Winnetka, Illinois
Winnetka is a village of 12,484 people in Cook County, Illinois, founded in 1869.
Why visit Winnetka
Townapedia lists 47 museums and landmarks, 70 parks and trails, 32 places to eat and 2 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Ravine Bluffs Development, Anita Willets Burnham Log House, Alfred Bersbach House and Mahoney Park.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 84°F; January lows average 16°F, and about 34 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Winnetka
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Winnetka
Winnetka () is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States, 17 miles (27 km) north of downtown Chicago. The population was 12,508 as of the 2026 census. The village is one of the wealthiest places in the United States in terms of household income. It was the second-ranked Illinois community on Bloomberg's 2019 Richest Places Annual Index.
From the Wikipedia article Winnetka, Illinois (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do2
Ravine Bluffs Development
Bridge · National Register of Historic Places · 2.8 mi
Bridge in Glencoe, United States of America
Museums and landmarks47
Anita Willets Burnham Log House
Museum · National Register of Historic Places · 0.5 mi
Home and studio of artist and author Anita Willets-Burnham
1140 Willow Road, Winnetka
May-Nov Su 14:00-16:00
Alfred Bersbach House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.0 mi
Historic house in Wilmette, Illinois
Bahá'í House of Worship for the North American Continent
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.7 mi
Bahá'í temple in Wilmette, Illinois, United States
Bailey–Michelet House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.0 mi
Historic Italianate residence on Sheridan Road in Wilmette, Illinois
Braeside School
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.7 mi
School building in Highland Park, Illinois
Building at 2517 Central Street
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.4 mi
Historic building in Evanston, Illinois, United States
Building at 2519 Central Street
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.4 mi
Historic building in Evanston, Illinois, United States
Building at 2523 Central Street
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.3 mi
Historic building in Evanston, Illinois, United States
Charles N. Ramsey and Herry E. Weese House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.9 mi
Historic residence in Winnetka, Illinois
Chicago and Northwestern Depot
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.8 mi
Railway station in Wilmette, the United States of America
Crow Island School
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
School building in Winnetka, United States of America
Dr. Paul W. and Eunice Greeley House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.9 mi
Historic residence in Winnetka, Illinois
35 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds70
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Mahoney Park
Park · National Register of Historic Places · 2.3 mi
Park in Kenilworth, United States of America
58 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes32
Spirit Elephant
Restaurant · 0.7 mi
924 Green Bay Road, Winnetka
Tu-Th 16:30-21:00; Fr-Sa 16:30-22:00; Su 16:30-21:00
20 more on the map.
History
The first houses were built in 1836. That year, Erastus Patterson and his family arrived from Vermont and opened a tavern to service passengers on the Green Bay Trail post road. The village was first subdivided in 1854 by Charles Peck and Walter S. Gurnee, President of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad. The railroads Peck and Gurnee created in 1854 allowed for prosperity and development along the North Shore. Close to 100 individuals inhabited New Trier Township in 1850 (which is named after Trier, Germany, the home of many settlers living in the North Shore). Winnetka's first private school was opened in 1856 by Mr. and Mrs. Charles Peck with seventeen pupils. In 1859, the first public school building was built with private funds at the southeast corner of Elm and Maple streets. The village was incorporated in 1869 with a population of 450. The name is believed to originate from the Potawatomi language, meaning 'beautiful place'.
The oldest surviving house in Winnetka is the Schmidt-Burnham Log House. Originally constructed on what is now the Indian Hill Club on the south edge of town and in 1917 moved to Tower Road, it was moved in 2003 from Tower Road to the Crow Island Woods.
From the History section of Winnetka, Illinois on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship20
Saint Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church
Church · African Methodist Episcopal · 1.7 mi
336 Washington Avenue, Glencoe
Am Yisrael Congregation
Place of worship · Conservative · 1.7 mi
4 Happ Road, Northfield
Church of the Holy Comforter
Church · Episcopal · 1.9 mi
222 Kenilworth Avenue, Kenilworth
Faith, Hope and Charity Church
Church · Catholic · 0.9 mi
191 Linden Street, Winnetka
Sacred Heart Catholic Church
Church · Roman Catholic · 0.7 mi
1077 Tower Road, Winnetka
Skokie Valley Baptist Church
Church · Baptist · 1.8 mi
1050 Skokie Boulevard, Wilmette
Shopping8
Gas and EV charging4
Schools, colleges and libraries60
Crow Island Elementary School
School · 0.5 mi
1112 Willow Road, Winnetka
Marie Murphy Junior High School
School · 1.5 mi
2921 Illinois Road, Wilmette
New Trier Township High School (Northfield Campus)
School · 1.5 mi
7 Happ Road, Northfield
Healthcare4
Advocate NorthShore Pediatric Facility
Clinic and pharmacy · 1.8 mi
3232 Lake Avenue, Wilmette
Map of Winnetka
247 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 32°F | 16°F | 2.1 in | 11.3 in |
| Feb | 36°F | 19°F | 2.0 in | 7.7 in |
| Mar | 46°F | 28°F | 2.3 in | 5.6 in |
| Apr | 57°F | 38°F | 4.0 in | 1.1 in |
| May | 68°F | 48°F | 4.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 78°F | 57°F | 4.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 84°F | 63°F | 3.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 82°F | 62°F | 4.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 75°F | 55°F | 3.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 63°F | 43°F | 3.6 in | 0.1 in |
| Nov | 49°F | 32°F | 2.6 in | 1.9 in |
| Dec | 38°F | 22°F | 2.3 in | 5.9 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Chicago Botanic Garden (3 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Cook County has had 12 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2024-09-20: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Floodng (Flood)
- 2023-11-20: Severe Storms And Flooding (Flood)
- 2023-08-15: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2020-03-26: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2013-05-10: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Flood)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Chicago Executive Airport (PWK) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 8 miles away.
