West and Northwest Suburbs
Barrington Homes, Bought and Sold with a Veteran-Owned Brokerage
Comparing a frame house in the historic district with a larger lot in Jewel Park, or a townhome? We check the county, the District 220 school assignment, and the house itself before you make an offer in 60010.
Living in Barrington
Living in Barrington
The Village of Barrington grew up along the Chicago & North Western Railway and incorporated in 1865. About 10,700 people live here (10,722 in the 2020 census). The village calls itself the center of a 90-square-mile Barrington area of seven independent villages, so start by confirming which village a listing sits in. Barrington Hills, Lake Barrington, North Barrington, and South Barrington are separate towns, and ZIP 60010 covers several of them.
Barrington sits in two counties. Main Street, which is Lake-Cook Road through the village center, is the line between Lake County and Cook County.
The village center
The retail core runs along Hough Street and Main Street, close to the Metra station. The Catlow Theater opened on West Main Street in 1927 and is on the National Register of Historic Places, along with Barrington's White House and the Octagon House on the same street. Jewel and Heinen's both have stores in the village center, and the Ice House Mall started as a 1904 dairy building.
The historic district
The Barrington Historic District is on the National Register. The village calls it one of the largest frame-home districts in Illinois, with Folk, Craftsman, Victorian, and other early American styles, and Lake Street has a run of Queen Anne houses. Most of the houses went up between 1860 and 1930.
Jewel Park and the larger lots
Jewel Companies subdivided and replanted Jewel Park in the 1930s. The village's comprehensive plan describes curving, tree-lined streets there and lots of 15,000 square feet and larger. Closer to the village center, the plan describes single-family lots of about 7,500 square feet.
The Barrington Park District runs Citizens Park, a 45-acre park on the old Jewel Tea Company site, Langendorf Park with its aquatic center and par-3 golf course, and Ron Beese Park, its largest at 80 acres. Forest preserves surround the village in both counties, including Cuba Marsh, Deer Grove, Spring Creek, and Crabtree Nature Preserve. Makray Memorial Golf Club is a public course.
Trains and highways
Getting around Barrington
Barrington has its own station on Metra's Union Pacific Northwest Line, at 201 S. Spring Street, Barrington, in the village center. The station sits 31.9 miles from Ogilvie Transportation Center and was renovated in 2003. The village's comprehensive plan says many residents choose Barrington for that train.
The main roads through town are Hough Street (Route 59), Main Street (Lake-Cook Road), and Northwest Highway (Route 14). Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital sits north of the village on Route 22. Drive to the station from the house at your normal commute hour, and ask about commuter parking before you count on the train.
Check the address
Barrington schools
Barrington Community Unit School District 220 runs the public schools, from preschool through 12th grade. The district covers 72 square miles in Cook, Lake, McHenry, and Kane counties, and it serves all or part of 12 communities. It has one high school, Barrington High School at 616 W. Main Street, Barrington, two middle school campuses (Prairie and Station), and eight elementary schools.
The district assigns elementary schools by address. Check the property address with the district before you write an offer.
What buyers and investors see
Barrington's housing mix
Census figures in the village's 2021 comprehensive plan count 2,817 detached single-family homes in Barrington, plus 201 attached single-family homes, 104 duplexes, and 784 homes in buildings with three or more units. The same figures show 616 homes built in 1939 or earlier, 820 built in the 1960s, and 811 built in the 1970s.
That gives you three kinds of search. The historic district has frame houses more than a century old, a short walk from the station. Jewel Park and the subdivisions around it have bigger lots and newer houses. Buyers who want less upkeep can look at townhouse developments such as Brentwood and Roslyn Meadows, or at the village's condos and apartments.
Inside the Historic Overlay District, which held 364 properties when the plan was written, any exterior change needs a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Architectural Review Commission plus a building permit. The commission doesn't review interiors. Read those rules before you plan a porch, siding, or window project.
For veterans and military families
Buying in Barrington with a VA loan
Dorazio Real Estate is veteran-owned, and our managing broker is a former U.S. Army officer and West Point graduate. Our Barrington work runs through our western suburbs specialist, who is also a veteran.
Many houses in the historic district date from 1860 to 1930, so we review condition before you get attached to one. Peeling paint on a frame house, a worn roof, missing handrails, and old mechanicals can all come up in a VA appraisal. Catching them during the search leaves you room to shape the offer.
