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River Forest, IL
Village in Cook County, Illinois. ZIP codes: 60305.
Population
11,992
Land area
2.5sq mi
People per sq mi
4,836
ZIP codes
1
River Forest and its ZIP codes
River Forest at a glance
- River Forest is about 21 times as dense as Illinois as a whole.
- It is the 199th most populous of 1,445 cities and towns in Illinois.
- Households here earn a median of $146,786 a year, 76% more than the Illinois figure of $83,390.
- A typical owner-occupied home is valued at $687,300 (about 2.6 times the Illinois figure) and median rent is $1,554 a month.
Local data for River Forest, IL
Counts from official public data
Housing and community stats
River Forest, IL, American Community Survey 2020-2024
Median household income
$146,786
Poverty rate
2.7%
Median home value
$687,300
Median rent
$1,554/mo
Homeownership
87.7%
Bachelor's or higher
72.9%
Median age
40.0
Average commute
32.5 min
Largest reported origins and ancestries: Irish Americans (2,766), German Americans (2,270), Italian Americans (1,208).
Economy and federal money
Jobs, pay, income and spending are for Cook County. PPP loans are for River Forest.
Unemployment rate
5.9%
Aug 2026, +1.2 pts in a year
Average annual pay
$90,477
2,594,810 jobs, 2025
Income per person
$79,964
BEA, 2024
Federal spending
$36B
FY 2026, $6,818 per person
PPP loans
$22.2M
445 loans, 2,748 jobs reported
How people get to work
River Forest, IL, workers 16 and older. American Community Survey 5-year estimates
- Drove alone41.8%
- Carpooled4.1%
- Public transit19.7%
- Walked5.8%
- Bicycle1.4%
- Taxi, ride-hailing, motorcycle or other0.4%
- Worked from home26.8%
Average one-way commute: 32.5 minutes for people who do not work from home.
Environment and hazard risk
River Forest, IL, from FEMA, NOAA and EPA
Natural hazard risk
Very High
Top: cold wave
Storm events since 1996
2,829
Countywide, mostly thunderstorm wind
Flood insurance policies
6,353
0.5% of homes, county
July high / Jan low
85° / 19°F
34.4 inches of rain a year
Hazards, floods and storm historyCheck a flood zone4 historic places
Health statistics
Share of adults in River Forest, IL, CDC PLACES estimates
Obesity
24.7%
U.S. 33.3% -8.6 pts
Diabetes
8.1%
U.S. 12.1% -4.0 pts
Smoking
6.9%
U.S. 12.8% -5.9 pts
Uninsured (18-64)
5.1%
U.S. 11.1% -6.0 pts
ZIP codes in River Forest
1 in or overlapping River Forest. Population shown
Cities near River Forest
| Name | Distance | Land area (sq mi) |
|---|---|---|
| Oak ParkVillage | 1.6 mi | 4.7 |
| MaywoodVillage | 1.7 mi | 2.7 |
| Melrose ParkVillage | 1.9 mi | 4.4 |
| Forest ParkVillage | 1.9 mi | 2.4 |
| Elmwood ParkVillage | 2 mi | 1.9 |
| River GroveVillage | 2.2 mi | 2.4 |
| BellwoodVillage | 2.8 mi | 2.4 |
| BroadviewVillage | 3 mi | 1.8 |
| Stone ParkVillage | 3.3 mi | 0.3 |
| North RiversideVillage | 3.3 mi | 1.6 |
| BerwynCity | 3.8 mi | 3.9 |
| Franklin ParkVillage | 3.9 mi | 4.8 |
| WestchesterVillage | 4.4 mi | 3.7 |
| RiversideVillage | 4.4 mi | 2 |
| HillsideVillage | 4.5 mi | 3.2 |
| BerkeleyVillage | 4.6 mi | 1.4 |
Frequently asked questions
- What county is River Forest, IL in?
- River Forest is in Cook County, Illinois.
- What ZIP codes are in River Forest, IL?
- ZIP codes in or overlapping River Forest include 60305.
- What is the population of River Forest, IL?
- About 11,992 people live in River Forest, based on American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
- What cities are near River Forest?
- Nearby places include Oak Park (1.6 mi), Maywood (1.7 mi), Melrose Park (1.9 mi), Forest Park (1.9 mi), Elmwood Park (2 mi).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau (TIGER/Line boundaries, American Community Survey) · Data as of 12/31/2023