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CITY · 2000 CENSUS

River Forest

Illinois · 11,635 residents · 2.48 sq mi
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The short version

River Forest is home to 11,635 people in Illinois. This is an unusually credentialed place: 70% of adults have a four-year degree. The typical home is worth $342,600. Households here earn about 92% more than in Illinois as a whole. Households take in $89,284 a year at the median, 110% more than the country as a whole. Owners hold 87% of the housing stock.

At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $42,589
Older
median age 38.6
US median: 35.2
More educated
70% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 24%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $120,530
Section 01

Population & growth

11,635
Unchangedsince 1990
from 11,669 in 1990
1990 – 2025
38.6
+5%since 1990
from 36.7 in 1990
US average: 35.2
Land area
2.48 sq mi
Population, 19902024
11K11K11K12K12K19902000201020202024River Forest
202412K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2000
Under 56.3%(728)
US avg: 6.8%
5 to 97.9%(919)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 148.4%(974)
US avg: 7.3%
15 to 198.6%(1,003)
US avg: 7.2%
20 to 246.6%(765)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 347.5%(873)
US avg: 14.2%
35 to 4415.8%(1,837)
US avg: 16%
45 to 5415.7%(1,831)
US avg: 13.4%
55 to 649.3%(1,081)
US avg: 8.6%
65 to 746.7%(782)
US avg: 6.5%
75 to 845.4%(634)
US avg: 4.4%
85 and over1.8%(208)
US avg: 1.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$89,284
+8%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $62,469 in 1990
US average: $42,589
1990 – 2024
$46,123
+42%since 1990
from $32,569 in 1990
US average: $21,522
2.7%
+0.3 ptssince 1990
from 2.4% in 1990
US average: 12.4%
Section 03

Housing

$342,600
+1%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $256,600 in 1990
US average: $120,530
1990 – 2024
$735
−11%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $630 in 1990
US average: $602
86.9%
+4.5 ptssince 1990
from 82.4% in 1990
13.1% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

1990
White, non-Hispanic94.7%(11,045)
Black1.6%(182)
Hispanic / Latino2.4%(280)
Asian3%(355)
2000
White, non-Hispanic86.7%(10,084)
Black4.8%(553)
Hispanic / Latino4%(466)
Asian3.1%(362)

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)
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
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)
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)
Iranian0.1%(7)
Israeli0.1%(7)
Moroccan0.1%(6)
Nigerian0.1%(6)
Haitian0%(5)
Somali0%(3)
Section 05

Education

69.7%
+10.2 ptssince 1990
from 59.5% in 1990
US average: 24.4%
High school or higher
96.8%
+1.8 ptssince 1990
from 95.0% in 1990
US average: 80.3%
38.2%
+8.2 ptssince 1990
from 29.9% in 1990
US average: 8.8%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

19.2 min
−24%since 1990
from 25.2 min in 1990
US average: 17.6
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status
Men 15+
Never married29.8%(1,209)
Married65.2%(2,645)
Widowed1.7%(69)
Divorced3.2%(131)
Women 15+
Never married27.6%(1,384)
Married53.7%(2,698)
Widowed11.2%(564)
Divorced7.5%(375)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2000
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

2.9%
−2.4 ptssince 2013
from 5.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
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%
18.0%
+1.7 ptssince 2020
from 16.3% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
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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Frequently asked

How many people live in River Forest, Illinois?

River Forest, Illinois has about 11,635 residents according to the 2000 Census.

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

The typical household in River Forest, Illinois earns about $89,284 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is River Forest, Illinois expensive?

In River Forest, Illinois, the median home is worth about $342,600, and the typical rent is about $735 a month.

How educated are people in River Forest, Illinois?

About 69.7% of adults age 25 and over in River Forest, Illinois hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in River Forest, Illinois?

About 2.7% of people in River Forest, Illinois live below the federal poverty line.

Has River Forest, Illinois grown since 1990?

Yes, River Forest, Illinois has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 34 residents, a change of about -0 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 →