A VA loan can also buy a building with two to four units, as long as you live in one of them. Barrington has duplexes and two-family homes near the village center and along Hough Street. If you want a townhome or condo, check whether the association or building needs VA approval before you write an offer.
Illinois offers a property tax exemption for veterans with a service-connected disability rating of 30% or higher. On the Lake County side, you apply through the Lake County Chief County Assessment Office. On the Cook County side, you apply through the Cook County Assessor's Office.
Our VA loan page covers the benefit, the appraisal, and buying a 2-4 flat. If PCS orders bring you here, our relocation concierge can tour homes for you by video before you arrive.
For investors
Buying a Barrington rental or multifamily property
The comprehensive plan places two-family homes near the village center and along Hough Street, and the census count includes 104 duplexes and 784 homes in buildings of three or more units. The village's plan places those two-family homes close to the village center, which also holds the Metra station and the Main Street shops.
Pull the tax bill for the county the building sits in, and price it against insurance and a repair reserve for a building that may predate the 1940s. If it sits in the Historic Overlay District, budget for the review any exterior work needs. For a building with two or more units, our multifamily investment analysis covers the rent roll, operating expenses, cash flow, financing scenarios, and value-add potential before you commit.
Our multifamily and investment property page covers 2-4 flats, larger buildings, and house hacking with a VA or FHA loan. We also help investors buy mixed-use buildings, fix and flip projects, and furnished rentals. Read our property management page to see what our sister company manages.
For sellers
Selling a Barrington home
A Queen Anne on Lake Street, a Jewel Park house on a large lot, and a Brentwood townhome all carry a Barrington address and compete for different buyers. Price yours against the homes those buyers will tour the same weekend. If the house sits in the Historic Overlay District, gather your Certificates of Appropriateness and permits before you list.
Start with a free comparative market analysis for your address. When you list, we can add a measured 2D or 3D floor plan, and our photo prep guide walks you through getting each room ready.
See how our listing agents price a home for its first weekend and get it ready before it goes live.
Comparing towns
Nearby areas we serve
Barrington buyers often look at the other Barrington-area villages too. Check the village, the county, and the school district for each address, since a shared ZIP code tells you none of them. We also help clients compare Bartlett and St. Charles.
Questions people ask
Barrington real estate questions
Is Barrington in Cook County or Lake County?
Both. Main Street, which is Lake-Cook Road through the village center, divides the two counties. The county decides where you apply for property tax exemptions and file appeals, so confirm it for the address.
Is the Village of Barrington the same as Barrington Hills?
No. Barrington Hills, Lake Barrington, North Barrington, and South Barrington are separate villages, and ZIP 60010 covers several of them. Check which village a listing sits in before you compare taxes, rules, or services.
Does Barrington have a Metra station?
Yes. The Barrington station on the Union Pacific Northwest Line sits at 201 S. Spring Street, Barrington, in the village center, 31.9 miles from Ogilvie Transportation Center.
Which school district serves Barrington?
Barrington Community Unit School District 220 serves the village, with Barrington High School as its one high school. The district covers parts of 12 communities, so check the exact address with the district before you write an offer.
What should I know before buying in the Barrington historic district?
Exterior changes in the Historic Overlay District need a Certificate of Appropriateness from the village's Architectural Review Commission, plus a building permit. Interior work isn't reviewed. Most houses in the National Register district went up between 1860 and 1930, so plan for the upkeep an older frame house needs.
What should veterans know before buying in Barrington?
Review condition at the first showing, since older frame houses can raise VA appraisal repair items such as peeling paint, roofs, and handrails. Dorazio Real Estate is veteran-owned, and we flag those items while you still have room to shape the offer. If you have a service-connected disability rating of 30% or higher, apply for the veterans exemption with your county.
Can I buy a multifamily property in Barrington with a VA loan?
Yes. A VA loan can buy a building with two to four units as long as you live in one of them. Barrington has duplexes and two-family homes near the village center. Compare the rent from the other unit with the taxes, insurance, and repair costs, and check the permits for each unit.
Start with a conversation
Ready to talk Barrington?
If you're buying in Barrington, selling a house in the village, or sorting out which Barrington-area village fits you, send us the address or the budget. We'll talk through the county, the school assignment, the historic district rules, and what to check before you make a move.
Or send a note through our contact page.