River Forest is a somewhat small village located in the state of Illinois. With a population of 11,635 people and two constituent neighborhoods, River Forest is the 193rd largest community in Illinois. Much of the housing stock in River Forest was built prior to World War II, making it one of the older and more historic villages in the country.

River Forest is a decidedly white-collar village, with fully 92.76% of the workforce employed in white-collar jobs, well above the national average. Overall, River Forest is a village of professionals, sales and office workers, and managers. There are especially a lot of people living in River Forest who work in management occupations (14.51%), sales jobs (13.82%), and office and administrative support jobs (11.93%).

Of important note, River Forest is also a village of artists. River Forest has more artists, designers and people working in media than 90% of the communities in America. This concentration of artists helps shape River Forest's character.

Because there are quite a few people attending college in River Forest, it is thought of as a college town. To the benefit of the many students in the area, River Forest provides a number of services, amenities and opportunities geared towards their needs and activities.

In addition, River Forest is home to many people who could be described as "urban sophisticates." Urban sophisticates are people who are both educated and wealthy, and thus tend to be older, richer, and more established than young professionals. "Urban sophisticates" is not just about being educated and well-off financially: it is a point of view and state of mind, one that you might call 'urbaneness.' But such people can and do regularly live in small towns, suburbs and rural areas, as well as in big cities. They read, support the arts and high-end shops, and love travel.

River Forest is a good choice for families with children because of several factors. Many other families with children live here, making it a place where both parents and children are more likely to develop social ties with other families. The village's good public school district and large population of college-educated adults provide an environment conducive to academic success. Many people own their own single-family homes, providing areas for children to play and stability in the community. Finally, River Forest's overall crime rate is lower than average for the country.

As is often the case in a small village, River Forest doesn't have a public transportation system that people use for their commute.

River Forest Information and Demographics

Do you like to read, write and learn? If you move to River Forest, you'll likely find that many of your neighbors like to as well. River Forest is one of the more educated communities in America, with a full 69.70% of its adults having a college degree or even advanced degree, compared to a national average across all communities of 14.96%.

The per capita income in River Forest in 2000 was $46,123, which is wealthy relative to Illinois and the nation. This equates to an annual income of $184,492 for a family of four. However, River Forest contains both very wealthy and poor people as well.

The people who call River Forest home come from a variety of different races and ancestries. The most prevalent race in River Forest is White, followed by African-American. Important ancestries of people in River Forest include Irish, German, Italian, English, and Polish.

The most common language spoken in River Forest is English. Some people also speak Spanish.