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CITY · 2020 ACS

Park Forest

Illinois · 21,687 residents · 4.96 sq mi
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The short version

Park Forest is a city of 21,687 people in Illinois. The typical home is worth $73,300. 4% of residents were born outside the United States. Households here earn about 18% less than in Illinois as a whole. People stay put here: 92% were in the same home a year ago. About 28% of adults have finished a four-year degree.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Mid-age
median age 39.1
US median: 38.8
Less educated
28% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
More affordable
home values down 41%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01

Population & growth

21,687
−8%since 2000
from 23,462 in 2000
1990 – 2025
39.1
+10%since 2000
from 35.6 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Land area
4.96 sq mi
Population, 19902024
21K22K23K24K25K19902000201020202024Park Forest
202421K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2020
Under 55.8%(1,254)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.2%(1,334)
US avg: 6.1%
10 to 147%(1,511)
US avg: 6.5%
15 to 196.9%(1,489)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 246.4%(1,383)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3413.2%(2,858)
US avg: 13.5%
35 to 4411.8%(2,554)
US avg: 12.7%
45 to 5412.4%(2,691)
US avg: 12.3%
55 to 6413.5%(2,917)
US avg: 13.1%
65 to 7410.7%(2,318)
US avg: 10%
75 to 844.8%(1,039)
US avg: 4.9%
85 and over1.6%(339)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$56,393
−21%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $47,579 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
$26,078
+21%since 2000
from $21,493 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
32.8%
+9.0 ptssince 2009
from 23.7% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
12.6%
+5.9 ptssince 2000
from 6.7% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Finance & insurance12.7%
US avg: 5.5%
Professional, scientific, technical11.7%
US avg: 4.7%
Retail trade10.5%
US avg: 10%
Information9.8%
US avg: 11.1%
Other services4.5%
US avg: 6.6%
Wholesale trade3.3%
US avg: 6.7%
Public administration2.9%
US avg: 4.7%
Transportation & warehousing1.9%
US avg: 2.5%
Arts, entertainment, food1.3%
US avg: 2%
Education & health services1%
US avg: 0.8%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0%
US avg: 1.7%
Construction0%
US avg: 1.2%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

$73,300
−41%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $83,200 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
$1,247
+20%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $689 in 2000
US average: $1,124
62.0%
−12.4 ptssince 2000
from 74.4% in 2000
38.0% rent
2.46 people
−2%since 2009
from 2.50 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
1.3
−43%since 2009
from 2.3 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic52.9%(12,412)
Black39%(9,144)
Hispanic / Latino5%(1,169)
Asian0.8%(188)
Other0%
2020
White, non-Hispanic17.7%(3,828)
Black69.3%(15,022)
Hispanic / Latino7.8%(1,682)
Asian0.7%(150)
Other3.6%(789)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican3.6%(747)
Puerto Rican0.5%(102)
Nicaraguan0.1%(30)
Cuban0.1%(18)
Salvadoran0.1%(18)
Costa Rican0.1%(16)
Asian origin
Asian Indian0.2%(49)
Chinese0.1%(16)
Filipino0.1%(12)
Korean0%(7)
Thai0%(6)
Ancestry
German4.8%(1,001)
Irish3.8%(779)
American3.6%(748)
Italian2.7%(556)
Polish2.7%(553)
English2.4%(504)
Swedish1.2%(246)
Dutch1.2%(240)
Norwegian0.7%(135)
French0.6%(127)
Russian0.6%(125)
+ 22 more ancestry groups with data
Scotch-Irish0.5%(105)
West Indian0.5%(96)
Scottish0.4%(93)
Jamaican0.4%(91)
Lithuanian0.4%(89)
Hungarian0.4%(78)
Greek0.3%(54)
Czech0.2%(42)
Nigerian0.2%(39)
Welsh0.1%(30)
British0.1%(19)
Austrian0.1%(18)
Croatian0.1%(18)
Turkish0.1%(12)
Canadian0.1%(11)
Iranian0.1%(11)
Haitian0%(5)
Danish0%(4)
Section 05

Education

27.6%
+0.7 ptssince 2000
from 26.9% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
92.7%
+4.3 ptssince 2000
from 88.4% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
12.0%
+1.7 ptssince 2000
from 10.3% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

32.4 min
+30%since 2000
from 25.0 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
76.1%
+1.8 ptssince 2009
from 74.3% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
6.3%
−0.9 ptssince 2009
from 7.2% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

10.0%
−3.2 ptssince 2011
from 13.3% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
63.5%
−3.3 ptssince 2011
from 66.8% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
76.1%
US average: 73.3%
33.8%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 33.4% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08

People & community

46.7%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 46.8% in 2009
53.3%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 53.2% in 2009
3.8%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 3.6% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
6.8%
−7.4 ptssince 2013
from 14.2% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
92.1%
US average: 91.9%
92.3%
US average: 86.2%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married50.4%(3,858)
Married36%(2,754)
Widowed2.8%(218)
Divorced10.7%(821)
Women 15+
Never married41.4%(3,987)
Married27.3%(2,633)
Widowed9.1%(877)
Divorced22.2%(2,142)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

6.8%
−7.4 ptssince 2013
from 14.2% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
53.8%
US average: 55.4%
Direct-purchase
9.3%
US average: 13.7%
19.7%
US average: 17.6%
28.9%
US average: 20.0%
VA health care
1.4%
US average: 2.3%
Any private
61.3%
US average: 68.1%
Any public
42.9%
US average: 35.2%

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, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later)17.3%(142)
US avg: 20.6%
Gulf War (1990s)30.4%(250)
US avg: 21.4%
Vietnam era25.5%(210)
US avg: 35.2%
Korean War5.2%(43)
US avg: 7.6%
World War II3.2%(26)
US avg: 2.9%

Share of the 822 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.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Park Forest, Illinois?

Park Forest, Illinois has about 21,687 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Park Forest, Illinois?

The typical household in Park Forest, Illinois earns about $56,393 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 $73,300, and the typical rent is about $1,247 a month.

How educated are people in Park Forest, Illinois?

About 27.6% 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 12.6% 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 2,969 residents, a change of about -12 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →