Census tract · Cook County
Census Tract 8304, Cook County, Illinois
Census Tract 8304, GEOID 17031830400, in Cook County, Illinois, entirely within Park Forest and Rich Township. 4,003 residents in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±611); the 2020 Census counted 4,091.
Residents, 2020-2024
4,003
±611 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 4,091
Median household income
$65,878
±$10,413 (90% margin)
Cook County: $83,498
Median home value
$117,300
±$11,932 (90% margin)
Cook County: $324,500
Median gross rent
$1,647
±$174 (90% margin)
Cook County: $1,435
Where is Census Tract 8304?
Census Tract 8304 is one of 1,332 census tracts in Cook County, Illinois. It covers 0.93 square miles of land, 4,404 residents per square mile in 2020. Its GEOID, 17031830400, names it uniquely (how tract numbers and GEOIDs work).
| Place | Share of the tract |
|---|---|
| Park Forest | 100% |
| Rich Township | 100% |
5 census tracts border Census Tract 8304: Tract 8294.02 ($57,560), Tract 8302.01 ($53,671), Tract 8302.02 ($91,886), Tract 8303 ($42,500) and Tract 8836.03 in Will County ($60,625). The figure in brackets is each tract's median household income.
Whether a tract counts as low- or moderate-income for bank lending (the Community Reinvestment Act) is set by the FFIEC against its metro area's family income: look it up in the FFIEC census geocoder.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 block assignment files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Census Tract 8304?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Census Tract 8304's population at 4,003 (±611) in 1,618 households; the 2020 Census counted 4,091 residents and 1,918 housing units.
| Measure | Tract 8304 | Park Forest |
|---|---|---|
| Total population | 4,003±611 | 21,156 |
| Households | 1,618±247 | 8,129 |
| Average household size | 2.45±0.33 | 2.53 |
| Housing units | 1,788±244 | 8,841 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Census Tract 8304?
The median resident of Census Tract 8304 is 40.5 years old; 23.1% are under 18 and 17.1% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic Black residents at 66.9%, then non-Hispanic white residents at 16.4%. 7.2% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Tract 8304 | Park Forest |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.5±6.1 | 36.9 |
| Under 18 years | 23.1%±7.3 pts | 23.1% |
| 65 years and over | 17.1%±5.3 pts | 15.8% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 13.7%±7.5 pts | 9.7% |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 16.4%±4.7 pts | 19.7% |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 66.9%±7.7 pts | 67.4% |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±0.9 pts | 0.3% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±0.9 pts | 0.1% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.2%±0.5 pts | 0.0% |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 2.8%±1.9 pts | 2.7% |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±0.9 pts | 0.1% |
| Born outside the United States | 7.2%±3.1 pts | 7.3% |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 16.6%±8.0 pts | 11.3% |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 4.4%±1.8 pts | 4.6% |
| With a disability | 17.5%±6.1 pts | 15.9% |
| No health insurance coverage | 9.6%±6.3 pts | 9.0% |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 97.7%±2.0 pts | 91.6% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 23.7%±6.9 pts | 24.3% |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 9.2%±5.1 pts | 8.8% |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 93.5%±3.6 pts | 92.4% |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Census Tract 8304 earn?
Half of the 1,618 households in Census Tract 8304 earn less than $65,878 a year (±$10,413), against $83,498 across Cook County: 866th highest of the county's 1,258 tracts with a reliable estimate. 11.3% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Tract 8304 | Park Forest |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $65,878±$10,413 | $61,072 |
| Mean household income | $70,945±$8,114 | $75,877 |
| Per capita income | $30,799±$4,578 | $30,021 |
| People below the poverty line | 11.3%±5.0 pts | 17.6% |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 16.7%±12.3 pts | 21.6% |
| Households receiving SNAP | 24.9%±7.7 pts | 21.6% |
| Households with a computer | 93.8%±4.4 pts | 95.2% |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 92.5%±5.1 pts | 93.3% |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Census Tract 8304?
Owners occupy 82.4% of Census Tract 8304's occupied homes and renters 17.6%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $117,300 by its owner (±$11,932). The median renter pays $1,647 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Tract 8304 | Park Forest |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $117,300±$11,932 | $115,300 |
| Median gross rent | $1,647±$174 | $1,365 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 33.0%±26.8 pts | 42.1% |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,336±$81 | $1,568 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 82.4%±8.1 pts | 65.8% |
| Renter-occupied homes | 17.6%±8.1 pts | 34.2% |
| Housing units | 1,788±244 | 8,841 |
| Single-family detached homes | 94.6%±3.6 pts | 61.7% |
| Mobile homes | 0.4%±0.7 pts | 0.1% |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0%±2.1 pts | 0.0% |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 0.0%±2.1 pts | 0.3% |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 0.4%±0.8 pts | 2.9% |
| Households with no vehicle | 4.1%±2.4 pts | 5.7% |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in Census Tract 8304 get to work?
72.1% of Census Tract 8304's workers drive alone and 7.3% work from home. The average trip to work takes 35.4 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 11.6%.
| Measure | Tract 8304 | Park Forest |
|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 60.3%±8.7 pts | 62.5% |
| Unemployment rate | 11.6%±6.5 pts | 8.7% |
| Drove alone to work | 72.1%±10.8 pts | 79.0% |
| Carpooled | 2.5%±3.7 pts | 4.3% |
| Public transportation | 11.9%±9.7 pts | 5.1% |
| Walked | 0.5%±1.1 pts | 0.8% |
| Worked from home | 7.3%±4.0 pts | 7.6% |
| Mean travel time to work | 35.4 min±5.9 | 31.8 min |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
How does Census Tract 8304 compare with the other tracts in Cook County?
Among Cook County's tracts with a reliable estimate, Census Tract 8304 ranks as shown below (1 = highest).
| Measure | In Cook County | In Park Forest |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 602nd of 1,328 | 2nd of 6 |
| Residents per square mile | 1,060th of 1,331 | 3rd of 6 |
| Median household income | 866th of 1,258 | 3rd of 6 |
| Per capita income | 910th of 1,325 | 3rd of 6 |
| Median home value | 1,252nd of 1,279 | 4th of 5 |
| Median gross rent | 371st of 1,254 | 3rd of 6 |
| Poverty rate | 576th of 905 | 3rd of 3 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 902nd of 1,264 | 4th of 6 |
| Median age | 498th of 1,327 | 3rd of 6 |
| Owner-occupied share | 255th of 1,300 | 3rd of 6 |
The tracts next to it on Cook County's income ladder
| Tract | Rank | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 8166 | 863rd | $66,120±$12,178 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 8258.03 | 864th | $66,051±$10,452 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 4908 | 865th | $65,929±$19,968 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 8304 | 866th | $65,878±$10,413 |
| Tract 6505 | 867th | $65,833±$24,193 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 6006 | 868th | $65,759±$18,907 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 6503.02 | 869th | $65,722±$12,943 · within the margin of this tract |
"Within the margin": the two incomes differ by less than their combined 90% margins, so the survey cannot say which is higher and the ranks between them are not firm.
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Census Tract 8304?
1 of the 18 figures for Census Tract 8304 on this page carries a coefficient of variation over 40% and is marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
A census tract's figures rest on a few hundred sampled households over five years, so its margins are wider than a city's. Two tracts differ only when the gap between them is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins). How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · Check it at data.census.gov
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections