Population 11,992 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in River Forest
Household size in River Forest
| Period | River Forest | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.61 | 2.79 | 2.69 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.68 | 2.82 | 2.71 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.61 | 2.75 | 2.66 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.62 | 2.66 | 2.58 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.01 | −0.12 | −0.11 | −0.03 |
At 2.62 people per household, River Forest sits close to the national average of 2.65. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the southwest.
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 River Forest
| Period | River Forest | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.5 | 36.8 | 37.6 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 42.3 | 37.8 | 38.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 41.3 | 38.9 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 40.6 | 39.7 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.1 | +3.0 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in River Forest are younger than 40.6 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 39.5, in line with the national trend. Residents skew youngest in the northwest and oldest in the center.
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 River Forest
| Period | River Forest | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.6% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 6.4% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 5.7% | 11.2% | 11.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.0% | 11.5% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.6 pts | −0.5 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 6.0% of households in River Forest, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has fallen 2.6 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. River Forest has a lower share of single-parent households than the great majority of Illinois cities.
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 River Forest
Renters in River Forest
| Period | River Forest | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.2% | 32.1% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.0% | 34.8% | 33.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 11.2% | 35.5% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 12.3% | 34.5% | 32.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.2 pts | +2.3 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 12.3% of households in River Forest rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Among homeowners, 38.8% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. Rentals cluster in the east; owners are most common in the west. The renter share is up 2.2 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 River Forest
| Period | River Forest | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.0% | 9.8% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.9% | 9.8% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.1% | 8.9% | 9.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.6% | 7.2% | 8.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.4 pts | −2.6 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in River Forest than nationally: 6.6%, against 9.6% for the U.S. The Chicago area as a whole looks much the same. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 2.4 points, as it has nationally.
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 River Forest
| Period | River Forest | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1945 | 1966 | 1966 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1944 | 1967 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1944 | 1967 | 1968 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1949 | 1970 | 1970 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
The housing in River Forest is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1949, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The median year built has moved up from 1945 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the east, the oldest in the southwest. Of the 388 Illinois cities with 5,000+ people, only six have older homes.
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 River Forest
| Period | River Forest | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $931 | $1,060 | $953 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,442 | $1,142 | $1,028 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,124 | $1,306 | $1,165 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,807 | $1,602 | $1,428 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$876 | +$542 | +$475 | +$606 |
The median renter in River Forest pays $1,807 a month for rent and utilities, above the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $876 a month since 2006–10, up 94%, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 40.4% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. The priciest rents are in the center; the most affordable are in the north.
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 River Forest
Bachelor's degrees in River Forest
| Period | River Forest | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 75.5% | 33.9% | 31.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 72.0% | 35.2% | 32.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 79.8% | 37.9% | 34.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 72.7% | 40.9% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | −2.9 pts | +7.0 pts | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in River Forest: 72.7% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has fallen 2.9 points, even as the national share rose. Only 13 of the 388 Illinois cities with 5,000+ people have a higher share of college graduates.
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 River Forest
| Period | River Forest | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 97.6% | 85.6% | 86.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 96.3% | 86.7% | 87.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 99.1% | 88.4% | 89.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 97.3% | 89.5% | 90.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | −0.4 pts | +3.9 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in River Forest: 97.3% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. River Forest has a higher share of high school graduates than at least four in five Illinois cities.
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 River Forest
| Period | River Forest | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.1% | 9.1% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 4.2% | 10.8% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.1% | 6.3% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.8% | 6.3% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | +2.7 pts | −2.8 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in River Forest: 7.8% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment is up 2.7 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate fell. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
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).
River 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| River Forest | 2.62 | 40.6 | 6.0% | 12.3% | 6.6% | 1949 | $1,807 | 72.7% | 97.3% | 7.8% |
| Forest Park | 2.01 | 42.2 | 12.6% | 47.2% | 9.3% | 1947 | $1,360 | 52.2% | 94.7% | 4.5% |
| Oak Park | 2.37 | 40.8 | 9.3% | 40.0% | 7.4% | 1945 | $1,564 | 72.4% | 97.6% | 5.8% |
| Maywood | 3.15 | 35.6 | 20.0% | 40.0% | 10.7% | 1941 | $1,380 | 18.6% | 80.8% | 8.0% |
| Elmwood Park | 2.66 | 41.1 | 12.9% | 34.4% | 8.2% | 1955 | $1,436 | 31.7% | 87.2% | 6.4% |
| River Grove | 2.63 | 39.3 | 10.5% | 43.1% | 8.1% | 1962 | $1,205 | 24.8% | 91.1% | 5.8% |
| Hines | 1.44 | 66.5 | 16.3% | 54.3% | 4.9% | 1959 | $613 | 29.0% | 83.2% | 12.9% |
| Melrose Park | 2.99 | 37.7 | 15.6% | 36.8% | 8.0% | 1957 | $1,246 | 14.2% | 72.0% | 4.9% |
| Broadview | 2.65 | 36.6 | 20.8% | 41.3% | 8.2% | 1953 | $1,172 | 17.3% | 79.2% | 4.2% |
| Bellwood | 3.06 | 41.1 | 18.6% | 21.7% | 8.2% | 1954 | $1,360 | 17.1% | 84.4% | 5.9% |
| Stone Park | 3.96 | 29.0 | 30.2% | 54.2% | 10.5% | 1964 | $1,425 | 12.1% | 70.2% | 6.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Norton, OH · New Market, AL · New Prague, MN · Newalla, OK · Newark, NY · Newaygo, MI · Newcastle, OK · Newport Coast, CA · Newport East, RI · Newport, 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 River 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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