Oak Forest, Illinois
Oak Forest is a city of 26,805 people in Cook County, Illinois, founded in 1800.
Why visit Oak Forest
Townapedia lists 3 museums and landmarks, 46 parks and trails, 72 places to eat, 2 places to stay and 2 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Marcus Country Club Hills Cinema, George R. Thorne House, Karl Vogt Building and Chicago Gaelic Park.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 84°F; January lows average 15°F, and about 28 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Oak Forest
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Oak Forest
Oak Forest is a city in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The city is out 24 miles (39 km) south-southwest of downtown Chicago in Bremen Township. Per the 2020 census, the population was 27,478.
From the Wikipedia article Oak Forest, Illinois (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do2
Marcus Country Club Hills Cinema
Cinema and theater · 2.3 mi
4201 West 167th Street, Country Club Hills
Museums and landmarks3
George R. Thorne House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.8 mi
Historic house in Midlothian, Illinois
Karl Vogt Building
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.7 mi
Historic apartment building in Tinley Park, Illinois, USA
Parks, trails and playgrounds46
Oak Forest Park District
Park
15601 Central Avenue
Mo, Th 09:00-19:00; Tu-We, Fr 09:00-17:00; Sa 09:00-12:00
34 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes72
Baskin-Robbins
Ice cream · Ice Cream · 0.5 mi
5159 West 159th Street, Oak Forest
Mo-Th 04:30-22:00; Fr 04:30-19:00; Sa 04:30-22:00; Su 05:00-22:00
Golden Corral
Restaurant · American, Buffet · 1.7 mi
6803 West 159th Street, Tinley Park
Mo-Su 11:00-21:00
Nicky V's Vienna Beef
Restaurant · Burger, Hot Dog · 1.0 mi
6200 West 159th Street, Oak Forest
Mo-Sa 11:00-21:00; Su 11:00-19:00
Oliver's Bar & Grill
Bar and pub · Grill · 0.9 mi
6150 West 159th Street, Oak Forest
Su-Th 11:00-02:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-03:00
The Original Pancake House
Restaurant · Breakfast, Pancake · 0.5 mi
5140 West 159th Street, Oak Forest
Mo-Su 07:00-15:00
Bartolinis Restaurant Catering and Banquets
Restaurant · Pizza, American, Italian · 2.4 mi
14420 South Pulaski Road, Midlothian
60 more on the map.
History
Human habitation in Oak Forest began during the early Holocene. This is made evident by the remains of hunting camps on what would become the grounds of the city's hospital. Several millennia later, the final known indigenous settlement in Oak Forest, a Potawatomi longhouse village, was established nearby. However, it was abandoned by the 1620s.
The origins of present-day Oak Forest begins with a railroad whistle stop on the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad 1 block south of the intersection of 167th street and Central Avenue which primarily served area dairy farmers. This stop was located in a largely forested area of what was previously known as the Cooper's Grove Stand of Timber. By the 1880s this particular area of timber was being referred to as the "Oak Forest" due to its abundance of oak trees. A section of the former "Cooper's Grove Road" paralleling the railroad track from 66th Court to 167th Street in Tinley Park became known as "Oak Forest Avenue", because it was the road from the Village of Bremen/New Bremen (now Tinley Park) that lead to this "Oak Forest".
From the History section of Oak Forest, Illinois on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay2
Churches and places of worship18
Saint Augustine Catholic Parish
Church · Roman Catholic · 2.1 mi
4130 147th Street, Midlothian
Saint Stephen Lutheran Church
Church · Lutheran · 1.9 mi
14700 Kildare Avenue, Midlothian
Shopping14
Gas and EV charging19
Schools, colleges and libraries58
A B Shepard High Sch (Campus)
School · 3.5 mi
13049 S Ridgeland Ave, Palos Heights
Healthcare6
DaVita Dialysis
Clinic and pharmacy · 2.2 mi
4215 167th Street, Country Club Hills
Ingalls Family Care Center
Clinic and pharmacy · 1.5 mi
6701 West 159th Street, Tinley Park
Map of Oak Forest
240 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31°F | 15°F | 2.5 in | 10.2 in |
| Feb | 35°F | 18°F | 2.1 in | 7.5 in |
| Mar | 46°F | 28°F | 2.6 in | 4.9 in |
| Apr | 59°F | 38°F | 4.0 in | 0.5 in |
| May | 71°F | 49°F | 4.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 80°F | 59°F | 4.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 84°F | 64°F | 4.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 82°F | 62°F | 4.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 76°F | 55°F | 3.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 63°F | 42°F | 3.6 in | 0.2 in |
| Nov | 48°F | 31°F | 3.0 in | 0.9 in |
| Dec | 36°F | 22°F | 2.5 in | 4.0 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Park Forest (9 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Cook County has had 12 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2024-09-20: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Floodng (Flood)
- 2023-11-20: Severe Storms And Flooding (Flood)
- 2023-08-15: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2020-03-26: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2013-05-10: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Flood)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 12 miles away.
- Midlothian 2 mi northeast, about 3 min by car
- Crestwood 3 mi north, about 4 min by car
- Country Club Hills 3 mi southeast, about 5 min by car
- Markham 3 mi east, about 5 min by car
- Hazel Crest 4 mi southeast, about 7 min by car
- Alsip 4 mi north, about 7 min by car
- Blue Island 5 mi northeast, about 8 min by car
- Harvey 5 mi east, about 8 min by car
- Homewood 6 mi southeast, about 9 min by car
- Matteson 7 mi south, about 11 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Oak Forest CBD, Dennisyerger84, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Karl Vogt Building, Teemu08, CC BY-SA 3.0
- George Thorne House, Teemu08 at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.