Central Wilmette (Village Center)

Central Wilmette is the part of the village around the Village Center and the Wilmette Metra station. If walking to the train, coffee, dinner and the library matters most to you, this is where to start.

Homes

• Mix: classic older homes, condos and townhomes near downtown, and newer construction

• Streets: several are still paved with brick. During the Depression, a Works Progress Administration project relaid many of Wilmette's brick streets upside down to expose the smooth side.

• Condos: newer condo buildings near the Village Center give downsizers and commuters options. My Optima Lumina article covers what they could mean for the market.

• Price range. Prices vary by lot size and how updated a home is.

Schools

Depending on the address, Central Wilmette is in the Central Elementary or McKenzie Elementary attendance area (District 39), then Highcrest Middle School and Wilmette Junior High and New Trier High School. Central Elementary sits on Central Avenue, east of downtown. Confirm any address with District 39.

What's nearby

• The Wilmette Metra station (Union Pacific North line to Chicago)

• Downtown shops and restaurants along Central Avenue, Wilmette Avenue and Greenleaf Avenue

• The Wilmette Theatre

• The Wilmette Public Library

• Vattman Park

More in my guides to downtown Wilmette walkability and the best restaurants in downtown Wilmette.

Who Central Wilmette fits

Central Wilmette suits commuters and families who want to walk nearly everywhere. The tradeoff is usually smaller lots and more activity than the quieter streets farther west.

Central Wilmette FAQ

Where is downtown Wilmette? The Village Center sits around the Wilmette Metra station, along Central Avenue, Wilmette Avenue and Greenleaf Avenue.

Can you walk to the train from Central Wilmette? Yes. The Wilmette Metra station is in the Village Center.

Are there condos in downtown Wilmette? Yes. There are older condo buildings and newer ones near the Village Center.

What elementary school serves Central Wilmette? Central or McKenzie, depending on the address. Confirm with District 39.

Thinking about Central Wilmette?

How many minutes on foot to the train would feel right to you? Let's connect.

Related: McKenzie Square · East Wilmette · All Wilmette neighborhoods

Central Wilmette is the part of the village around the Village Center and the Wilmette Metra station. If walking to the train, coffee, dinner and the library matters most to you, this is where to start.

Wilmette grew up around the railroad. Train service to a Wilmette station began in 1869, and the village was incorporated in 1872. The old Chicago & North Western depot now sits on Wilmette Avenue and has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1975.

The Wilmette Theatre on Central Avenue opened in 1914 as the Central Theatre. The village's first library building went up in 1905 at Park and Wilmette Avenues with funding from Andrew Carnegie, and was replaced by a new building in 1951.

Who Central Wilmette fits

Central Wilmette is worth a look if you want to walk to the train, the library and downtown restaurants, and you'd trade a quieter street for that convenience. Blocks closer to Green Bay Road and the Village Center see more traffic and activity than streets farther out.

If you want to walk to the Metra, the library and downtown Wilmette, tell me what you're looking for and I'll let you know as soon as something in Central Wilmette fits, or start with my free North Shore Upsizing Guide.