Oak Forest · Cook County · IL
Homes for sale in
Oak Forest.
- Active listings
- 32
- Median list
- $334K
- Avg time on market
- 20 days
- Sold · last year
- 0
Photo: Dennisyerger84 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
About the community
Living in Oak Forest.
Oak Forest sits in Bremen Township in the south suburbs of Cook County, roughly 24 miles south-southwest of downtown Chicago. The city covers about 6 square miles and recorded a population of 27,478 in the 2020 census. It is largely surrounded by Cook County Forest Preserves, which is where the name comes from, and neighbors Crestwood, Midlothian, Markham, Country Club Hills, Tinley Park, and Orland Park. The housing stock leans heavily toward owner-occupied single-family homes, with a homeownership rate above 80 percent. The Oak Forest Metra station on the Rock Island District line, at 159th and Cicero, gives commuters a one-seat ride to LaSalle Street Station in the Chicago Loop.
At a glance
~27,478 residents
A south suburban city of about 6 square miles, 27,478 at the 2020 census.
Metra Rock Island
The Oak Forest station at 159th and Cicero is on the Rock Island District line between Joliet and LaSalle Street Station in the Loop.
Oak Forest High School
Oak Forest High School is part of Bremen Community High School District 228, with grade schools in Arbor Park 145 and Forest Ridge 142.
Median home value ~$294k
The Zillow Home Value Index for the city, in a market dominated by owner-occupied single-family homes.
Median income ~$92k
2024 median household income about $91,990, with a homeownership rate above 80 percent.
Ringed by forest preserves
The city is mostly surrounded by Cook County Forest Preserves, including Yankee Woods and the Tinley Creek Trail System.
Central Avenue Main Street
Central Avenue anchors supermarkets, the post office, Acorn Public Library, the Park District, and City Hall.
Property taxes
Cook County south-suburban rates run high here, with a median effective property tax rate around 3.36 percent.
What’s close
Oak Forest's civic and commercial life centers on the Central Avenue corridor and the 159th Street and Cicero Avenue crossroads, with forest preserves wrapping much of the city's edge.
- Oak Forest Metra station
- Located at 159th and Cicero on the Rock Island District line, a popular option for Chicago commuters.
- Major roads
- Served by US Route 6 (159th Street) and Illinois Route 50 (Cicero Avenue), with Interstate 57 crossing the southeast corner.
- Central Avenue corridor
- Central Avenue serves as a Main Street, anchoring the library, Park District, City Hall, supermarkets, and Oak Forest High School.
- Forest preserve setting
- The city is mostly surrounded by Cook County Forest Preserves, including Yankee Woods.
- Pace bus service
- Pace routes connect Oak Forest to Harvey, Tinley Park, Orland Square Mall, and Midway Airport.
- Neighboring communities
- Bordered by Crestwood, Midlothian, Markham, Country Club Hills, Tinley Park, and Orland Park.
What it’s actually like to live here
Oak Forest is a predominantly residential, owner-occupied community. In 2024 the homeownership rate was above 80 percent, and the largest share of households fell in the $75,000 to $100,000 income range. Most workers drive to work with an average commute around 32 minutes, while a small share use the Metra option at 159th and Cicero. The median age was about 40, consistent with an established family-oriented suburb.
Daily life centers on the Central Avenue corridor, where the Acorn Public Library, Oak Forest Park District, City Hall, and two supermarkets sit within a short distance of one another. Outdoor recreation is a defining feature, since the city is ringed by Cook County Forest Preserves, including Yankee Woods and the paved Tinley Creek Trail loops. The Oak Forest Park District operates 20 park sites, a fitness center, and an 18-hole miniature golf course, with programs and camps for all ages.
Neighborhoods
Detailed Oak Forest community pages coming soon.
Browse the listings above. Detailed neighborhood pages with market stats, school info, and lifestyle take-downs land here as we roll them out.
Schools
Districts serving Oak Forest.
Boundary lines do shift. Always confirm in writing for a specific address before writing an offer.
- D228Grades 9-12
Bremen Community High School District 228
Schools serving the area
- Oak Forest High School
- Bremen High School
- Tinley Park High School
- Hillcrest High School
Oak Forest is home to Oak Forest High School. Portions of the city feed Tinley Park High School, and small western areas feed Victor J. Andrew or Carl Sandburg High School, so verify by address.
- D145Grades Pre-K-8
Arbor Park School District 145
Schools serving the area
- Arbor Elementary School
- Kimberly Heights School
- Scarlet Oak School
- Arbor Park Middle School
A grade-school district serving Oak Forest and Tinley Park. Confirm the assigned schools by exact address.
- D142Grades Pre-K-8
Forest Ridge School District 142
Schools serving the area
- Lee R. Foster Elementary
- Kerkstra Elementary
- Jack Hille Middle School
One of the grade-school districts serving Oak Forest, alongside Arbor Park 145 and Tinley Park CCSD 146. Verify by address.
Around town
What there is to do in Oak Forest.
A handful of the places people who live here actually use. Not a directory.
- Parks
Oak Forest Park District
Operates 20 park sites, a fitness center, and an 18-hole miniature golf course, with year-round programs, camps, and events.
- Parks
Yankee Woods
A Forest Preserves of Cook County site spanning Oak Forest and neighbors, with paved Tinley Creek Trail loops over prairies, forests, and wetlands.
