Overview

Introduction to Forest Park, Illinois

Forest Park, Illinois is 1 mile W of Oak Park, Illinois and 8 miles W of Chicago, Illinois. It is in Cook county. The village is part of the Chicago metropolitan area.

Forest Park History

The early settlers were mostly Italian and German immigrants who settled down along Oak Park Spit, which was a high sand ridge running along Des Palines Avenue. The first major land owner in this area was a French Indian trader named Leon Bourassa, who purchased around 160 acres of land in the area in 1839. He was followed by other land owners and the area was eventually incorporated in 1884 as the Town of Harlem. The name was changed to Forest Park in 1907.

Forest Park and nearby Attractions

  • Forest Park Village Hall
  • Unity Temple
  • Brookfield Zoo
  • Ernest Hemingway Museum
  • Cernan Earth & Space Center
  • Forest Preserve Park

Things To Do In Forest Park

The Village of Forest Park has a large park district that offers a variety of amenities for recreation. The Park District includes a well equipped Aquatic Center and a tree lined picnic grove.

Forest Park Transportation

Chicago O'Hare International Airport is the nearest major airport.

Forest Park Higher Education

Morton College, Triton College, Wilbur Wright College and Malcolm X College are all in the neighborhood.

Demographics

People

Total Population14,041
Male Share of the Population44.5%
Female Share of the Population55.5%
Senior Citizens15.7%
Employed Population 16+8,048
Age of the Population40

Families

% of people married35.7%
Average household size2

Education and Earnings

Population % with Bachelor Degree or Higher58%
Median Earnings25+$48,307
Median Earnings Without High School Qualification$0
Median Earnings With High School Degree$29,645

Wealth

Median Family Income$79,839
% Above Poverty Level89.4%
% Below Poverty Level10.6%

Commute & Sprawl

Average Commute Time32 minutes
% Working from Home7.7%
% Walking and Biking to Work3.2%
% Using Public Transportation17.8%

Housing

People Living Alone47.2%
Median Gross Rent$1,045
Median House Value$230,700

Ancestry

Other(often includes Hispanic and African American)40.3%
German17.1%
Irish14.6%
Polish7.5%
Italian6.5%
English4.5%
Dutch2.9%
Swedish1.8%
Greek1.7%
Scottish1.3%
African1.3%
Russian1.3%
French Except Basque1.1%
Norwegian1.1%
West Indian1%
Ukrainian1%
Jamaican1%
Arab1%
Czech0.9%
Welsh0.7%
Lithuanian0.7%
Portuguese0.5%
Egyptian0.5%
Canadian0.5%
Hungarian0.5%
Danishn0.4%
Kenyan0.4%
Swiss0.4%
US/American0.3%
Austrian0.3%
Slovak0.3%
Latvian0.2%
Croatian0.2%
Romanian0.2%
Lebanese0.1%
Slovene0.1%
Finnish0.1%
Nigerian0.1%
Turkish0.1%
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Forest Park Almanac

CategoryValue
CountyCook County
Standard Zip Codes60130
Phone Area Codes
Time ZoneAmerica/Chicago
Approximate Latitude41.86
Approximate Longitude-87.81

Forest Park Climate

Nearest Weather Stations

Notes:

  • Temp ranges are avg daily min and max for the month
  • Precipitation is rainfall (and rainfall equiv of snowfall)

StationCHICAGO OHARE INTL AP
Distance8.9 miles
Jan Temp14 to 30 F
Apr Temp38 to 58 F
Jul Temp63 to 84 F
Oct Temp42 to 62 F
Annual Precip36.2 inches
StationCHICAGO UNIVERSITY
Distance12.9 miles
Jan Temp18 to 32 F
Apr Temp42 to 59 F
Jul Temp66 to 84 F
Oct Temp46 to 64 F
Annual Precip38 inches
StationWHEATON 3 SE
Distance13.7 miles
Jan Temp14 to 32 F
Apr Temp38 to 63 F
Jul Temp63 to 87 F
Oct Temp42 to 67 F
Annual Precip37.9 inches

Nearby Cities and Towns

LocationPopulationMedian Family Income
Berwyn55,949$68,799
Maywood23,810$59,073
Oak Park52,225$134,219
River Forest11,064$187,135

Forest Park Public Libraries

Forest Park Public Library
7555 JACKSON BOULEVARD
Forest Park, Illinois
(708) 366-7171

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More Information for Librarians

Forest Park Public Schools

Betsy Ross Elem School
1315 Marengo Ave
ZIP: 60130
(708) 366-7498
Primary
Total Enrollment 153
Field Stevenson Elem School
925 Beloit Ave
ZIP: 60130
(708) 366-5703
Primary
Total Enrollment 142
Forest Park Middle School
925 Beloit Ave
ZIP: 60130
(708) 366-5703
Middle
Total Enrollment 262
Garfield Elem School
543 Hannah Ave
ZIP: 60130
(708) 366-6945
Primary
Total Enrollment 135
Grant-white Elem School
147 Circle Ave
ZIP: 60130
(708) 366-5704
Primary
Total Enrollment 79
Proviso Math And Science Academy
8601 Roosevelt Rd
ZIP: 60130
(708) 338-4100
High
Total Enrollment 751
Proviso Thsd 209 Dream School
8601 Roosevelt Rd
ZIP: 60130
(708) 338-5938
High
Total Enrollment 14

Forest Park Private Schools

Montessori Language Academy
314 Circle Ave
ZIP: 60130
Elementary
Total Enrollment 4
Roosevelt Academy
8311 W Roosevelt Rd
ZIP: 60130
Secondary
Total Enrollment 11
St Bernardine Elementary School
815 Elgin Ave
ZIP: 60130
Elementary
Total Enrollment 93
Walther Lutheran Academy
305 Circle Ave
ZIP: 60130
Elementary
Total Enrollment 68
Sources :
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Info for Forest Park Government Officials


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