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Compare towns

Forrest vs Raymond

117 miles apart. The biggest differences: property tax bill (+43% in Forrest) and growth since 2010 (+9 pts in Raymond).

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Forrest, ILHomes around $180KIllinois · 994 people
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Raymond, ILHomes around $170KIllinois · 1,030 people
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Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

ForrestHomes around $180K
Housing$180K typical home40% below the IL typical home All about Forrest →
RaymondHomes around $170K
Housing$170K typical home43% below the IL typical home All about Raymond →
The biggest differences

Where they differ most

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Property tax bill+43%
Tax bills are bigger in Forrest
Forrest $2,910Raymond $2,029
Growth since 2010+9 pts
Raymond has grown faster since 2010
Raymond -5.7%Forrest -14.7%
Street grid+85%
Forrest has the more walkable street grid
Forrest 130Raymond 70.2
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $180 more a month in Forrest

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Forrest$1,330/mo
Typical home $180K (Zillow) · tax rate 2.58% · or rent about $730/mo · Housing →
Raymond$1,150/mo
Typical home $170K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.88% · or rent about $924/mo · Housing →

The difference: $180 a month, about $2,100 a year, between Forrest and Raymond.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Report cards

Grades and rankings, side by side

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Illinois ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Health
–ForrestNot graded B−RaymondHealthier than 53% of U.S. towns
Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
ForrestRaymond
Snow a year14″16″
January low—19°F
July high—86°F
Growing season (days)—190d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)68th53rd
Outdoors & history
ForrestRaymond
Trails—0 mi
Conserved land—0%
Settled1866—
Archive photos51
Famous people born here4—
Community
ForrestRaymond
Library hours a week36 hrs40 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

117 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

ForrestILRaymondIL
Forrest ↔ Raymond117 miles apart
Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

ForrestRaymond
People
Population 994Lowest 1,030Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -14.7%Lowest -5.7%Highest
Median age 34.1±6.8Lowest 13% below IL 35.6±5.8Highest 9% below IL
Raymond and Forrest are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 23.2%±5.2Lowest IL: 21.8% 27.2%±6.8Highest IL: 21.8%
Raymond and Forrest are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 16.5%±2.9Highest IL: 17% 14.7%±4.7Lowest IL: 17%
Forrest and Raymond are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 18.9%Lowest IL: 37.8% 21%Highest IL: 37.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.8%±1.4Lowest IL: 6.3% 4.1%±3.5Highest IL: 6.3%
Raymond and Forrest are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $73,426±$7kHighest 12% below IL $66,591±$18kLowest 20% below IL
Forrest and Raymond are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $113,000±$14kHighest 57% below IL $108,200±$13kLowest 59% below IL
Forrest and Raymond are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $730±$50Lowest 43% below IL $924±$155Highest 27% below IL
Raymond and Forrest are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $2,910Highest 45% below IL $2,029Lowest 62% below IL
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 11.8%±22.9Lowest IL: 47.9% 51.2%±21.8Highest IL: 47.9%
Raymond and Forrest are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 10%Lowest IL: 11.8% 23.2%Highest IL: 11.8%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 79%Highest IL: 67.1% 77.3%Lowest IL: 67.1%
Typical home builtmedian year 1955Lowest 16 yrs older than IL 1964Highest 7 yrs older than IL
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 26 minHighest 6% below IL 23 minLowest 17% below IL
Work from home 5.7%±4.1Lowest IL: 15.9% 7.5%±4.8Highest IL: 15.9%
Raymond and Forrest are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 9.3%Lowest 14.3%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 21.3 miLowest 21.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.10Highest 0.85Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Fairbury (10%)Litchfield (7%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in RaymondFew work in Forrest
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%
Trailsmapped miles 0.0 mi 0.0 mi
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 mi 0.0 mi
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0Lowest 2Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 130Highest 70.2Lowest
Illinois average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Forrest neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Forrest’s Town Square.

Raymond neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Raymond’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

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