In Forest Park, a typical home is worth $304,700 and typical rent is $1,367 a month. Compared with all of Cook County, typical household income is 8% lower and the typical home value is 6% lower.
Typical home value from Zillow, September 2021 to September 2026: from $239,565 to $289,370.
Typical rent
$1,527a month
▲ 4.7% more than 12 months ago
Typical rent from Zillow, December 2022 to September 2026: from $1,267 to $1,527.
From Zillow (ZHVI/ZORI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).
Forest Park is in Cook County. The FHA loan limit ($541,287 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Cook County. See the county
What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.
1
Nearby, in Maywood, the typical home value is $229,800: 25% less than in Forest Park ($304,700).
2
Forest Park has the 19th lowest homeownership rate of the 337 cities in Illinois with more than 5,000 people (53%).
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).
The homes here
Housing in Forest Park
What homes there are in Forest Park, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).
What homes there are
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024
Kind of home
Detached houseAttached houseBuilding of 2 to 4Apartments (5 or more)Mobile homeBoat, RV and otherUnreliable estimate
Forest Park
Cook County
Illinois
United States
Kind of home: Forest Park and its comparisons
Measure
Forest Park
Cook County
Illinois
United States
Detached house
29%
40%
58%
61%
Attached house
6%
6%
6%
6%
Building of 2 to 4
23%
19%
12%
8%
Apartments (5 or more)
42%
35%
22%
19%
Mobile home
Unreliable estimate
1%
2%
6%
Boat, RV and other
Unreliable estimate
0%
0%
0%
Many people here live in apartments: 4 in 10 homes; in Cook County, 3.
Year built
Before 19601960–19791980–19992000–20092010 or laterUnreliable estimate
Forest Park
Cook County
Illinois
United States
Year built: Forest Park and its comparisons
Measure
Forest Park
Cook County
Illinois
United States
Before 1960
56%
49%
38%
26%
1960–1979
33%
25%
26%
24%
1980–1999
Unreliable estimate
14%
20%
25%
2000–2009
5%
8%
11%
14%
2010 or later
Unreliable estimate
5%
6%
11%
What it costs here
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024
Value of owner-occupied homes
Unreliable estimate
Under $100KUnreliable
$100K–$200K24%
$200K–$300K20%
$300K–$500K40%
$500K–$750K11%
$750K–$1MUnreliable
$1M or moreUnreliable
Value of owner-occupied homes: Forest Park and its comparisons
Measure
Forest Park
Under $100K
Unreliable estimate
$100K–$200K
24%
$200K–$300K
20%
$300K–$500K
40%
$500K–$750K
11%
$750K–$1M
Unreliable estimate
$1M or more
Unreliable estimate
Monthly rent with utilities
Unreliable estimate
Under $500Unreliable
$500–$99913%
$1,000–$1,49942%
$1,500–$1,99919%
$2,000–$2,49912%
$2,500–$2,999Unreliable
$3,000 or moreUnreliable
Monthly rent with utilities: Forest Park and its comparisons
Measure
Forest Park
Under $500
Unreliable estimate
$500–$999
13%
$1,000–$1,499
42%
$1,500–$1,999
19%
$2,000–$2,499
12%
$2,500–$2,999
Unreliable estimate
$3,000 or more
Unreliable estimate
With a mortgage
$2,153 a month
Cook County: $2,270 a month
Without a mortgage
$772 a month
Cook County: $910 a month
Owners with a mortgage
67%
Cook County: 62%
The typical cost for an owner with a mortgage in Forest Park is $2,153 a month, less than in Cook County ($2,270); without one, $772.
How it changed
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024
Change since 2015–2019
Typical home value
Forest Park+30%
Cook County+32%
Illinois+35%
United States+53%
Typical rent
Forest Park+27%
Cook County+28%
Illinois+26%
United States+33%
Typical household income
Forest Park+23%
Cook County+29%
Illinois+27%
United States+29%
Change since 2015–2019: Forest Park and its comparisons
Measure
Forest Park
Cook County
Illinois
United States
Typical home value
+30%
+32%
+35%
+53%
Typical rent
+27%
+28%
+26%
+33%
Typical household income
+23%
+29%
+27%
+29%
Much as in Cook County, the typical home value in Forest Park rose 30% since 2015–2019.
The typical rent in Forest Park rose 27% since 2015–2019, about the same as in Cook County (28%).
Here income did not keep up with housing: it rose 23%, while home values changed +30% and rent +27%.
