River Forest

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River Forest, IL

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Charming Chicago suburb home to forests on the river

Suburban Scenic Riverside Family-Friendly Peaceful Convenient

Located about 11 miles west of Chicago’s Loop, River Forest is a picturesque suburb known for its gorgeous architecture and lush natural beauty. River Forest aptly contains dense wooded areas alongside the Des Plaines River, where residents enjoy a broad range of recreational activities. River Forest’s natural beauty contributes to its overall peaceful atmosphere, offering an array of apartments for rent along tranquil tree-lined streets.

The community is home to excellent educational opportunities, from its local school district to Concordia University Chicago and Dominican University—both located within River Forest’s borders. Although River Forest is predominantly residential, the community boasts the River Forest Town Center as well as close proximity to Downtown Oak Park. Commuting and traveling from River Forest is easy with access to the Green Line, Metrarail’s UP-W Line, and I-290 in addition to O’Hare International Airport and Chicago Midway International Airport.

Rent Trends

As of March 2025, the average apartment rent in River Forest, IL is $1,191 for a studio, $1,185 for one bedroom, $1,354 for two bedrooms, and $1,507 for three bedrooms. Apartment rent in River Forest has increased by 2.0% in the past year.

Property Type
Average Rent
Average Sq Ft
Apartment
$1,185/month
633 Sq Ft
House
$1,887/month
737 Sq Ft
Condo
$2,022/month
712 Sq Ft
See Rental Market Trends in River Forest, IL

Transportation

84

Very Walkable

out of 100 WalkScore® Rating

If you enjoy walking, you’ll enjoy renting in this area! It’s a very walkable neighborhood.

2

Minimal Transit

out of 100 TransitScore® Rating

You'll likely want a car when living in this area since it has few transit options.

59

Bikeable

out of 100 BikeScore® Rating

While there’s some bike infrastructure in this area, you’ll still need a car for many errands.

Schools

Lincoln Elementary School

Public

Grades K-4

350 Students

10
out of 10

Willard Elementary School

Public

Grades PK-4

347 Students

10
out of 10

Roosevelt School

Public

Grades 5-8

681 Students

8
out of 10

Roosevelt School

Public

Grades 5-8

681 Students

8
out of 10

Points of Interest

Parks and Recreation

  • Tyrell Trailside Museum / Thatcher Woods
  • Cernan Earth and Space Center
  • Wonder Works Children's Museum
  • Oak Park Conservatory
  • Austin Town Hall Park

Airports

  • Chicago O'Hare International
  • Chicago Midway International

Top Apartments in River Forest

Houses for Rent in River Forest

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Methodology

† Our analysis of utilities, groceries, transportation, healthcare, home prices, and other goods and services is sourced from the Cost of Living Index, a respected benchmark published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) that provides a thorough overview of living expenses across different regions.

Rent data is provided by CoStar Group’s Market Trend reports. As the industry leader in commercial real estate information, analytics, and news, CoStar conducts extensive research to produce and maintain a comprehensive database of commercial real estate information. We combine this data with public record to provide the most up-to-date rental information available.

Consumer goods, services, and home prices are sourced from the Cost of Living Index published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER). The data on this page is updated quarterly. It was last published in February 2025.