where was mean girls filmed

Short answer:
Mean Girls (2004) is set in Evanston, Illinois, but it was filmed mainly in Toronto, Canada, with some scenes shot in New Jersey and California.

Where Was Mean Girls Filmed?

Even though the story takes place in suburban Evanston, Illinois, the production team actually used a mix of Canadian and U.S. locations to create North Shore High and the world of the Plastics.

Main Filming Hubs

• Toronto, Ontario, Canada (primary location)
  • Most school, neighborhood, and mall scenes were shot in and around Toronto.

• Montclair, New Jersey, USA
  • Some interior high school scenes were filmed at Montclair High School.

• Santa Clarita, California, USA
  • A few additional scenes and possible studio work took place around Santa Clarita.

Key Toronto Locations Fans Love

• North Shore High School (exteriors)
  • Filmed at Etobicoke Collegiate Institute , 86 Montgomery Road, Etobicoke (a Toronto district).

• North Shore interiors / hallways & classrooms
  • Shot at 180 Shaw Street (now Artscape Youngplace), a converted former school in Toronto.

• Principal’s office and other interiors
  • 251 Edward Street in downtown Toronto was used for some school interiors.

• Gym scenes (including the assembly and “you go, Glen Coco”)
  • Filmed at Malvern Collegiate Institute , 55 Malvern Avenue, Toronto.

• The mall where the Plastics hang out (Old Orchard Mall in the movie)
  • Actually Sherway Gardens mall in Etobicoke, Toronto.

Character Homes

• Cady Heron’s house
  • Filmed at 4 Balsam Road , a residential street in Toronto.

• Regina George’s mansion
  • The iconic mansion exterior is 11 High Point Road in Toronto.

• Other suburban streets shown as the girls’ neighborhood are various Toronto residential areas dressed to look like Evanston.

University & Competition Scenes

• University of Toronto – St. George Campus
  • The Front Campus and surrounding grounds were used for several outdoor scenes.

* **Convocation Hall** hosted the **mathletes competition** scenes.

These historic buildings stand in for the more formal academic settings you see later in the movie.

Why Not Film in Illinois?

• Toronto often doubles for American cities because of:
  • Financial incentives and tax credits for film productions.

* A mix of architecture that can easily pass as U.S. suburbs and campuses.

• Quick trips to New Jersey and California gave the filmmakers extra variety in school interiors and studio facilities while keeping costs manageable.

Quick HTML Table of Main Locations

html

<table>
  <thead>
    <tr>
      <th>On-Screen Location</th>
      <th>Real-World Location</th>
      <th>City / Region</th>
      <th>Country</th>
    </tr>
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    <tr>
      <td>North Shore High (exterior)</td>
      <td>Etobicoke Collegiate Institute[web:1][web:5][web:7]</td>
      <td>Toronto, Ontario</td>
      <td>Canada</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>North Shore interiors</td>
      <td>180 Shaw Street / Artscape Youngplace[web:1][web:9]</td>
      <td>Toronto, Ontario</td>
      <td>Canada</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Principal’s office</td>
      <td>251 Edward Street[web:1]</td>
      <td>Toronto, Ontario</td>
      <td>Canada</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Gym & assemblies</td>
      <td>Malvern Collegiate Institute[web:1][web:9]</td>
      <td>Toronto, Ontario</td>
      <td>Canada</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Old Orchard Mall</td>
      <td>Sherway Gardens Mall[web:1][web:5][web:7]</td>
      <td>Etobicoke (Toronto), Ontario</td>
      <td>Canada</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Cady’s house</td>
      <td>4 Balsam Road[web:1][web:9]</td>
      <td>Toronto, Ontario</td>
      <td>Canada</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Regina’s mansion</td>
      <td>11 High Point Road[web:1]</td>
      <td>Toronto, Ontario</td>
      <td>Canada</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Mathletes competition</td>
      <td>Convocation Hall, University of Toronto[web:1][web:5][web:7]</td>
      <td>Toronto, Ontario</td>
      <td>Canada</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>General school interiors</td>
      <td>Montclair High School[web:1][web:5]</td>
      <td>Montclair, New Jersey</td>
      <td>USA</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Additional scenes / studio work</td>
      <td>Santa Clarita area & studios[web:1]</td>
      <td>Santa Clarita, California</td>
      <td>USA</td>
    </tr>
  </tbody>
</table>

TL;DR: When people ask “where was Mean Girls filmed,” the answer is: mostly Toronto (for the school, mall, and houses), with extra bits in New Jersey and California, all pretending to be Evanston, Illinois.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.