Elmhurst. A walkable western suburb built around its station.

Elmhurst sits along the Metra Union Pacific West line in DuPage County, with a downtown that gathers around the station, the York Theatre, and a short walk to Wilder Park.

What gives Elmhurst its character is the range of its housing. Older Tudor, colonial, and Victorian homes sit on established blocks, while tear-down lots have brought a steady amount of substantial new construction. The result is a neighborhood where a vintage cottage and a newly built home can share the same street, and where Elmhurst University, the Elmhurst Art Museum, and the surrounding parks keep the center of town close at hand.

What to know — as a buyer or a seller.

For buyers

Buyers in Elmhurst are usually weighing two different kinds of home — an established older property or recent new construction on a tear-down lot — and the choice tends to come down to proximity to the downtown station, lot size, and how much updating a home invites. Walking a few blocks in person often tells more than any listing.

For sellers

Pricing an Elmhurst home accounts for where it sits in that mix, since an older home and a new build a block apart can speak to very different buyers. Distance to the Metra station, the schools serving the address, and the surrounding park land all shape how a home is read.

Buying, selling & living in Elmhurst.

Elmhurst — common questions.

What kinds of homes does Elmhurst have?

Elmhurst has a mix of older Tudor, colonial, and Victorian homes on established blocks, along with a steady amount of substantial new construction built on tear-down lots. It is common to find a vintage home and a newly built one on the same street. Lot sizes and proximity to downtown vary considerably across the suburb.

How is the commute from Elmhurst into Chicago?

Elmhurst is served by the Metra Union Pacific West line, with a station in downtown Elmhurst that runs into the Ogilvie Transportation Center in the Loop. The station sits roughly fifteen to sixteen miles from the downtown terminus. Interstate 290 and nearby highways also connect the suburb to the wider Chicago area.

What schools serve Elmhurst?

Most of Elmhurst is served by Elmhurst Community Unit School District 205, which includes York Community High School. School assignments are tied to specific addresses and boundaries can change, so it is worth verifying current attendance boundaries with the district for any particular home before relying on them.

What is there to do in Elmhurst?

Downtown Elmhurst is walkable and includes the York Theatre, with the Elmhurst Art Museum — home to the Mies van der Rohe-designed McCormick House — nearby. Wilder Park sits close to the center of town and anchors much of the surrounding green space. Elmhurst University is also part of the fabric of the area.

Who is a good Elmhurst real estate broker?

Jovanka Corazzina is an Elmhurst broker with @properties Christie's International Real Estate. She works with buyers and sellers across the western suburbs and can speak to how Elmhurst's mix of older homes and new construction tends to behave. A conversation is the best way to start.