Signals
River Forest
Lake Arbor
Opportunity
43 · Bottom 23%
vs45 · Bottom 26%
Climate
63 · Bottom 25%
vs72 · Top 42%
Physical resilience
69 · Top 38%
vs76 · Top 30%
Housing affordability
81 · Top 50%
vs77 · Bottom 44%
Access
97 · Top 29%
vs90 · Bottom 43%
Economic stability
72 · Top 25%
vs79 · Top 8%
Measured values
| Metric | River Forest | Lake Arbor | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 11,992 | 14,335 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $146,786 | $121,211 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $91,438 | $62,686 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,835/sq mi | 3,587/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $687,300 | $460,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,554 | $2,431 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 87.7% | 62.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.8% | 4.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.1% | -3.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 72.9% | 55.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 2.7% | 4.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 85°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 19°F | 30°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 34.4" | 41.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 7 mi | 20 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 35.2 min | 41.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.0 | 44.6 | 2024 ACS 5-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
River Forest
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Lake Arbor
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.
River Forest
67
Your Score
62
Area Score
Lake Arbor
73
Your Score
—
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: River Forest, IL · Lake Arbor, MD · How this is calculated: methodology