- Culture
Acorn Public Library District
The public library at 15624 South Central Avenue serving Oak Forest with books, ebooks, movies, events, and programs.
- Family
Oak Forest Bowl
A family bowling center on Cicero Avenue with conditioned lanes and special events for all ages.
- Culture
Bachelor's Grove Cemetery
One of the oldest known cemeteries in Cook County, with its first burial in 1838, set within the Rubio Woods Forest Preserve near Oak Forest.
- Parks
Forest Preserves of Cook County Map
An interactive map for exploring the forest preserve trails, picnic groves, and natural areas that surround Oak Forest.
Getting around
Commute + transit from Oak Forest.
MetraRI line
- Stations: Oak Forest
- Terminal: Chicago LaSalle Street
DriveBy car
- Routes: US 6 (159th Street) · IL 50 (Cicero Avenue) · I-57 · Central Avenue
- O'Hare Airport: ~44 min
- Chicago Loop: ~45 min
By the numbers
Oak Forest taxes + market stats.
Property tax rates vary by exact township and assessor district. Confirm per address before pricing a purchase.
Property tax rate
3.36%
effective avg
Sales tax
10.00%
combined
Median sold price
$290,000
MRED · last 12 mo (328 sales)
Median household income
$91,990
ACS
How Oak Forest got here
A bit of history.
Present-day Oak Forest grew out of a railroad whistle stop on the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad that served area dairy farmers in a heavily wooded area once called the Cooper's Grove Stand of Timber, which locals began calling the Oak Forest by the 1880s for its abundance of oak trees. In 1907 Cook County approved a second county poor farm and infirmary near 159th Street and Cicero Avenue to relieve overcrowding at the Dunning facility, and the Oak Forest Infirmary opened in 1910. Shortly after opening, the facility housed close to 2,000 people, and a small settlement of workers and patients' relatives developed nearby.
In the 1930s an effort to rename the community Arbor Park did not take hold, though the name survives in Arbor Park School District 145. In 1947, with a population of 1,618, residents voted to incorporate as the Village of Oak Forest, and the community was reincorporated as a city in 1971. Postwar suburban growth was rapid, with population climbing from 3,724 in 1960 to 17,870 by 1970. In 2008 the city broke ground on the Gateway mixed-use development at 159th Street and Cicero Avenue, a transit-oriented project at the Metra line meant to expand the commercial tax base.
The questions buyers actually ask
Oak Forest FAQ
The questions I get most from buyers shopping Oak Forest. If yours isn't here, text 815-355-0582, same-day reply.
- How long is the commute from Oak Forest to downtown Chicago?
- Oak Forest is about 24 miles south-southwest of downtown Chicago. Commuters can ride the Metra Rock Island District line from the Oak Forest station at 159th and Cicero directly to LaSalle Street Station in the Loop. In 2024 the average commute time for Oak Forest workers was about 32 minutes.
- What do homes cost in Oak Forest?
- The Zillow Home Value Index for Oak Forest is about $294,000, up modestly over the past year. The city has a high homeownership rate above 80 percent, reflecting a market dominated by owner-occupied single-family homes. It is one of the more affordable south-suburban options with Metra access.
- What are property taxes like in Oak Forest?
- Oak Forest sits in Cook County, where south-suburban property taxes run high. The median effective property tax rate is around 3.36 percent, above both the Illinois and national medians. Buyers should always confirm the exact bill for a specific property with the Cook County Treasurer before relying on an estimate.
- What is the sales tax rate in Oak Forest?
- The combined sales tax rate in Oak Forest is 10 percent. That total breaks down into 6.25 percent Illinois state tax, 1.75 percent Cook County tax, 1 percent city tax, and a 1 percent special district tax. Rates can vary slightly by exact location, so verify before a large purchase.
- Which schools serve Oak Forest?
- High schoolers attend Bremen Community High School District 228, which is home to Oak Forest High School and three other campuses. Grade-school students are served by Arbor Park School District 145, Forest Ridge School District 142, and Tinley Park CCSD 146 depending on location. Because boundaries vary, confirm the assigned schools for any specific address.
- What is there to do outdoors in Oak Forest?
- The city is mostly surrounded by Cook County Forest Preserves, including Yankee Woods, which features paved Tinley Creek Trail loops through prairies, forests, and wetlands. The Oak Forest Park District operates 20 park sites, a fitness center, and an 18-hole miniature golf course. The Acorn Public Library District on Central Avenue adds programs and events year-round.
Nearby
Towns next to Oak Forest.
If you’re cross-shopping the area, these are the places that border Oak Forest.
Your local agent
Joe knows Oak Forest
Most agents will list anything. I focus on the communities I actually know, and the details that determine resale value here aren't in the MLS write-up: which lots back to open space, which streets carry the most consistent demand, which floor plans buyers ask for by name, and what each HOA actually covers.
When you're ready to tour or list, you want someone who's walked the streets, talked to the residents, and read the last 50 closed comps in this market specifically. That's how I work. Text or call any time, and I'll give you a real take, not a brochure.
- Lives in McHenry County
- Local specialist
- Oak Forest specialist
- Honest local market take
- Brokerocity
Thinking of selling?
What's your home actually worth?
Not a Zestimate. A real CMA from someone who's sold this neighborhood, knows the floor plan premiums, and can tell you which upgrades the buyer pool here actually pays for.
- Pricing range with comp-by-comp logic
- Pre-list improvements that pay back, and the ones that don't
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