River Forest, IL

Census place 1764304 · pop 11,992

D52/ 100
😐 Meh
D
in IL
📍 Illinois ranks #39 of 50 states →
🏆 Inactive14.4% · top 2%
🚽 Inequality0.55 · bottom 3%
Taxes
1.46% property · US 0.99%8.96% sales · US 7.00%4.95% flat income · US 4.63%

Sales & income are statewide.

The breakdown — worst first

Income inequality0.553

U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities

Gini 0.55 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).

Natural disaster riskCounty-level100/1008

U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities

100/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Commute time32 min9

U.S. median 24 min · worse than most cities

32 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.

Housing cost$687,30010

U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities

$687,300 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Air quality (AQI)County-level54 AQI14

U.S. median 42 AQI · worse than most cities

54 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Unhealthy air daysCounty-level11 days19

U.S. median 1 days · worse than most cities

11 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Property crime rate2491/100k19

U.S. median 964/100k · worse than most cities

2491 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.

Unemployment rateCounty-level4.5%21

U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities

4.5% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Rent$2,200/mo26

U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities

$2,200/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).

Property-tax burden1.46%29

U.S. median 0.99% · worse than most cities

1.46% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.

Violent crime rate81/100k76

U.S. median 152/100k · better than most cities

81 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.

Population growth (5yr)+9.3%79

U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities

+9.3% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Broadband access95.9%86

U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities

95.9% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Adult obesity24.7%92

U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities

24.7% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

Uninsured adults5.1%93

U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities

5.1% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Median household income$146,78694

U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities

$146,786 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Homeownership87.7%94

U.S. median 67.2% · better than most cities

87.7% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Poor mental health12.6%95

U.S. median 17.4% · better than most cities

12.6% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Poverty rate2.7%97

U.S. median 12.1% · better than most cities

2.7% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Adult smoking6.9%97

U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities

6.9% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.

Bachelor's degree or higher72.9%97

U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities

72.9% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Physical inactivity14.4%98

U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities

14.4% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.

Frequently asked

Is River Forest, IL a good place to live?
By the numbers, River Forest scores 52/100 — a D (Meh) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is physical inactivity and its weakest is income inequality. Illinois overall ranks #39 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
How safe is River Forest, IL?
River Forest reports 81 violent crimes per 100k and 2491 property crimes per 100k — better than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
Is River Forest, IL expensive to live in?
River Forest has a median home value of $687,300 and typical rent around $2,200/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in River Forest, IL?
Its weakest measured area is income inequality (0.55) — 3/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
What is River Forest, IL best at?
Its strongest measured area is physical inactivity (14.4%) — 98/100, better than most U.S. cities.

Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.