Forest Park, IL vs Palos Hills, IL: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Palos Hills, IL has a modeled overall cost index 0.6% higher than Forest Park, IL.

Forest Park, IL · modeled 2BR rent: $1,680 / month
Palos Hills, IL · modeled 2BR rent: $1,620 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Forest Park, IL and Palos Hills, IL using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

Current salary in Forest Park, IL

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $41.80/month in Palos Hills, IL

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $150,502 in Palos Hills, IL

Regional cost estimates: Forest Park, IL uses Chicago, IL. Palos Hills, IL uses Chicago, IL. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↑ 0.6%

More expensive

Monthly Impact

$41.80

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$502

Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

Forest Park, IL

Population:14K

Cost Index:

95.7

100 = national average

Typical Home:$265K

Palos Hills, IL

Population:18K

Cost Index:

96.3

100 = national average

Typical Home:$274K

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Forest Park, IL

The Prairie State

14K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Illinois, this city has a population of 14K residents.

Palos Hills, IL

The Prairie State

18K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Illinois, this city has a population of 18K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Forest Park, IL vs Palos Hills, IL

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Category	Forest Park, IL	Palos Hills, IL	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,442/mo	$2,458/mo	↑ $15.73more	0.6%
Other	$1,555/mo	$1,565/mo	↑ $10.02more	0.6%
Transportation	$1,487/mo	$1,496/mo	↑ $9.57more	0.6%
Groceries	$968/mo	$971/mo	↑ $3.11more	0.3%
Healthcare	$560/mo	$561/mo	↑ $1.80more	0.3%
All Utilities	$488/mo	$490/mo	↑ $1.57more	0.3%

Housing

↑ 0.6%

Forest Park, IL

$2,442

Palos Hills, IL

$2,458

Difference

$15.73

Other

↑ 0.6%

Forest Park, IL

$1,555

Palos Hills, IL

$1,565

Difference

$10.02

Transportation

↑ 0.6%

Forest Park, IL

$1,487

Palos Hills, IL

$1,496

Difference

$9.57

Groceries

↑ 0.3%

Forest Park, IL

$968

Palos Hills, IL

$971

Difference

$3.11

Healthcare

↑ 0.3%

Forest Park, IL

$560

Palos Hills, IL

$561

Difference

$1.80

All Utilities

↑ 0.3%

Forest Park, IL

$488

Palos Hills, IL

$490

Difference

$1.57

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,400

To$1,350

↓ $50.00

1 Bed

From$1,490

To$1,440

↓ $50.00

2 Bed

From$1,680

To$1,620

↓ $60.00

3 Bed

From$2,160

To$2,090

↓ $70.00

Forest Park, ILZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,490–$1,490/mo

Palos Hills, ILZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,440–$1,440/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500

Monthly in Forest Park, IL

$7,542

Monthly in Palos Hills, IL

$41.80

Difference

Home Values

Forest Park

Palos Hills

$265K

Median Value

$274K

↑ +3.8%

YoY Change

↑ +1.1%

↑ +25.2%

5-Year Change

↑ +30%

Homes in Palos Hills are 3% more expensive than Forest Park

Calculate payment - Forest Park Calculate payment - Palos Hills

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

→ $0

Same taxes

Monthly Difference

Same take-home

Effective Rate Diff

0.0%

Rate difference

Forest Park, IL

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Illinois State Tax

Effective: 5.0%

$7.4K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 29.6%

$44.4K

Take-Home Pay

$8,797/month

$105.6K

Palos Hills, IL

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Illinois State Tax

Effective: 5.0%

$7.4K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 29.6%

$44.4K

Take-Home Pay

$8,797/month

$105.6K

Additional Tax Information

Forest Park, IL Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.8%

Property Tax:2.2%

Palos Hills, IL Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.8%

Property Tax:2.2%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

Environment

Forest Park

Palos Hills

54 Moderate

Air Quality

54 Moderate

35.8%

Good Air Days

35.8%

100 Very High

Climate Risk

100 Very High

🌊🌡🫨

Top Hazards

🌊🌡🫨

▲+3.2°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.2°F

18 days

Heat Days >95°F

18 days

▲+3.2°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.2°F

18 days

Heat Days >95°F

18 days

Before moving from Forest Park, IL to Palos Hills, IL

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Palos Hills, IL for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Forest Park, IL. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Forest Park to Palos Hills moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Palos Hills, IL by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Forest Park, IL vs Palos Hills, IL

How do the cost estimates for Forest Park, IL and Palos Hills, IL compare?

Palos Hills, IL has a modeled overall cost index 0.6% higher than Forest Park, IL. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in Forest Park, IL, the model estimates $150,502 in Palos Hills, IL. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for Forest Park, IL and Palos Hills, IL?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,680/month in Forest Park, IL and $1,620/month in Palos Hills, IL. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.