River Forest
What’s happening
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Weather
Forecast →Upcoming events
Put the next local happening — a market, a meeting, a concert — on the map.
Local news
Headlines via Google News · Articles belong to their publishers.
The River Forest album
Outdoors in River Forest
Parks & trails →Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
1915
William E. Drummond House, 1915
Photo · Wikimedia Commons
Landmark of the day
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Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy Railroad Depot
Oregon station is a historic train station in the Ogle County, Illinois county seat of Oregon. The depot was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in July 1997 as the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad Depot.
About River Forest
Village in Illinois, United StatesRiver Forest is a suburban village adjacent to Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, United States. Per the 2020 census, the population was 11,717. Two universities make their home in River Forest, Dominican University and Concordia University Chicago. The village is closely tied to the larger neighboring community of Oak Park. There are significant architectural designs located in River Forest such as the Winslow House by Frank Lloyd Wright. River Forest has a railroad station with service to Chicago on Metra's Union Pacific West Line.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
How River Forest ranks
All →Town numbers
Housing in River Forest
The median sale price was $735,000 in May 2026.
A strong seller's market
Safety in River Forest
Safety Grade C+
River Forest reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 57% report less.
Work & commute in River Forest
Full picture →Most working residents leave River Forest for work: only 5% work in town. The top destinations are Chicago (46%), Oak Park (6%) and Naperville (1%). Half commute less than 9 miles.
Health in River Forest
Health Grade A+
Healthier than 99% of U.S. towns on seven CDC estimates.
Compared with Illinois
of 32 measures CDC estimates. The other 8 are too close to call.
What stands out
Care nearby
Natural hazards in River Forest
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 69% of U.S. communities.
Climate in River Forest
Full climate →River Forest has chilly, snowy winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 84°, a January night drops to 17°, and about 42 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
River Forest is a college town
Colleges →of River Forest’s residents are enrolled in college. Dominican University has about 2,726 students on campus, and 1 more college is in town.
River Forest’s library
Library details →Famous people from River Forest
See all 13 →
Where River Forest is
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Location map