River Forest is a small town of 15 in Indiana, with a median household income of $186,875
.
Its cost of living index is 95 (US average = 100), which is
5% below the national average.
Strengths:
River Forest stands out for an affordable cost of living, a well-educated population.
Trade-offs:
No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether River Forest is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All River Forest city data on this page comes from official government sources —
the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 94.6
River Forest's overall cost of living index is 94.6,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in River Forest costs roughly 5% less than the average American city.
Metric
River Forest, IN
National Avg
Median Home Value
$330,000
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
N/A
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
100.0%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$186,875
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Very Safe
River Forest's violent crime rate is 207.6 per 100,000 residents
— 45% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
207.6 /100k
Property Crime
1191.6 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Metric
River Forest, IN
National Avg
School District
N/A
—
Elementary Schools
N/A
—
Middle Schools
N/A
—
High Schools
N/A
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
N/A
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
63.6%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
100.0%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
River Forest sees average highs of 34.9°F in January
and 83.8°F in July,
with 43.8 inches of annual precipitation
and 20.8 inches of snow per year.
River Forest's cost of living index is 95, where 100 is the national average.
That makes River Forest roughly 5% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $330,000 and median rent is N/A/month.
River Forest's violent crime rate is 207.6 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1191.6 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
School district information is sourced from NCES Common Core of Data.
River Forest, IN has a population of 15, a median household income of $186,875, and an unemployment rate of 0.0%.
It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
River Forest averages 34.9°F in January and 83.8°F in July. Annual rainfall is 43.8 inches
with about 20.8 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
The population of River Forest, Indiana is 15 with a median age of 54.7. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in River Forest: cost of living index 95 (100 = US average), median home $330,000, median household income $186,875, crime index 55 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare River Forest side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.
