This section is generated from cached city metrics and clearly labeled state-level benchmarks. It is meant to make the Forest Park page less generic and more useful for comparing housing, income, utilities, taxes, insurance, demographics, and nearby alternatives.
Affordability Summary
Population is 14,000, so Forest Park should be compared with similar-size places before using broader Illinois averages. Median household income is $81,323, so the best affordability read for Forest Park is income versus housing, taxes, utilities, and insurance together.
Median home value is $293,800, so ownership costs in Forest Park should be checked with mortgage, property tax, insurance, and maintenance assumptions. Two-bedroom rent is $1,352/mo, so renters can compare Forest Park against ownership costs and nearby rental markets.
Housing and Income Context
For Forest Park, income is solid, so housing and taxes usually decide the budget picture. Home values sit in a moderate range where taxes and utilities still change the monthly math.
Use the home value, rent, and income fields together before deciding whether Forest Park looks more favorable for renting, buying, or comparing with Maywood, IL.
Utility Cost Context
The residential electricity benchmark is $0.189/kWh, so Forest Park households should treat usage, home size, heating, and cooling as the practical bill drivers. The electricity value shown for Forest Park is a Illinois state-level EIA benchmark, so it should not be read as a local provider tariff.
For Forest Park, utility planning is stronger when the electric benchmark is paired with home age, square footage, insulation, HVAC equipment, and household occupancy.
Property Tax Context
Median property tax paid is $6,871, so Forest Park buyers should still verify parcel-specific tax records before budgeting. Parcel boundaries, exemptions, school districts, and reassessment rules can move the actual bill for a Forest Park address.
Compare the property tax field with home value rather than reading it by itself; a lower tax bill can still pair with a different assessment base or exemption profile.
Insurance and Risk Context
Insurance costs in Forest Park depend on address-level factors such as roof condition, structure age, coverage limits, claims history, deductible choice, and carrier underwriting.
Home value, tax burden, and insurance exposure should be reviewed together for Forest Park, especially when comparing with Maywood, IL.
Population and Demographics
Median age is 40.0, so Forest Park may have different school, commute, healthcare, and housing demand patterns than a statewide average. Bachelor+ share is 49.8%, so Forest Park education context can be useful when reading labor-market and school sections.
Unemployment is 5.1%, so Forest Park wage and job-market context should be compared with commute options and regional employment centers.