How people live
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024
How people live: Forest Park and its comparisons
Measure
Forest Park
Cook County
Illinois
United States
Rental vacancy
Unreliable estimate
4.5%
5.0%
5.5%
Homeowner vacancy
Unreliable estimate
1.1%
1.0%
0.9%
More than one person per room
Unreliable estimate
3.3%
2.5%
3.4%
People per household
1.92
2.43
2.46
2.53
Drive alone
55%
55%
66%
69%
Carpool
Unreliable estimate
8%
8%
9%
Public transit
6%
12%
6%
3%
Walk or bike
Unreliable estimate
5%
3%
3%
Work from home
24%
19%
16%
15%
Other means
Unreliable estimate
2%
1%
2%
Typical commute
Unreliable estimate
30 to 39 minutes
20 to 29 minutes
20 to 29 minutes
Fewer people live in each home here: 1.92 on average, against 2.43 in Cook County.
Working from home is more common in Forest Park: 24%, against 19% in Cook County.
Do the math
What would you pay each month for a home in Forest Park?
A typical home costs more than the typical income allows
We start with a typical home in Forest Park, worth $304,700, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 44% of the typical household income in Forest Park, which is $77,221 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $121,257 a year.
The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Cook County.
Change the price, the down payment or the loan: the payment updates right away.
Your numbers
Local data
$
Starts at the typical home value in Forest Park. Change it to the price you have in mind.
Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.
Down payment
%
That is $10,665 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.
This week's average ± a quarter or half point.
National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.
Adjust advanced details⌄
Estimated monthly payment
Local data
$2,829
at 7.18% · 30 years
Loan amount
$299,181
Total interest
$430,451
Paid off in
November 2056
Includes $5,146 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.
Does it fit the income?
Comfortable
up to $1,802 a month
Tight
$1,802 to $2,317 a month
Hard
more than $2,317 a month
Your payment · 44%
Compared with the typical household income in Forest Park ($77,221 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.
Monthly payment breakdown
Principal & interest
$2,027
Property tax
$541
Home insurance
$127
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)
$135
You need at least $10,665 for the down payment, plus closing costs.
This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.
Total monthly payment $2,829; principal and interest $2,027.
The city and its county
Forest Park and Cook County
Forest Park is in Cook County, Illinois. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).
Forest Park
Map of Cook County, Illinois, with Forest Park marked. Around it, the neighboring counties.
Forest Park
Cook County
Other cities with a page
Forest Park's own numbers
Typical home value
$304,700
Typical monthly rent
$1,367
Typical yearly household income
$77,221
Households that own their home
53%
Effective property tax rate
2.13%
U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).
Numbers for all of Cook County
FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$2,011
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+42%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
1%
HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.
Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Cook County.
A typical home in Forest Park is worth $304,700: 6% below the county and 16% above Illinois. With the typical household income in Forest Park ($77,221 a year), a typical home costs 3.9 times what the household earns in a year.
Years of income to pay for a typical home
The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.
Forest Park3.9 years
Cook3.9 years
Illinois3.2 years
United States4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024
How prices have changed in Cook County
According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Cook County rose 61% in the 10 years through 2025.
FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Cook County.
Yearly change in FHFA’s price index in Cook County, 2016 to 2025
2016: +3.9% +3.9% 2016
2017: +3.2% +3.2% 2017
2018: +2.5% +2.5% 2018
2019: +2.7% +2.7% 2019
2020: +0.9% +0.9% 2020
2021: +7.2% +7.2% 2021
2022: +11.3% +11.3% 2022
2023: +5.7% +5.7% 2023
2024: +6.4% +6.4% 2024
2025: +5.5% +5.5% 2025
Change in FHFA’s price index in Cook County, Illinois and the United States
Period
County
Illinois
U.S.
Last year (2025)
+5.5%
+5.7%
+2.9%
5 years (2020–2025)
+42%
+47%
+47%
10 years (2015–2025)
+61%
+65%
+85%
The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data
Forest Park next to Cook County, Illinois and the U.S.
Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.
Typical home value
Forest Park$304,700
Cook$324,500
Illinois$263,300
United States$332,700
Typical monthly rent
Forest Park$1,367
Cook$1,435
Illinois$1,274
United States$1,413
Typical yearly household income
Forest Park$77,221
Cook$83,498
Illinois$83,390
United States$80,734
See the full table
Forest Park next to Cook County and Illinois
Measure
Forest Park
Cook County
Illinois
U.S.
