Living in Barrington, Illinois
Tree-lined streets, a historic downtown, equestrian estates, and District 220 schools about 35 miles northwest of Chicago.
Barrington at a Glance
A village with a clear sense of place.
The Barrington site places the village about 35 miles northwest of downtown Chicago, in Cook and Lake Counties. It lists a population of 10,327, a city size of 4.7 square miles, a walk score of 48, and houses built from the 1950s through now. The village was incorporated in 1865. The primary ZIP is 60010. Barrington Hills uses 60010 and 60011.
The greater area the site describes includes Barrington Hills, South Barrington, North Barrington, Lake Barrington, and Tower Lakes: equestrian estates on multi-acre parcels and custom houses, including houses in gated communities. Downtown is a historic corridor. The site mentions more than 100 shops and restaurants in that downtown, and events that include Barrington Cruise Nights, a farmers market, the Fourth of July, a holiday walk, ice skating, and a community tree lighting.
Areas and lifestyles
Historic downtown
The site describes a walkable downtown with independent shops, Francesca’s on Chestnut, McGonigal’s Pub, Shakou Barrington, Los Burritos Tapatíos, and Egg Harbor Cafe. The Catlow Theater, built in 1927, shows films in an art deco house. The Barrington White House and the Barrington Area Arts Council are the cultural rooms it names.
Equestrian estates
Barrington Hills is the horse country on the site: multi-acre parcels, riding arenas, stables, paddocks, and trail access, in a range it states as $2 million to $10 million and up. It also mentions lakefront houses on private lakes, including Lake Barrington Shores, plus houses near the Fox River and forest preserves.
The other Barrington villages
South Barrington, North Barrington, Lake Barrington, and Tower Lakes sit in the greater area the site covers, along with the village proper. Home styles it names run from Georgian colonial and Tudor Revival to modern farmhouse, French Country, and contemporary.
Parks and preserves
The Barrington Park District manages 48 or more parks. The site names Citizens Park, Cuba Marsh Forest Preserve at 782 acres of wetlands and prairie, Penny Road Pond, Baker’s Lake, and Spring Creek Forest Preserve, plus a trail network tied to the Millennium Trail. The YMCA and the Barrington Area Library are the indoor civic places it highlights.
Schools
The site says Barrington is served by Community Unit School District 220. Elementary schools it names are Roslyn Road, Lines, Sunny Hill, Barbara B. Rose, and North Barrington, with an 8/10 GreatSchools 2024 figure. Barrington Middle School has Prairie and Station campuses for grades 6–8, also shown at 8/10 GreatSchools 2024. Barrington High School, grades 9–12, is rated A+ by Niche on the site and 9/10 by GreatSchools, with over 250 course offerings and 80 or more athletic teams and clubs. The district serves about 9,000 students, the site says. Nearby private and higher-ed names on the site: Barrington Christian Academy (pre-K–8), Countryside Montessori (pre-K–6), Harper College, and Lake Forest College about 30 minutes away. Buyers verify current attendance boundaries with the district before purchasing.
Architecture
The site’s home-type list, with the ranges it prints: Georgian colonial $800,000–$2.5 million; modern farmhouse $900,000–$3 million; French Country $1 million–$4 million; Tudor Revival $750,000–$2 million; contemporary $1 million–$5 million; equestrian estate $2 million–$10 million and up. Houses in the village run from the 1950s through new construction.
Getting around and day to day
Roads the site names: I-90, Routes 14, 59, and 68, plus Northwest Highway (Route 14) and Lake Cook Road. Metra’s UP-Northwest Line runs from Barrington Station to Ogilvie Transportation Center in about 60–70 minutes. O’Hare is about 25 miles, roughly 35 minutes. Employers and campuses it places nearby: Zurich North America, CDW, Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital, and the Lake-Cook Road corporate corridor. Cooper’s Hawk Winery is on the dining list. The site also states a property tax rate of about 2.5%, varying by township.