The Town FilesPark Forest, Illinois
Village in Cook County · population 21,687 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties
- Median home
- $115,300
- Household income
- $61,072
- Jan low / Jul high
- 15° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 28 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 46
- Median age
- 36.9
Park Forest is a village of 21,687 people in Cook County, Illinois. The median home is worth $115,300, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 100% of Illinois towns, better transit than 90% of Illinois towns, more walkable than 80% of Illinois towns.
How Park Forest 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 Park Forest is worth $115,300, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 1.9 times the median household income of $61,072, which is more affordable than 68% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $1,365 a month. 65.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Park Forest | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $115,300 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $1,365 | $960 |
| Median household income | $61,072 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.9× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 65.8% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1958 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Park Forest
| People | Park Forest | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.9 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.8% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 23.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.3% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 17.6% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 4.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 7.3% | — |
| Work from home | 7.6% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 31.8 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.3% | 90.4% |
Weather in Park Forest
July highs average 83.9°F and January lows 15.2°F. About 42.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 28.2 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 16 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 126 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
46 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Park Forest since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 12 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on July 15, 2024 about 5.5 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 2 deaths and 115 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on July 27, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 76 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on June 28, 2012.
Severe weather in Cook County since 1996
Cook County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 20, 2024 | Flood | DR-4819: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Floodng |
| November 20, 2023 | Flood | DR-4749: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| August 15, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4728: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| March 26, 2020 | Biological | DR-4489: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3435: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Cook County
Cook County had 2,565,567 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $86,931 a year. Unemployment was 4.4% in 2023; in Park Forest itself the ACS puts it at 8.7%.
Public schools in Park Forest
8 public schools with 2,085 students, about 13.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michelle Obama Sch of Technology | 6-8 | 496 | 13.8 |
| Illinois School | K-8 | 399 | 11.4 |
| Talala Elementary School | K-5 | 287 | 12.5 |
| Mohawk Primary Center | K-3 | 268 | 14.1 |
| Indiana Elem School | 4-6 | 191 | 11.9 |
| Blackhawk Primary Center | K-3 | 169 | 15.4 |
| 21st Century Primary Center | K-3 | 147 | 12.3 |
| Algonquin Primary Center | PK-PK | 128 | 25.6 |
Towns near Park Forest
- South Chicago Heights, IL2.6 mi · 4,026 people · home $149,300
- University Park, IL2.8 mi · 7,145 people · home $153,200
- Olympia Fields, IL2.8 mi · 4,718 people · home $329,000
- Richton Park, IL2.9 mi · 12,775 people · home $220,900
- Chicago Heights, IL3.4 mi · 27,480 people · home $161,000
- Matteson, IL3.6 mi · 19,073 people · home $250,600
- Steger, IL3.6 mi · 9,584 people · home $156,700
- Flossmoor, IL4.0 mi · 9,704 people · home $344,800
Park Forest questions
Is Park Forest, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Park Forest scores better for retirees than 13% of Illinois towns and quieter than 7%. 15.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.9).
How much does a house cost in Park Forest?
The median owner-occupied home in Park Forest is valued at $115,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $61,072, so homes cost about 1.9 times income. Median rent is $1,365 a month.
What is the weather like in Park Forest?
July highs average 83.9°F and January lows 15.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 42.1 inches of precipitation a year and 28.2 inches of snow.
Does Park Forest get tornadoes?
46 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Park Forest since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on July 15, 2024. 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)