrilled with the support we received and are so grateful to have had her by our side. Highly recommended to anyone looking for an amazing agent!"
-Giulia & Matteo, Wilmette Family of Four
Thinking about a move into the New Trier district? Tell me which elementary areas you're weighing, and I'll walk you through how they compare.