Long Grove and Lincolnshire are the two most popular fully-inside D125 communities. Both are 100% inside the district — no boundary check needed, every address feeds Stevenson. Both are established, desirable, and well-maintained. But they are very different communities, and the right choice depends on what matters most to your family.
✓ Both Long Grove and Lincolnshire are 100% inside D125. Every address in both villages feeds Stevenson High School. No boundary verification needed.
This is the fundamental difference most buyers don't think about. Both communities end at Stevenson. But the K–8 journey is completely different.
| Grade Band | Long Grove (D96) | Lincolnshire (D103) |
|---|---|---|
| pre-K/K | Willow Grove Elementary | Sprague School |
| 1–5 | D96 Elementary (varies) | Half Day School (3–4) |
| 6–8 | Twin Groves or Woodlawn Middle | Daniel Wright Jr High |
| 9–12 | Stevenson HS | Stevenson HS |
Both D96 and D103 are well-regarded sender districts. D96 is the largest sender district in D125 — it serves Long Grove, Kildeer, and parts of Buffalo Grove. D103 serves exclusively Lincolnshire and Prairie View. Neither is objectively better — it comes down to personal preference and which specific school community resonates with your family.
Long Grove has a genuine historic village downtown — one of the few in Lake County. The Apple Barn, independent boutiques, restaurants, and seasonal festivals create a community identity that most suburbs can't replicate. Reed-Turner Woodlands runs through the community. The Arboretum Club offers private golf. Lots are large, tree-canopied, and private.
Long Grove feels like a retreat. Families who move here tend to love that it doesn't feel like a suburb — it feels like a destination.
Lincolnshire feels more like a traditional executive suburb — polished, well-maintained, corporate-adjacent. The Lincolnshire Corporate Center and multiple business parks are part of the community's identity. The Marriott Theatre is a genuine cultural asset. Roads are wider, commercial development is more present, and the overall feel is more conventional affluent suburb than historic village.
Lincolnshire is the right choice for families who want convenience, easy corporate access, and a clean suburban environment — without the weekend-destination feel of Long Grove.
Both communities overlap significantly in price range, but Lincolnshire generally offers slightly more entry-level options:
For buyers with a budget of $600K–$900K, both communities are viable. Above $1M, Long Grove offers more and grander inventory. Below $650K, Lincolnshire has more options.
Lincolnshire has a slight commute advantage for corporate travelers — it's positioned closer to I-94 and Route 22, with easy access to multiple Lincolnshire and Lake Forest corporate campuses. The Metra Buffalo Grove/Lincolnshire stop on the North Central Service line is accessible from the area.
Long Grove is somewhat more tucked away — its wooded, winding-road character means it's not as easy to pop out to the highway. For families where commute convenience is a priority, Lincolnshire has an edge.
Choose Long Grove if: you want the most distinctive community character in D125, you value the historic village feel, your budget is $900K+, or you want the largest lot relative to your budget.
Choose Lincolnshire if: you want 100% D125 certainty without Long Grove's premium, you need easy I-94 or corporate campus access, your budget is $600K–$1M, or you want a more conventional suburban feel with better convenience.
Both are exceptional choices. I've helped families find exactly the right home in both communities. The decision ultimately comes down to which community feels like home when you drive through it — and whether the numbers work.
"I've shown families the same house in Long Grove and Lincolnshire at the same price. Long Grove wins on community feel every time. Lincolnshire wins on convenience. The right answer depends on which trade-off your family makes more peace with."
— Shilpa Nallapati, IL Managing Broker #471020148Shilpa knows both communities inside out. Tell her your priorities — budget, commute, community feel, school pipeline preference — and she'll show you exactly what's available.
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