Buying a Home in the New Trier High School District: A Local's Guide

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.

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One school, two campuses

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.

Which towns feed into New Trier

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.

What buyers should check

  • 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.

Explore by elementary school

Wilmette District 39

Avoca District 37

  • Avoca West: K–5, serving west and northwest Wilmette plus parts of Glenview and Northfield

Winnetka District 36

  • Greeley: K–4, east Winnetka near the lake and the Elm Street business district

  • Hubbard Woods: K–4, north Winnetka near the Hubbard Woods shops and Metra stop

  • Crow Island: K–4, west Winnetka, in a historic 1940 building designed with Eliel and Eero Saarinen

Kenilworth District 38

Glencoe District 35

Sunset Ridge District 29 (Northfield)

Explore By Middle School & Jr High

Wilmette District 39

Avoca District 37

Winnetka District 36

Kenilworth District 38

Glencoe District 35

Sunset Ridge District 29 (Northfield)

FAQs

One school on two campuses: freshmen in Northfield, grades 10–12 in Winnetka.

Most do. Confirm any address with the district before you make an offer.

No. Six K–8 districts across Wilmette, Kenilworth, Winnetka, Glencoe, Northfield and parts of Glenview and Northbrook feed New Trier.

Ninth graders from six different K–8 districts start together at the Northfield campus, then move to Winnetka for grades 10–12.

Use the school locator for that K–8 district, then confirm with the district office. Don't rely on the mailing address or the listing alone.

About 6–9 months before the move. Spring is busy, and many families want to be settled by August.

Sarah Jividen standing in a glass doorway, wearing a navy blue dress.

Why work with me

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 absolutely 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.

Let's Connect

Contact Details

Sarah Jividen

Phone

(224) 260-9158

Email

[email protected]

Address

30 Green Bay Rd Winnetka IL 60093

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