River Forest, IL Cost Of Living
Cost Of Living In River Forest, IL Summary
Cost of living in River 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 River 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 River Forest is 154, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in River Forest is 1.5x higher than the national average.
River Forest ranks as the #325 cheapest in Illinois out of 338.
River Forest ranks as the #5,915 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.
The median home value in River Forest is $601,300.
The median income in River Forest is $129,263.
Table Of Contents
River Forest's Overall Cost Of Living
Higher Than The National Average
What is the cost of living in River Forest, IL?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, River Forest has an overall cost of living index of 154, which is 1.5x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Illinois, River Forest has a cost of living index that's 1.7x higher than Illinois's index of 92.
The standard of living in River Forest ranks as #325 most affordable out of the 338 places we measured in Illinois. By definition, that implies River Forest ranks as the #13 most expensive place in the Prairie State.
For more reading on life in River Forest, check out:
- Living In River Forest
- River Forest Crime Report
- Search Homes For Sale In River Forest, IL
In Illinois
In America
River Forest Cost Of Living Vs. Illinois
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in River Forest. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in River Forest is 112.
The Groceries index in River Forest is 105.
The Health index in River Forest is 97.
The Housing index in River Forest is 256.
The Transportation index in River Forest is 115.
The Utilities index in River Forest is 94.
| Living Expense | River Forest | Illinois | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 154 | 92 | 100 | |
| Services | 112 | 95 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 105 | 98 | 100 | |
| Health | 97 | 96 | 100 | |
| Housing | 256 | 81 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 115 | 105 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 94 | 90 | 100 | |
River 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 2017-2021. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in River Forest is $601,300.
The Median Rent in River Forest is $1,375.
The Median Income in River Forest is $129,263.
The Home Value To Income in River Forest is 4.7x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in River Forest is 0.13x.
| Statistic | River Forest | Illinois | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $601,300 | $212,600 | $244,900 |
| Median Rent | $1,375 | $1,097 | $1,163 |
| Median Income | $129,263 | $72,563 | $69,021 |
| Home Value To Income | 4.7x | 2.9x | 3.5x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.13x | 0.18x | 0.2x |
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
River Forest, IL Costs By Category
Detailed River Forest Services Costs Vs. Illinois
| Item | River Forest | Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.06 | $1.06 |
| Movie | $14.85 | $10.68 |
| Bowling | $15.76 | $14.67 |
| Haircut | $27.76 | $18.62 |
| Beauty Salon | $65.57 | $39.05 |
Detailed River Forest Groceries Costs Vs. Illinois
| Item | River Forest | Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $4.87 | $4.22 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.99 | $1.39 |
| Milk | $2.42 | $2.05 |
| Potatoes | $3.23 | $3.29 |
| Pizza | $12.0 | $10.62 |
| Beer | $8.61 | $9.38 |
| Toothpaste | $2.46 | $2.34 |
Detailed River Forest Health Costs Vs. Illinois
| Item | River Forest | Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $96.76 | $108.57 |
| Doctor | $104.96 | $116.17 |
| Dentist | $101.82 | $99.13 |
Detailed River Forest Transportation Costs Vs. Illinois
| Item | River Forest | Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $2.51 | $2.22 |
| Tire Balancing | $56.85 | $50.07 |
Detailed River Forest Utilities Costs Vs. Illinois
| Item | River Forest | Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $131.89 | $167.67 |
| Phone | $203.16 | $175.64 |
River Forest SnackAbility
/10
Cost Of Living In Cities Around River Forest
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around River Forest. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Oak Park, IL has a cost of living index of 129, 0.8x River Forest.
Glenview, IL has a cost of living index of 147, 1.0x River Forest.
Elmhurst, IL has a cost of living index of 131, 0.9x River Forest.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. River Forest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oak Park, IL | 54,100 | 129 | 0.8x |
| Glenview, IL | 48,150 | 147 | 1.0x |
| Elmhurst, IL | 45,661 | 131 | 0.9x |
| Park Ridge, IL | 39,562 | 131 | 0.9x |
| Northbrook, IL | 35,108 | 156 | 1.0x |
| Highland Park, IL | 30,245 | 152 | 1.0x |
| Wilmette, IL | 27,895 | 166 | 1.1x |
| Melrose Park, IL | 25,417 | 105 | 0.7x |
| Elmwood Park, IL | 24,517 | 112 | 0.7x |
| Maywood, IL | 23,547 | 98 | 0.6x |
