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Living in
Park Forest.
About
Life in Park Forest
Built as a planned community for World War II veterans in the late 1940s, Park Forest remains a genuinely affordable south suburb where you can actually find reasonable housing and still have money left over—median home values hover around $115,300 and rents typically run $1,365 a month, which is remarkable for the Chicago area. The village's 21,600 residents live in a walkable, tree-lined neighborhood that still retains that mid-century character, though you should know the population has been declining slightly, which reflects broader challenges many inner suburbs are facing. What keeps locals rooted here is community: the Illinois Theatre Center and Freedom Hall host real cultural programming year-round, the Tall Grass Arts Association runs gallery events, and the Park Forest Aqua Center has been a summer institution since 1952 with everything from water slides to lap pools.
Park Forest at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
36.9 yrs
Poverty Rate
17.6%
Foreign-Born
7.3%
Broadband Internet
93.3%
of households
Population Growth
-2.8%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics7.3% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Park Forest: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Park Forest, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (37.3%), and 7.6% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
23.1%
of residents
65 and Older
15.8%
of residents
Households with Kids
29.0%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
29.8%
of households
Married Couples
29.1%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.53
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 7% above IL average
Rent, home values, and income in Park Forest
In Park Forest, rent runs 7% above the IL average, and home values are 56% below the IL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
44.4%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
32.4%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
103.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$4,608
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
65.8%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1958
median year built
Vacant Homes
8.1%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $159,644 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 2 pts above IL average
Unemployment in Park Forest and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Park Forest is 2 percentage points higher than the IL average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Park Forest Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI metro area
Commute31.8 min avg
How Park Forest residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Park Forest, most residents drive alone to work (79%), and 53% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 21 mi
Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW)
Medium hub9.4M passengers boarded in 2025
- 36 mi
Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD)
Major hub40.7M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 14% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Park Forest runs 14% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
282.7
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,178.8
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Park Forest Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 55 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Very High
100.0 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Cook County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Cook County, which includes Park Forest, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 55 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 55 | Flood | $494.9M |
| 2024 | 57 | Thunderstorm Wind | $50,000 |
| 2023 | 40 | Thunderstorm Wind | $550.0M |
| 2022 | 51 | Thunderstorm Wind | $3.1M |
| 2021 | 47 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2020 | 38 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2019 | 36 | Flood | $20,000 |
| 2018 | 27 | Thunderstorm Wind | $300,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
1 earthquake of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Cook County, county-wide
Park Forest is less than 1% of Cook County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality53 median AQI — Moderate
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Cook County, which includes Park Forest, is typically moderate — acceptable for most people, but can affect those unusually sensitive to air pollution.
Median AQI
53
Good Days
149
per year
Moderate Days
191
per year
Unhealthy Days
5
per year
Cook County, county-wide
Park Forest is less than 1% of Cook County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate82°F summers, 18°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Park Forest has warm summers (avg high 82°F) and very cold winters (avg low 18°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
59°/39°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
82°/62°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
62°/43°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
34°/18°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
42.1"
Annual Snowfall
28.2"
Hot Days/Year
16
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
125
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
124
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31°F | 15°F | 2.49" |
| Feb | 35°F | 18°F | 2.15" |
| Mar | 46°F | 28°F | 2.65" |
| Apr | 59°F | 38°F | 4.02" |
| May | 71°F | 49°F | 4.57" |
| Jun | 80°F | 59°F | 4.91" |
| Jul | 84°F | 64°F | 4.73" |
| Aug | 82°F | 62°F | 4.02" |
| Sep | 76°F | 55°F | 3.44" |
| Oct | 63°F | 42°F | 3.65" |
| Nov | 48°F | 31°F | 3.00" |
| Dec | 36°F | 22°F | 2.47" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Park Forest
Uninsured
9.0%
of residents
No hospitals inside Park Forest's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Franciscan Health Olympia & Chicago Heights
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 3.2 mi away · Olympia Fields
Franciscan Health Dyer
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 8.5 mi away · Dyer
Ingalls Memorial Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 8.7 mi away · Harvey
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education13.3:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Park Forest
Park Forest's student/teacher ratio is 13.3:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 24.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
8
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
24.3%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
13.3:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Park Forest (within 15 miles)
Public · 4-year · 5,671 students · in-state tuition $8,675 · 51% graduate · median earnings $58,620 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 820 students · in-state tuition $21,205 · 65% graduate · median earnings $60,507 (10 yrs after entry)
Private for-profit · 2-year · 200 students · in-state tuition $17,900 · 73% graduate · median earnings $46,609 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Pullman National Historical Park, 15 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Park Forest
Park Forest has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Pullman National Historical Park (15 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Pullman National Historical Park
National Historical Park
15 mi awayIndiana Dunes National Park
National Park
32 mi awayPublic Libraries in Park Forest
Park Forest Public Library
400 Lakewood Boulevard, Park Forest
Cities Near Park Forest
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Park Forest?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Park Forest FAQ
Is Park Forest, Illinois affordable?⌄
Park Forest's median rent is $1,365/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $61,072/year. Median home value is $115,300.
Is Park Forest, Illinois safe?⌄
Park Forest's violent crime rate was 283 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is below the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1179 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Park Forest, Illinois?⌄
Park Forest has an unemployment rate of 6.6%, which is above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Park Forest, Illinois?⌄
The cost of living in Park Forest is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,365/month and median household income is $61,072/year. The median home value is $115,300. About 44% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Park Forest, Illinois?⌄
The average commute in Park Forest is 32 minutes, which is longer than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from