Melrose Park receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Melrose Park
Park Forest
Opportunity
25 · Bottom 3%
vs24 · Bottom 3%
Growth
43 · Bottom 37%
vs43 · Bottom 36%
Climate
62 · Bottom 23%
vs63 · Bottom 25%
Physical resilience
69 · Top 38%
vs73 · Top 33%
Housing affordability
79 · Bottom 48%
vs80 · Bottom 49%
Access
97 · Top 29%
vs94 · Top 43%
Economic stability
58 · Bottom 44%
vs46 · Bottom 25%
Measured values
| Metric | Melrose Park | Park Forest | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 24,549 | 21,156 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $66,189 | $61,072 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $29,979 | $30,021 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 5,640/sq mi | 4,264/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $275,800 | $115,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,176 | $1,365 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 56.7% | 65.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.7% | 8.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.1% | -3.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.0% | 24.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.3% | 17.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 6 | 40 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.2 | 1.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 500.0% | 81.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 85°F | 85°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 19°F | 19°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 37.9" | 34.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 6 mi | 17 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.7 min | 34.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.3 | 36.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 8 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.54 | 12.84 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 63.7% | 78.2% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Melrose Park
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Park Forest
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Melrose Park
62
Your Score
56
Area Score
Park Forest
57
Your Score
53
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Melrose Park, IL · Park Forest, IL · How this is calculated: methodology