Cook County · Chicago-Naperville-Elgin · population 52,947
Where Oak Park stands
At or near all-time high. home values up 10.0% in the last year. population shrinking 0.8% per year.
Home value trajectory · last 10 years
Zillow ZHVI · monthlyLifestyle scores
Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.
Rent trajectory · last 5 years
Zillow ZORI · monthlyHome value vs rent · indexed to 100
Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)Rent vs buy
At a 18.8 price-to-rent ratio, Oak Park is in the 'depends on horizon' zone. Buy if you'll be there 5+ years and value flexibility on the home; rent if you might move, want zero maintenance friction, or expect rates to drop.
How the momentum score breaks down
methodology →Oak Park has held up across the cycle: home values at $472,455 with +4.7% 5-year CAGR. The bull case is structural — population, location, employer base — and holds even if next year's print is soft.
Oak Park's population is shrinking 0.8% per year. Housing demand has to come from somewhere — if people are leaving, the buyer pool is shrinking faster than the inventory. That eventually shows up in price.
About Oak Park
Oak Park is a city in Cook County, Illinois, with an estimated population of 52,947. It anchors the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin metro area. The population has contracted 0.8% per year on average since 2020. The median home value in Oak Park is $472,455 as of 2026-04, up 10.0% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +4.7% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Oak Park average $2,099 per month, roughly flat year-over-year (+2.8%). The composite momentum score is 68 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.
▲ Bull case
▼ Bear case
About Oak Park (Wikipedia)
Oak Park is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States, adjacent to Chicago. It is the 26th-most populous municipality in Illinois, with a population of 54,318 as of the 2020 census. Oak Park was first settled in 1835 and later incorporated in 1902, when it separated from Cicero. It is closely tied to the smaller town of River Forest sharing a chamber of commerce and a high school, Oak Park and River Forest High School.
Source: Wikipedia · this summary is contributed and licensed under CC-BY-SA.
City facts
Extracted from the Wikipedia infobox. Values may be slightly out of date relative to the latest sources.
Playbook
You're not in a frenzy but you're not getting bargains either. Make a competitive offer with normal inspection terms. Don't lowball — the listing will move with or without you.
Price at fair market value; expect movement in 30-45 days. Don't get clever with terms (rent-back, contingencies) — buyers in a Rising market have options.
Appreciation tailwind exists but cash flow requires discipline on price. Run the numbers conservatively and confirm rent comps before committing.
Local safety & alerts
No active National Weather Service alerts for Cook County right now.
Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Cook County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.
Cities like Oak Park
Run the numbers for Oak Park
Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.
Climate & natural-disaster risk
State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.
Local sports teams
Major professional teams the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.
Current weather
Find rentals & listings
Open current Oak Park listings on the major real-estate sites.
Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.
Local news & community
Latest news
- I Live in the Midwest and I Think This Suburb Is a Must-visit—and It Has the Most Frank Lloyd Wright Homes in the U.S.Travel + Leisure · 5d ago
- Laudato Si’ Blooms in Oak Park ParishesSisters of Providence · 2d ago
- Scathing audit performed on West Suburban Medical Center, shuttered Oak Park, Illinois hospital thousands relied onABC7 Chicago · 3w ago
- First in Oak Park, first in Illinois, co-housing Oak Park Commons opensWednesday Journal of Oak Park and River Forest · 1mo ago
- Eugene A. "Geno" Masella Obituary (2026) – Oak Park, IL – Williams-Kampp Funeral HomeLegacy · 1d ago
- Oak Park CFO reflects on a career in public-sector financeCFO.com · 1mo ago
Updated 2026-05-21 from Google News + Reddit RSS. Headlines link to original sources.
Local economy & environment
Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.
Cities similar to Oak Park
Explore other places with comparable momentum or affordability.