CITY · 1990 CENSUS

River Forest

Illinois · 11,669 residents · 2.48 sq mi

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The short version

With 11,669 people, River Forest is a city in Illinois. This is an unusually credentialed place: 60% of adults have a four-year degree. The typical home is worth $256,600. That is roughly 94% ahead of the Illinois median. Households take in $62,469 a year at the median, 107% more than the country as a whole. Owners hold 82% of the housing stock.

At a glance

Wealthier

above the US median

US median: $30,130

Older

median age 36.7

US median: 33.0

More educated

60% hold a bachelor's degree

US average: 20%

Stable housing

home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted

US median home: $93,722

Section 01

Population & growth

Total population

11,669

Unchangedvs 2000

vs 11,635 in 2000

1990 – 2025

Median age

36.7

−5%vs 2000

vs 38.6 in 2000

US average: 33.0

Land area

2.48 sq mi

Population, 1990 – 2024

202412K

Age distribution, 1990

Under 56.3%(739)

US avg: 7.3%

5 to 95.6%(652)

US avg: 7.3%

10 to 146.2%(720)

US avg: 6.9%

15 to 198.4%(977)

US avg: 7.1%

20 to 249.1%(1,067)

US avg: 7.5%

25 to 3412.1%(1,413)

US avg: 17.5%

35 to 4415%(1,749)

US avg: 15.1%

45 to 5411.4%(1,334)

US avg: 10.2%

55 to 649.2%(1,076)

US avg: 8.5%

65 to 749%(1,055)

US avg: 7.3%

75 to 846%(704)

US avg: 4%

85 and over1.6%(183)

US avg: 1.2%

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE

Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income

$62,469

−8%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $89,284 in 2000

US average: $30,130

1990 – 2024

Per capita income

$32,569

−29%vs 2000

vs $46,123 in 2000

US average: $14,340

Poverty rate

2.4%

−0.3 ptsvs 2000

vs 2.7% in 2000

US average: 13.2%

Section 03

Housing

Median home value

$256,600

−1%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $342,600 in 2000

US average: $93,722

1990 – 2024

Median gross rent

$630

+13%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $735 in 2000

US average: $450

Owner-occupied

82.4%

−4.5 ptsvs 2000

vs 86.9% in 2000

17.6% rent

Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000

White, non-Hispanic86.7%(10,084)

Black4.8%(553)

Hispanic / Latino4%(466)

Asian3.1%(362)

Other0%

1990

White, non-Hispanic94.7%(11,045)

Black1.6%(182)

Hispanic / Latino2.4%(280)

Asian3%(355)

Other0.7%(87)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin

Mexican2.8%(337)

South American1.9%(223)

Puerto Rican1.1%(137)

Colombian1.1%(129)

Bolivian0.7%(81)

Cuban0.4%(48)

Argentine0.1%(13)

Asian origin

Chinese1.2%(139)

Korean1%(118)

Asian Indian0.9%(108)

Filipino0.8%(94)

Cambodian0.4%(48)

Japanese0.3%(38)

Taiwanese0.3%(36)

Vietnamese0.1%(14)

Sri Lankan0.1%(8)

Pacific Islander origin

Chamorro0%(3)

Ancestry

Irish23.1%(2,766)

German18.9%(2,270)

Italian10.1%(1,208)

Polish9.5%(1,143)

English7.9%(944)

American3.7%(449)

Czech3.5%(415)

Greek2.6%(310)

Swedish2.6%(310)

French2.5%(296)

Scottish2.3%(279)

Lithuanian1.9%(231)

+ 33 more ancestry groups with data

Austrian1.4%(172)

Belgian0.8%(92)

Dutch0.8%(90)

Russian0.7%(89)

Australian0.7%(83)

Croatian0.6%(75)

Swiss0.6%(68)

British0.5%(62)

Norwegian0.5%(61)

Finnish0.5%(58)

Welsh0.4%(53)

Arab0.4%(51)

French Canadian0.4%(48)

Canadian0.4%(46)

Slovak0.3%(40)

Hungarian0.3%(37)

Ukrainian0.3%(37)

West Indian0.3%(37)

Danish0.3%(34)

Scotch-Irish0.3%(33)

Jamaican0.3%(32)

Latvian0.2%(25)

Slovene0.1%(12)

Subsaharan African0.1%(12)

Iranian0.1%(7)

Israeli0.1%(7)

Moroccan0.1%(6)

Nigerian0.1%(6)

Haitian0%(5)

Palestinian0%(4)

Romanian0%(4)

Somali0%(3)

Brazilian0%(2)

RANKED:Largest Irish population · Largest German population · Largest Italian population · Largest Polish population · Largest English population

Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher

59.5%

−10.2 ptsvs 2000

vs 69.7% in 2000

US average: 20.3%

High school or higher

95.0%

−1.8 ptsvs 2000

vs 96.8% in 2000

US average: 75.2%

Graduate degree

29.9%

−8.2 ptsvs 2000

vs 38.2% in 2000

US average: 7.1%

Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute

25.2 min

+31%vs 2000

vs 19.2 min in 2000

US average: 21.9

Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)

Men 15+

Never married40.2%(1,917)

Married53.1%(2,530)

Widowed0.1%(6)

Divorced6.6%(315)

Women 15+

Never married29.8%(1,490)

Married50.7%(2,531)

Widowed7.1%(355)

Divorced12.4%(617)

SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024

Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured

2.9%

−2.4 ptssince 2013

from 5.3% in 2013

US average: 8.4%

Employer-based

73.7%

−1.4 ptssince 2020

from 75.1% in 2020

US average: 54.8%

Direct-purchase

15.2%

+1.4 ptssince 2020

from 13.8% in 2020

US average: 13.8%

Medicare

18.0%

+1.7 ptssince 2020

from 16.3% in 2020

US average: 18.4%

Medicaid

4.1%

−0.8 ptssince 2020

from 4.9% in 2020

US average: 20.9%

VA health care

1.1%

+0.4 ptssince 2020

from 0.7% in 2020

US average: 2.2%

Any private

84.6%

−2.2 ptssince 2020

from 86.8% in 2020

US average: 67.1%

Any public

22.0%

+1.6 ptssince 2020

from 20.4% 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)18.8%(53)

US avg: 26.4%

Gulf War (1990s)8.9%(25)

US avg: 24.3%

Vietnam era62.1%(175)

US avg: 33.1%

Korean War0%(0)

US avg: 4.5%

World War II0%(0)

US avg: 1%

Share of the 282 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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