Typical home value
$304,700 ▼6% below the county
$324,500
$263,300
$332,700
Typical monthly rent
$1,367 ▼5% below the county
$1,435
$1,274
$1,413
Typical yearly household income
$77,221 ▼8% below the county
$83,498
$83,390
$80,734
Households that own their home
53% ▼5 points below the county
58%
67%
65%
Typical yearly property tax
$6,481 ▲5% above the county
$6,191
$5,298
$3,119
Effective property tax rate
2.13% ▲0.22 points above the county
1.91%
2.01%
0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income
47% ▼2 points below the county
49%
48%
51%
“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Cook County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.
Four ways to pay for a typical home in Forest Park
For a typical $304,700 home in Forest Park, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Forest Park's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.
FHA, 3.5% down$2,829a month
Least cash to close
Down payment
$10,665
Cash to close
$19,806
Rate
7.18%
Mortgage insurance
FHA MIP · $135
Conventional, 5% down$2,773a month
Down payment
$15,235
Cash to close
$24,376
Rate
7.18%
Mortgage insurance
PMI · $145
Conventional, 20% down, no PMI$2,319a month
Down payment
$60,940
Cash to close
$70,081
Rate
7.18%
Mortgage insurance
None
ITIN, 15% down (example)$2,601a month
Down payment
$45,705
Cash to close
$54,846
Rate
8.18%
Mortgage insurance
None
Four ways to pay for a typical home in Forest Park
Loan
Monthly payment
Down payment
Loan amount
Rate
Mortgage insurance
Cash to close
Minimum score
FHA, 3.5% down Least cash to close
$2,829
$10,665
$299,181
7.18%
FHA MIP · $135
$19,806
580
Conventional, 5% down
$2,773
$15,235
$289,465
7.18%
PMI · $145
$24,376
620*
Conventional, 20% down, no PMI
$2,319
$60,940
$243,760
7.18%
None
$70,081
620*
ITIN, 15% down (example)
$2,601
$45,705
$258,995
8.18%
None
$54,846
Set by the lender
The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.
Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.
Typical rent in Forest Park is $1,367 a month: 5% below the county. In Forest Park, 47% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.
HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Cook County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($2,011 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $38.67 an hour working full time.
What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.
HUD fair market rent in Cook County (Fiscal year 2027)
Size
Fair rent a month
Hourly wage
Yearly income
Studio
$1,678
$32.27
$67,120
1 bedroom
$1,780
$34.23
$71,200
2 bedrooms
$2,011
$38.67
$80,440
3 bedrooms
$2,586
$49.73
$103,440
4 bedrooms
$2,954
$56.81
$118,160
Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027
By ZIP code
Fair market rent by ZIP code in Forest Park
HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Forest Park is in ZIP code 60130.
For 2 bedrooms it is $1,900: $111 less than the fair market rent for Cook County ($2,011).
Fair market rent by ZIP code and size in Forest Park, fiscal year 2027.
ZIP code
Studio
1 bd
2 bd
3 bd
4 bd
60130
$1,590
$1,680
$1,900
$2,440
$2,790
ZIP code2 bd3 bd
60130 $1,900$2,440
1 of these ZIP codes crosses the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Forest Park when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD)Fiscal year 2027Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (external site)Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship fileData from 2020 dataCensus Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (external site)
You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.
There are 42 HUD-approved agencies with an office in Cook County; 19 say they serve in Spanish.
No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Forest Park or Cook County. The ones below are statewide in Illinois: they work in Forest Park the same as in the rest of the state.
IHDA second loan with no payments until you sell or refinance, for the down payment in Illinois.Offered by Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA).
No legal help resource on our list is for Forest Park or Cook County in particular.
If you have a problem with your landlord, an eviction notice or a scam, the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) search shows the free legal aid offices that serve your area.
Short answers with the numbers for Forest Park and all of Cook County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.
How much does a typical home cost in Forest Park?
The typical home value in Forest Park is $304,700, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Cook County it is $324,500.
How much does it cost to rent in Forest Park?
Typical rent in Forest Park is $1,367 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Cook County is $2,011.
What is the FHA loan limit in Forest Park?
Forest Park uses the FHA limit for all of Cook County (2026): $541,287 for a one-unit home and $1,041,125 for a four-unit home.
How much property tax do owners pay in Forest Park?
The typical homeowner in Forest Park pays $6,481 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 2.13% of the home’s value; in Cook County, the rate is 1.91%.
Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Forest Park?
There are 42 HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Cook County. 19 say they serve in Spanish. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.
