Population 26,376 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Oak Forest
Household size in Oak Forest
| Period | Oak Forest | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.88 | 2.79 | 2.69 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.77 | 2.82 | 2.71 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.65 | 2.75 | 2.66 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.65 | 2.66 | 2.58 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.23 | −0.12 | −0.11 | −0.03 |
Households in Oak Forest average 2.65 people, the same as the country as a whole. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.88, a much bigger shift than nationally. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the northwest.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Oak Forest
| Period | Oak Forest | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.5 | 36.8 | 37.6 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 40.0 | 37.8 | 38.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 43.9 | 38.9 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 41.8 | 39.7 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.3 | +3.0 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
Oak Forest skews a little older than the country: its median age is 41.8, against 40.1 nationally. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 37.5, in line with the national trend.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Oak Forest
| Period | Oak Forest | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.4% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.6% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.0% | 11.2% | 11.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.4% | 11.5% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.0 pts | −0.5 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are less common in Oak Forest than nationally: 9.4%, against 11.6%. The single-parent share is down 1.0 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Oak Forest
Renters in Oak Forest
| Period | Oak Forest | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.6% | 32.1% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 20.7% | 34.8% | 33.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 23.4% | 35.5% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 18.4% | 34.5% | 32.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | −0.2 pts | +2.3 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 18.4% of households in Oak Forest rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Nearly three in ten owners (28.5%) have paid off their mortgages, well below the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the east and least common in the northwest.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Oak Forest
| Period | Oak Forest | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.3% | 9.8% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 5.9% | 9.8% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.3% | 8.9% | 9.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 4.9% | 7.2% | 8.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.3 pts | −2.6 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Empty homes are scarce in Oak Forest: just 4.9% sit vacant, compared with 9.6% nationally, a sign of a tight housing market. Since 2006–10, vacancy has edged down 1.3 points, in line with the national trend.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Oak Forest
| Period | Oak Forest | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1973 | 1966 | 1966 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1973 | 1967 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1974 | 1967 | 1968 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1977 | 1970 | 1970 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
Homes in Oak Forest are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1977, versus 1980 nationally. Homes here are newer than in the wider Chicago area, where the median home dates to 1970. The median year built has moved up from 1973 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Oak Forest
| Period | Oak Forest | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $974 | $1,060 | $953 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,081 | $1,142 | $1,028 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,203 | $1,306 | $1,165 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,387 | $1,602 | $1,428 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$413 | +$542 | +$475 | +$606 |
The median renter in Oak Forest pays $1,387 a month for rent and utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $413 a month from 2006–10, a 42% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 29.9% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Rents run highest in the south and lowest in the east.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Oak Forest
Bachelor's degrees in Oak Forest
| Period | Oak Forest | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 20.7% | 33.9% | 31.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 26.4% | 35.2% | 32.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 30.6% | 37.9% | 34.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 31.9% | 40.9% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +11.2 pts | +7.0 pts | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are a little less common in Oak Forest than nationally: 31.9% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 11.2 points, in line with the national trend.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Oak Forest
| Period | Oak Forest | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 88.1% | 85.6% | 86.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 91.4% | 86.7% | 87.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 91.4% | 88.4% | 89.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.3% | 89.5% | 90.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +6.2 pts | +3.9 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Oak Forest: 94.3% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 6.2 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Oak Forest
| Period | Oak Forest | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.4% | 9.1% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 11.5% | 10.8% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.1% | 6.3% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.2% | 6.3% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −4.2 pts | −2.8 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Oak Forest is close to the national rate: 5.2% of the labor force, against 5.4%. The rate is lower than in the wider Chicago area (6.3%). Unemployment has fallen 4.2 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Oak Forest compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oak Forest | 2.65 | 41.8 | 9.4% | 18.4% | 4.9% | 1977 | $1,387 | 31.9% | 94.3% | 5.2% |
| Midlothian | 2.49 | 40.3 | 9.7% | 23.9% | 5.6% | 1966 | $1,435 | 19.2% | 88.2% | 6.0% |
| Crestwood | 1.98 | 51.8 | 6.6% | 23.0% | 5.9% | 1979 | $1,357 | 27.5% | 92.4% | 7.3% |
| Robbins | 2.56 | 36.8 | 16.3% | 42.5% | 18.4% | 1963 | $1,521 | 14.8% | 81.9% | 15.9% |
| Tinley Park | 2.55 | 45.0 | 6.9% | 13.1% | 4.3% | 1985 | $1,576 | 35.5% | 95.5% | 5.8% |
| Markham | 3.03 | 34.8 | 25.2% | 24.2% | 8.3% | 1965 | $1,593 | 17.1% | 86.8% | 8.4% |
| Country Club Hills | 2.88 | 40.6 | 23.4% | 27.0% | 10.2% | 1978 | $1,842 | 30.5% | 92.8% | 7.8% |
| Posen | 3.86 | 30.1 | 15.8% | 33.1% | 6.5% | 1971 | $1,395 | 12.5% | 81.7% | 5.0% |
| Hazel Crest | 2.70 | 42.8 | 22.6% | 27.6% | 14.1% | 1969 | $1,340 | 27.3% | 90.8% | 12.5% |
| Palos Heights | 2.44 | 48.5 | 2.8% | 8.9% | 5.8% | 1976 | $2,366 | 42.0% | 96.4% | 4.0% |
| Orland Hills | 2.61 | 39.8 | 10.8% | 21.7% | 3.0% | 1984 | $1,954 | 35.0% | 96.5% | 7.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Westmont, IL · Bristol, VA · Burlington, MA · Camp Hill, PA · Candler, NC · Carbondale, IL · Cave Spring, VA · Centereach, NY · Chaska, MN · Walker, MI
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Oak Forest. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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