The Town FilesOak Forest, Illinois
City in Cook County · population 27,478 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $255,100
- Household income
- $91,990
- Jan low / Jul high
- 15° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 28 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 40
- Median age
- 40.5
Oak Forest is a city of 27,478 people in Cook County, Illinois. The median home is worth $255,100, above the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 94% of Illinois towns, more of a college town than 91% of Illinois towns, more vibrant than 86% of Illinois towns.
How Oak Forest ranks
Percentile among Illinois towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Illinois towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Oak Forest is worth $255,100, above the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 2.8 times the median household income of $91,990, which is more affordable than 27% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $1,328 a month. 82.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Oak Forest | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $255,100 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $1,328 | $960 |
| Median household income | $91,990 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.8× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 82.4% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1975 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Oak Forest
| People | Oak Forest | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.5 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.8% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 21.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.2% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.5% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 4.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 11.8% | — |
| Work from home | 10.5% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 31.8 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.1% | 90.4% |
Weather in Oak Forest
July highs average 83.9°F and January lows 15.2°F. About 42.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 28.2 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 16 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 126 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
40 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Oak Forest since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 12 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 21, 1967 about 5.3 miles from the town center and killed 33. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 35 deaths and 630 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on July 27, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 112 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on May 7, 2024.
Severe weather in Cook County since 1996
Cook County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 20, 2024 | Flood | DR-4819: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Floodng |
| November 20, 2023 | Flood | DR-4749: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| August 15, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4728: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| March 26, 2020 | Biological | DR-4489: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3435: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Cook County
Cook County had 2,565,567 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $86,931 a year. Unemployment was 4.4% in 2023; in Oak Forest itself the ACS puts it at 5.4%.
Public schools in Oak Forest
17 public schools with 4,460 students, about 12.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oak Forest High School | 9-12 | 1,361 | 15.5 |
| Jack Hille Middle School | 6-8 | 488 | 14.4 |
| Arbor Park Middle School | 5-8 | 471 | 11.0 |
| Walter F Fierke Ed Center | PK-5 | 444 | 14.3 |
| Kerkstra Elem School | 1-5 | 402 | 12.6 |
| Lee R Foster Elem School | 1-5 | 394 | 14.1 |
| Arbor Elementary School | 1-2 | 235 | 13.1 |
| Ridge Early Childhood Center | PK-K | 227 | 17.5 |
| Scarlet Oak Elementary School | 3-4 | 224 | 12.4 |
| Fieldcrest Elem School | PK-5 | 214 | 12.6 |
| Braun Educational Center | Other | — | — |
| Deaf/Hard of Hearing Program | Other | — | — |
Towns near Oak Forest
- Midlothian, IL2.0 mi · 14,325 people · home $207,000
- Crestwood, IL2.8 mi · 10,826 people · home $195,200
- Markham, IL3.3 mi · 11,661 people · home $135,300
- Country Club Hills, IL3.3 mi · 16,775 people · home $192,000
- Robbins, IL3.4 mi · 4,629 people · home $121,300
- Tinley Park, IL3.7 mi · 55,971 people · home $299,900
- Posen, IL3.8 mi · 5,632 people · home $172,900
- Hazel Crest, IL4.1 mi · 13,382 people · home $185,300
Oak Forest questions
Is Oak Forest, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Oak Forest scores better for retirees than 23% of Illinois towns and quieter than 13%. 16.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.5).
How much does a house cost in Oak Forest?
The median owner-occupied home in Oak Forest is valued at $255,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $91,990, so homes cost about 2.8 times income. Median rent is $1,328 a month.
What is the weather like in Oak Forest?
July highs average 83.9°F and January lows 15.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 42.1 inches of precipitation a year and 28.2 inches of snow.
Does Oak Forest get tornadoes?
40 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Oak Forest since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on April 21, 1967. The typical Illinois town has had 27.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)