$890,262Average Value$296Average Price per Sq Ft23Homes For Sale
High concentration of Prairie School architecture just outside Chicago
A stunning Chicago suburb best known for its Prairie School architecture, River Forest is coveted for its concentration of historic homes and closeness to the city. “If you want a unique home with close proximity to this city, this is where you should look,” explains Brian Behan, a lifelong resident and real estate agent who, after growing up in the village, decided to raise his own family there. “It’s chock-full of Frank Lloyd Wright houses. There are more here than anywhere else.” He goes on to explain that there’s a 20-minute, nonstop Metra ride to the city that makes it easy not only to commute but to grab dinner in Chicago or hang out there on weekends, something he did with such frequency in his youth that he wanted to raise his kids there. On top of that, the community has excellent parks, recreation programs and sought-after schools: to him, the choice to stay in River Forest was easy.
River Forest homes draw a lot of visual interest in their architectural design.
River Forest homes can reach upwards to several million dollars.
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More Frank Lloyd Wright homes than anywhere else
River Forest contains a diversity of early 20th-century American residential architecture and is best known for housing several works of the acclaimed architect Frank Lloyd Wright and his Prairie School contemporaries — William Drummond, Spencer and Powers and E.E. Roberts, to name a few. Aside from Prairie School, common styles in the village include Gothic Revival, Victorian and Tudor Revival. “Even if you didn’t know the address of a house, you’d be able to find it because it wouldn’t look like any other house on the block,” Behan says. He explains that the adjacent community of Oak Park is also known for its concentration of renowned architecture, but that River Forest has larger lots than Oak Park. According to Behan, the average price for a single-family home in River Forest is about $1 million, with an entry-level of about $700,000, and the most expensive house in the village exceeds $3 million. There are also condos, and those start at about $100,000.
Take an audio walking tour of different Frank Lloyd Wright homes in Oak Park and River Forest.
Hiking in Thatcher Woods and recreation in the River Forest Park District
River Forest is bordered to the west by Thatcher Woods, a nearly 250-acre nature preserve with a natural history museum and wooded trails. The village has smaller community parks woven into its streets and “great park district programs,” Behan says. Among these are adult sports leagues, like softball, volleyball and pickleball, and Behan’s personal favorite, platform tennis: “They have a travel program that allows adults to travel to other suburbs to compete with other teams,” he says.
Take a walk through forested paths in Thatcher Woods, located in River Forest.
River Forest locals enjoy fishing at the Thatcher Glen Pond.
Play some one on one at the Keystone Park basketball courts in River Forest.
River Forest locals play some pickleball on the elevated courts at Keystone Park.
There are many tennis courts near River Forest.
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Charming local restaurants and nearby retail shopping
A variety of local eateries surround River Forest, like Johnnie’s Beef, an old-timey hot dog stand; Russell’s Barbecue, a counter-service barbecue joint; and FatDuck Tavern & Grill, a bar and grill known for its duck fat fries and craft beer. There’s a Jewel-Osco, Whole Foods Market and Trader Joe’s all in the village, making grocery shopping easy, and residents can head just west to Winston Plaza for extensive retail shopping, chain restaurants and a movie theater.
River Forest students can study at a variety of coffee shops like Fairgrounds Coffee & Tea.
River Forest residents are only a few minutes away from the boutique shops in Oak Park.
Chat with friends over drinks and burgers at FatDuck Tavern & Grill in River Forest.
A number of big box retailers like Target are located just north of River Forest.
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Public programs include historic preservation, senior services and the River Forest Public Library
River Forest has a variety of public programs that serve the community with ongoing events like bingo and art classes at the Senior Services of Oak Park and River Forest Townships, story times at the River Forest Public Library and a Historic Preservation Commission, which meets monthly to review applications for Landmark properties and educates the community regarding historic and architectural preservation.
Families can check out reading material at the River Forest Public Library.
Enjoy a quiet study or work session at the River Forest Public Library.
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River Forest’s award-winning public schools
River Forest students attend River Forest Public Schools: Lincoln or Willard Elementary School, followed by Roosevelt Middle, all of which received A ratings on the educational review site, Niche. In 2015, Lincoln Elementary School received a Blue Ribbon, as did Roosevelt Middle School in 2012. After Roosevelt, students attend Oak Park and River Forest High School, which received an A-plus and offers more than 200 courses, programs for students with special needs, 90 clubs and activities and 29 competitive sports. Parents also have the option to send their kids to Grace Lutheran School or St. Luke School, both of which enroll students in preschool through eighth grade. Dominican University is also located in the village.
Welcome to Oak Park and River Forest High School.
Roosevelt Middle School has a stately sign, reflecting the ideals of this River Forest school.
Willard Elementary School in River Forest is embolded with their wizard mascot.
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A nonstop Metra ride to the city
“River Forest is the second suburb outside Chicago’s city limits, so people move here for proximity to the city,” Behan says. “It’s a 20-minute Metra ride with no stops. The next stop is downtown Chicago.” It’s about a 30-minute drive to O’Hare International Airport, and the closest hospital, Gottlieb Memorial Hospital, is less than two miles away.
Commuters can hop on the Metra at the River Forest station.
Written By
Hannah Rainey
Video By
Matt Ferguson
Interested in learning more about homes in this area?
Reach out to
Erica Cuneen,
an experienced agent in this area.
GreatSchools:
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
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On average, homes in River Forest, IL sell after 24 days on the market compared to the national average of 49 days. The median sale price for homes in River Forest, IL over the last 12 months is $609,500, up 11% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
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