If you are looking to move out of the city or just want to switch neighborhoods but don't know what will be the best fit, here is a guide to some of the most sought after neighborhoods on the North Shore in both Cook and Lake County.

Glenview is located just 17 miles from the Chicago Loop and is a top village for academics with their elementary, junior high, and high school all have received National Excellence in Education awards. That being said it is a great place to raise your family. It is a town that prides itself on neighborhood camaraderie and traditions passed down by generations. It is not a town of generic subdivisions that is for sure. There is always something to do in Glenview, with hockey being a favorite pastime. Real estate consists of older fixer uppers, renovated homes, and newly built homes. The average single family home is selling for $529,000. Wilmette also has one of the finest school districts in the country and is a great family neighborhood filled with diverse architecture including the famous Baha'i Temple, which attracts numerous international visitors year round.

Wilmette is a lakefront village with a large park district filled with popular outdoor recreation. The town is preserving its history with brick paved streets, historic street lamps and a canopy of trees. The retail district is filled with one of a kind shops with a few chain stores mixed in. Real estate is becoming unaffordable for many in this area and residents are pushing for more affordable housing which the current affordable condos retails at $230,000 for a one-bedroom.

Northbrook is further from the city being 25 miles north, and a 40 minute ride on the Metra. It is a great location for commuters coming to and from as Northbrook has a diverse employment industry and is conveniently located with the Eden's Expressway on the east and the Tri-State Tollway on the west. This town has a very large park district with two indoor ice skating rinks, two swimming pools, 25 baseball diamonds, 17 playgrounds and more. The school district is impressive and it is a safe community, besides retail theft from the upscale Northbrook Court shopping center. The real estate market is not short on inventory and prices are reduced since the housing bust. The average price for a home in the village is $500,000.

Winnetka is one of the most prestigious and affluent retail markets in the country where the average home sells for $1.32 million. This is a picturesque village with old world charm, exquisitely manicured lawns and quiet tree lined streets. It is a nice place for families as there is easy access to several beaches as well as an impressive park district. Like most of the North Shore Winnetka has a high ranking school district. It's an easy commute for the business executives to catch one of the three Metra trains into the city.

Highland Park has a great mix of housing options from historic colonials to contemporary homes to cozy condos. The city is surrounded by nature's beauty including the lakefront. The city has been honored as Tree City USA by the USDA and has a 36 acre woodland called the Ravinia which attracts music lovers each summer with its Ravinia Festival. This city has a little bit of everything including one of a kind shopping in one of the nine business districts filled with specialty shops and restaurants.