The Town FilesForreston, Illinois
Village in Ogle County · population 1,435 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $129,900
- Household income
- $70,676
- Jan low / Jul high
- 13° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 33 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 21
- Median age
- 40.8
Forreston is a village of 1,435 people in Ogle County, Illinois. The median home is worth $129,900, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks quieter than 89% of Illinois towns, better for families than 87% of Illinois towns, easier by car than 73% of Illinois towns.
How Forreston ranks
Percentile among Illinois towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Illinois towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Forreston is worth $129,900, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 1.8 times the median household income of $70,676, which is more affordable than 74% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $744 a month. 81.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Forreston | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $129,900 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $744 | $960 |
| Median household income | $70,676 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.8× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 81.5% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1959 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 5.3% | — |
Who lives in Forreston
| People | Forreston | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.8 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.4% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 26.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.6% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.7% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 8.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.3% | — |
| Work from home | 8.4% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 27.0 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 84.2% | 90.4% |
Weather in Forreston
July highs average 84.5°F and January lows 13.3°F. About 40.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 33.3 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 16 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 138 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Forreston since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on August 5, 1979 about 7.4 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 3 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on July 15, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 29 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on April 18, 2002.
Severe weather in Ogle County since 1996
Ogle County has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 26, 2020 | Biological | DR-4489: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3435: Covid-19 |
| May 10, 2013 | Flood | DR-4116: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| March 17, 2011 | Snowstorm | DR-1960: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| August 19, 2010 | Severe Storm | DR-1935: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Ogle County
Ogle County had 14,934 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $58,187 a year. Unemployment was 5.4% in 2023; in Forreston itself the ACS puts it at 7.8%.
Public schools in Forreston
3 public schools with 739 students, about 15.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forreston Jr/Sr High Sch | 6-12 | 407 | 15.1 |
| Forreston Grade School | 1-5 | 252 | 13.3 |
| German Valley Grade School | PK-K | 80 | 26.7 |
Towns near Forreston
- Shannon, IL8.5 mi · 801 people · home $115,100
- Mount Morris, IL9.4 mi · 2,861 people · home $121,800
- Polo, IL9.8 mi · 2,291 people · home $109,600
- Freeport, IL11.5 mi · 23,973 people · home $92,100
- Lanark, IL13.2 mi · 1,504 people · home $96,600
- Willow Lake, IL14.6 mi · 1,026 people · home $162,200
- Oregon, IL14.7 mi · 3,604 people · home $142,600
- Lake Carroll, IL15.0 mi · 852 people · home $348,500
Forreston questions
Is Forreston, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Forreston scores better for retirees than 70% of Illinois towns and quieter than 89%. 19.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.8).
How much does a house cost in Forreston?
The median owner-occupied home in Forreston is valued at $129,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $70,676, so homes cost about 1.8 times income. Median rent is $744 a month.
What is the weather like in Forreston?
July highs average 84.5°F and January lows 13.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 40.0 inches of precipitation a year and 33.3 inches of snow.
Does Forreston get tornadoes?
21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Forreston since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on August 5, 1979. The typical Illinois town has had 27.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)