United States › Illinois › Park Forest CITY
Park Forest Illinois · 21,079 residents (2025 est.) · 4.96 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
Park Forest is a city of 21,156 people in Illinois. The typical home is worth $115,300. About 24% of adults have finished a four-year degree. Density works out to 4,264 people per square mile. That trails the Illinois median by roughly 27%. The foreign-born share is 7%.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 36.9
US median: 38.9
Less educated
24% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
More affordable
home values down 24%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 23,462 in 2000
21,079 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
4,264 / sq mi
−6%since 2009
from 4,544 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 35.6 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
21K 22K 23K 24K 25K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Park Forest Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $61,072
−30%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $47,579 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $21,493 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 23.7% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 6.7% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.380 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 14.5%
Transportation & warehousing 3.1%
Public administration 2.4%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.5%
Education & health services 1.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0%
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$115,300
−24%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $83,200 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$1,365
+9%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $689 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 74.4% in 2000
34.2% rent
from 6.9% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.50 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 32.0% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 53.6% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.3 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 52.9%(12,412)
Hispanic / Latino 5%(1,169)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 19.7%(4,176)
Hispanic / Latino 9.7%(2,046)
from 72 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 22 more ancestry groups with data from 26.9% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 88.4% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 10.3% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 25.0 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 74.3% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 9.8% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 11.4% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 3.2% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 0.5% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 7.2% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 13.3% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 66.8% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 76.1% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 14.0% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 33.4% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 3.6% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 10.4% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 14.3% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 14.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 74.9% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 92.1% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 92.3% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 92.1% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 4.8% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 50.4%(3,858)
Women 15+
Never married 41.4%(3,987)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 14.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 53.8% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 9.3% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 19.7% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 28.9% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 1.4% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 61.3% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 42.9% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 32.9%(245)
Gulf War (1990s) 18.8%(140)
Share of the 745 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
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Drill deeper
Places similar to Park Forest Head to head
Compare Park Forest to nearby cities PARK FOREST VS
Richton Park
Income $64,554 +6%
Home value $220,900 +92%
Population 12,483 −41%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
PARK FOREST VS
Chicago Heights
Income $54,798 −10%
Home value $161,000 +40%
Population 26,508 +26%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
PARK FOREST VS
Matteson
Income $95,457 +56%
Home value $250,600 +117%
Population 18,543 −12%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
PARK FOREST VS
Steger
Income $66,575 +9%
Home value $156,700 +36%
Population 9,352 −56%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Park Forest, Illinois? Park Forest, Illinois has about 21,156 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Park Forest, Illinois? The typical household in Park Forest, Illinois earns about $61,072 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Park Forest, Illinois expensive? In Park Forest, Illinois, the median home is worth about $115,300, and the typical rent is about $1,365 a month.
How educated are people in Park Forest, Illinois? About 24.3% of adults age 25 and over in Park Forest, Illinois hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Park Forest, Illinois? About 17.6% of people in Park Forest, Illinois live below the federal poverty line.
Has Park Forest, Illinois grown since 1990? Yes, Park Forest, Illinois has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 3,500 residents, a change of about -14 percent over that period.
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