Park Forest, IL Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Park Forest, IL Summary

Cost of living in Park Forest research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Park Forest is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Illinois, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Park Forest is 91, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Park Forest is 0.9x lower than the national average.

  • Park Forest ranks as the #86 cheapest in Illinois out of 336.

  • Park Forest ranks as the #1,347 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Park Forest is $149,641.

  • The median income in Park Forest is $62,305.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
91
Park Forest's Overall Cost Of Living
0.9x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Park Forest, IL?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Park Forest has an overall cost of living index of 91, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Illinois, Park Forest has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than Illinois's index of 97.

The standard of living in Park Forest ranks as #86 most affordable out of the 336 places we measured in Illinois. By definition, that implies Park Forest ranks as the #250 most expensive place in the Prairie State.

For more reading on life in Park Forest, check out:

86 out of 336
In Illinois
1,347 out of 6,489
In America

Park Forest Cost Of Living Vs. Illinois

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Park Forest. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Park Forest is 104.

  • The Groceries index in Park Forest is 96.

  • The Health index in Park Forest is 96.

  • The Housing index in Park Forest is 66.

  • The Transportation index in Park Forest is 114.

  • The Utilities index in Park Forest is 81.

Living Expense Park Forest Illinois National Average
Overall 91 97 100
Services 104 95 100
Groceries 96 99 100
Health 96 93 100
Housing 66 95 100
Transportation 114 102 100
Utilities 81 91 100
For more reading on cost of living around Illinois, check out:
Park Forest Cost of Living Vs. IL

Park Forest, 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 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Park Forest is $149,641.

  • The Median Rent in Park Forest is $1,341.

  • The Median Income in Park Forest is $62,305.

  • The Home Value To Income in Park Forest is 2.4x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Park Forest is 0.26x.

Statistic Park Forest Illinois United States
Median Home Value $149,641 $283,508 $303,400
Median Rent $1,341 $1,227 $1,348
Median Income $62,305 $81,702 $78,538
Home Value To Income 2.4x 3.5x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.26x 0.18x 0.21x
$149,641
Median Home Value
$1,341
Median Rent
$62,305
Median Income

Park Forest, IL Costs By Category

Detailed Park Forest Services Costs Vs. Illinois

Item Park Forest Illinois
Shampoo $1.32 $1.28
Movie $9.99 $12.13
Bowling $16.0 $18
Haircut $19.72 $24.26
Beauty Salon $37.22 $45.56

Detailed Park Forest Groceries Costs Vs. Illinois

Item Park Forest Illinois
Ground Beef $5.94 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.39 $1.57
Milk $4.55 $4.67
Potatoes $5.08 $4.93
Pizza $10.69 $12.09
Beer $9.61 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.72 $3.7

Detailed Park Forest Health Costs Vs. Illinois

Item Park Forest Illinois
Optometrist $86.67 $125.68
Doctor $110.0 $135.78
Dentist $82.0 $113.29

Detailed Park Forest Transportation Costs Vs. Illinois

Item Park Forest Illinois
Gasoline $3.52 $3.46
Tire Balancing $45.0 $59.92

Detailed Park Forest Utilities Costs Vs. Illinois

Item Park Forest Illinois
All Electricity $156.87 $193.99
Phone $198.03 $192.25

Park Forest SnackAbility

8
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
5/10
Housing
6
Affordability
8
Diversity
8.5
Safety
8
Amenities
9
Education
8
Commute
4

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Park Forest

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Park Forest. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Orland Park, IL has a cost of living index of 113, 1.2x Park Forest.

  • Tinley Park, IL has a cost of living index of 109, 1.2x Park Forest.

  • Chicago Heights, IL has a cost of living index of 91, 1.0x Park Forest.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Park Forest
Orland Park, IL 57,961 113 1.2x
Tinley Park, IL 55,007 109 1.2x
Chicago Heights, IL 26,938 91 1.0x
Oak Forest, IL 26,888 105 1.2x
Homer Glen, IL 24,516 119 1.3x
Mokena, IL 19,906 118 1.3x
Homewood, IL 19,471 102 1.1x
Matteson, IL 18,681 104 1.1x
Palos Hills, IL 18,139 106 1.2x
Richton Park, IL 12,576 100 1.1x

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