What is the cost of living in Forest Park, IL?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Forest Park has an overall cost of living index of 109, which is 1.1x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Illinois, Forest Park has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than Illinois's index of 98.
The standard of living in Forest Park ranks as #215 most affordable out of the 336 places we measured in Illinois. By definition, that implies Forest Park ranks as the #121 most expensive place in the Prairie State.
For more reading on life in Forest Park, check out:
Forest Park Cost Of Living Vs. Illinois
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Forest Park. Here is how it fares on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Forest Park is 101.
The Groceries index in Forest Park is 99.
The Health index in Forest Park is 131.
The Housing index in Forest Park is 101.
The Transportation index in Forest Park is 96.
The Utilities index in Forest Park is 97.
| Living Expense | Forest Park | Illinois | National Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 109 | 98 | 100 |
| Services | 101 | 99 | 100 |
| Groceries | 99 | 99 | 100 |
| Health | 131 | 96 | 100 |
| Housing | 101 | 101 | 100 |
| Transportation | 96 | 99 | 100 |
| Utilities | 97 | 101 | 100 |
Forest Park Cost Of Living Compared To Illinois Averages
Index where 100 = national average. Source: cost-of-living index 2026.
For more reading on cost of living around Illinois, check out:
Protect your home budget Compare home warranties in Forest Park Get matched →Source: Cost-of-living index 2026, normalized to US average = 100
Forest Park, IL Housing Cost Breakdown
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Illinois, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2020-2024. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Forest Park is $272,765.
The Median Rent in Forest Park is $1,367.
The Median Income in Forest Park is $77,221.
The Home Value To Income in Forest Park is 3.5x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Forest Park is 0.21x.
| Statistic | Forest Park | Illinois | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $272,765 | $285,735 | $332,700 |
| Median Rent | $1,367 | $1,274 | $1,413 |
| Median Income | $77,221 | $83,390 | $80,734 |
| Home Value To Income | 3.5x | 3.4x | 4.1x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.21x | 0.18x | 0.21x |
Forest Park, IL Costs By Category
Detailed Forest Park Services costs vs. Illinois
| Item | Forest Park | Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.27 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $17.91 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $24.58 | $18 |
| Haircut | $33.69 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $53.44 | $45.56 |
Detailed Forest Park Groceries costs vs. Illinois
| Item | Forest Park | Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $5.28 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.42 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.87 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $4.9 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $13.41 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $10.0 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.75 | $3.7 |
Detailed Forest Park Health costs vs. Illinois
| Item | Forest Park | Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $118.27 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $167.67 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $128.22 | $113.29 |
Detailed Forest Park Transportation costs vs. Illinois
| Item | Forest Park | Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.56 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $70.87 | $59.92 |
Detailed Forest Park Utilities costs vs. Illinois
| Item | Forest Park | Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $148.58 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $210.03 | $192.25 |
Forest Park SnackAbility
Cost Of Living In Cities Around Forest Park
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Forest Park. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Cicero, IL has a cost of living index of 99, 0.9x Forest Park.
Berwyn, IL has a cost of living index of 108, 1.0x Forest Park.
Wheaton, IL has a cost of living index of 127, 1.2x Forest Park.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Forest Park |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cicero, IL | 82,797 | 99 | 0.9x |
| Berwyn, IL | 55,595 | 108 | 1.0x |
| Wheaton, IL | 53,557 | 127 | 1.2x |
| Oak Park, IL | 53,292 | 125 | 1.1x |
| Glenview, IL | 47,752 | 146 | 1.3x |
| Elmhurst, IL | 45,671 | 134 | 1.2x |
| Park Ridge, IL | 38,667 | 135 | 1.2x |
| Northbrook, IL | 34,585 | 151 | 1.4x |
| Glen Ellyn, IL | 28,390 | 137 | 1.3x |
| Wilmette, IL | 27,503 | 161 | 1.5x |