- Wilmette 2 mi south, about 3 min by car
- Glenview 5 mi west, about 7 min by car
- Evanston 5 mi southeast, about 8 min by car
- Skokie 5 mi south, about 8 min by car
- Northbrook 5 mi west, about 8 min by car
- Morton Grove 5 mi southwest, about 8 min by car
- Highland Park 6 mi northwest, about 10 min by car
- Niles 6 mi southwest, about 10 min by car
- Deerfield 7 mi northwest, about 11 min by car
- Lincolnwood 7 mi south, about 11 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Welcome to Winnetka, Zol87, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Old Winnetka Log Cabin, Zol87, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Greetings from Winnetka, Illinois - Large Letter Postcard (5885626296), Steve Shook from Moscow, Idaho, USA, CC BY 2.0
- 2015-05-11 06 38 29 View of the "Home Alone" house at 671 Lincoln Avenue in Winnetka, Illinois, Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2015-05-11 06 40 27 View of the "Home Alone" house at 671 Lincoln Avenue in Winnetka, Illinois, Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2015-05-11 06 39 03 View of the "Home Alone" house at 671 Lincoln Avenue in Winnetka, Illinois, Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2015-05-11 06 41 46 View southeast down Lincoln Avenue from in front of the "Home Alone" house at 671 Lincoln Avenue in Winnetka, Illinois, Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2015-05-11 06 41 49 View northwest up Lincoln Avenue from in front of the "Home Alone" house at 671 Lincoln Avenue in Winnetka, Illinois, Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2015-05-11 06 40 04 View of the "Home Alone" house at 671 Lincoln Avenue in Winnetka, Illinois, Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2015-05-11 06 39 52 View of the "Home Alone" house at 671 Lincoln Avenue in Winnetka, Illinois, Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2015-05-11 06 41 08 View northwest from in front of the "Home Alone" house at 671 Lincoln Avenue in Winnetka, Illinois, Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2015-05-11 06 41 05 View southwest from in front of the "Home Alone" house at 671 Lincoln Avenue in Winnetka, Illinois, Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2015-05-11 06 41 07 View west from in front of the "Home Alone" house at 671 Lincoln Avenue in Winnetka, Illinois, Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2015-05-11 06 40 59 View southeast from in front of the "Home Alone" house at 671 Lincoln Avenue in Winnetka, Illinois, Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2015-05-11 06 41 01 View south from in front of the "Home Alone" house at 671 Lincoln Avenue in Winnetka, Illinois, Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2015-05-11 06 39 30 View of the "Home Alone" house at 671 Lincoln Avenue in Winnetka, Illinois, Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Green Bay Trail north at Cherry St - Winnetka, IL - July 2025, AlphaBeta135, CC BY 4.0
- CaviteCannonPlacard-WinnetkaPark, ZooSKP, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Hubbard Woods station house (Green Bay Trail view) - Winnetka, IL - July 2025, AlphaBeta135, CC BY 4.0
- Anita Willets Burnham Log House, Teemu08, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Dwight H. Perkins House, Zol87 from Chicago, IL, USA, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Wildflower and Bird Sanctuary in Mahoney Park 5, Thshriver, CC BY-SA 3.0
- John Rogerson Montgomery House, Teemu08, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Baha'i Temple - Wilmette, IL, Wenbinbin2010, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Braeside School 3, Thshriver, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Orth House 1, Thshriver, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Wilmette Historical Society (Gross Point Village Hall), Zol87 from Chicago, IL, USA, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Glencoe Metra Station, Zol87 from Chicago, Illinois, USA, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Image Strauss House, Boscophotos, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Lichtstern House, Teemu08, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Ralph S. Baker House (8617627831), Teemu008 from Palatine, Illinois, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Root-Badger House 2, Thshriver, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Kenilworth Club 3, Thshriver, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Building at 2517 Central Street, Zol87 from Chicago, Illinois, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- William A. Glasner House, Zol87 from Chicago, Illinois, USA, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Paul Eunice Greeley House, Zol87, CC BY-SA 2.0
- John Taylor Snite House, Teemu08, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Building at 2519 Central Street, Zol87 from Chicago, Illinois, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Maher, George W House 1, Thshriver, CC BY-SA 3.0
- McJunkin, William House 3, Thshriver, CC BY-SA 3.0
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