Township High School Districts 211 and 214 both serve Chicago's northwest suburbs, but they cover different communities. District 214 generally serves areas closer to the city, including parts of Arlington Heights, Buffalo Grove, Elk Grove Village, Mount Prospect, and Wheeling. District 211 covers communities farther west, including parts of Palatine, Schaumburg, Hoffman Estates, and Inverness. Some towns, including Rolling Meadows and Arlington Heights, have homes in both districts.
Key Takeaways
- District 214 and District 211 are two separate township high school districts serving overlapping areas of the northwest suburbs
- District 211 is one of the largest high school districts in Illinois; District 214 is also one of the largest
- District 214 generally covers communities closer to the city; District 211 covers communities farther west
- Rolling Meadows and parts of Arlington Heights include homes served by more than one high school district
- Town name, ZIP code, and mailing address are not reliable guides to school district assignment
- Always verify a specific property address through the official district boundary map or district office before writing an offer
Two Large Districts, One Complex Map
A lot of buyers searching in the northwest suburbs assume that knowing the town tells them the school district. In most parts of Chicagoland, that's a reasonable assumption. In this part of the suburbs, it isn't.
Both District 211 and District 214 are among the largest high school districts in Illinois, and their boundaries don't follow city or village lines cleanly. Some communities are split between the two. Others fall entirely within one district but share a town name with areas served by the other.
Understanding the general shape of each district — and knowing which towns need extra attention — can save a lot of confusion early in your home search.
What District 214 Generally Covers
Township High School District 214 serves communities that are generally closer to Chicago. Parts of the following communities fall within District 214:
- Arlington Heights
- Buffalo Grove
- Des Plaines
- Elk Grove Village
- Mount Prospect
- Prospect Heights
- Rolling Meadows
- Wheeling
High schools in District 214 include John Hersey High School, Prospect High School, Rolling Meadows High School, Buffalo Grove High School, Wheeling High School, and Elk Grove High School.
If you're searching in any of these communities, the District 214 official site has boundary maps you can use to verify specific addresses.
What District 211 Generally Covers
Township High School District 211 serves communities generally located farther west. Parts of the following communities fall within District 211:
- Palatine
- Schaumburg
- Hoffman Estates
- Inverness
- Rolling Meadows
- Arlington Heights
High schools in District 211 include William Fremd High School, Palatine High School, James B. Conant High School, Schaumburg High School, and Hoffman Estates High School.
The District 211 official site maintains boundary maps for all five of its high schools. For a detailed look at how Fremd's boundaries work specifically, the article on buying a home in the Fremd High School district walks through exactly what to verify and how.
Where It Gets Complicated
Here's the part that surprises most buyers: some communities appear on both lists above — and that's not a typo.
Rolling Meadows has homes in more than one high school district. Depending on the specific address, a Rolling Meadows home may feed into Rolling Meadows High School in District 214, or into a District 211 school. The town name tells you nothing on its own.
Arlington Heights has the same dynamic in certain areas. Parts of the village are served by District 214 schools, while other parts fall within District 211.
This is exactly why you can't trust Zillow for school boundaries. Listing platforms may display a school assignment based on the town or ZIP code rather than the actual boundary for that specific address — and in communities like these, that estimate can easily be wrong.
How to Find the Right Answer for Any Address
The process is straightforward once you know where to look.
For homes likely in District 214: Start with the boundary information at d214.org. Use the specific property address, not the neighborhood name or ZIP code.
For homes likely in District 211: Start with the boundary map at d211.org. The same rule applies — enter the exact address.
If you're unsure which district serves the area: The northwest suburbs school districts guide can help you orient before you search. You can also call either district office directly and ask them to confirm school assignment for a specific address.
For homes near a district boundary line, a direct phone call is always the safest step. Note the name of whoever you speak with and the date of the conversation.
What This Means for Your Home Search
Both District 211 and District 214 are well-known, well-regarded districts. The goal here isn't to steer you toward one or the other — it's to make sure you land in the right one for your family, intentionally.
That means searching by address, not by town. It means verifying before you write an offer, not after. And it means treating any school information on a listing site as a starting point rather than a confirmed answer.
If you're buying a home in the northwest suburbs and school assignment is part of your decision, building address verification into your search process from the beginning protects you from a frustrating surprise later.
Ready to Search With Confidence?
School district research is one of those details that feels manageable once you have a clear process — and much harder when you're trying to figure it out at the last minute before an offer.
If you want help navigating the northwest suburbs with school boundaries already accounted for in the search, I'd love to help. Visit myrealtormari.com, watch community videos on my YouTube channel Life in the NW Burbs, reach me at [email protected], or book a time to talk whenever you're ready.
FAQs
What is the difference between District 211 and District 214 in the northwest suburbs?
Both are large township high school districts serving Chicago's northwest suburbs. District 214 generally covers communities closer to the city, including parts of Arlington Heights, Buffalo Grove, Elk Grove Village, and Wheeling. District 211 serves communities farther west, including parts of Palatine, Schaumburg, Hoffman Estates, and Inverness.
Which high schools are in District 214?
District 214 high schools include John Hersey High School, Prospect High School, Rolling Meadows High School, Buffalo Grove High School, Wheeling High School, and Elk Grove High School.
Which high schools are in District 211?
District 211 high schools include William Fremd High School, Palatine High School, James B. Conant High School, Schaumburg High School, and Hoffman Estates High School.
Can one town be in both District 211 and District 214?
Yes. Rolling Meadows has homes in both districts depending on the specific address. Parts of Arlington Heights are also served by more than one high school district. Town name alone is not a reliable guide to school assignment.
How do I find out which district a specific address belongs to?
Use the official boundary maps at d211.org or d214.org and enter the specific property address. For homes near a district boundary line, call the district office directly and ask them to confirm the assigned school for that exact address.
Is District 211 or District 214 bigger?
Both are among the largest high school districts in Illinois. District 211 is frequently cited as one of the largest in the state. District 214 is also one of the larger districts in Illinois. Size alone isn't a meaningful factor in choosing between them — the right fit depends on the specific school and your family's needs.
