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.
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:
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 | |
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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Item | Park Forest | Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $86.67 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $110.0 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $82.0 | $113.29 |
| Item | Park Forest | Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.52 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $45.0 | $59.92 |
| Item | Park Forest | Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $156.87 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $198.03 | $192.25 |
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 |