2025 Compare Cities Cost of Living:
Lake Forest, IL vs Ridgewood, NJ

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Highlights
Is it cheaper to live in Ridgewood or is it cheaper to live in Lake Forest?
- Ridgewood is 45.4% more expensive than Lake Forest.

Which city has more affordable housing, Ridgewood or Lake Forest?
- Ridgewood housing costs are 5.9% less expensive than Lake Forest housing costs.

Is Health Care more affordable in Lake Forest or is Health Care more affordable in Ridgewood.
- Health related expenses are 1.7% more in Ridgewood.
 Lake Forest, ILRidgewood, NJUnited States
 Overall  Unlock141.0100
 Food & Groceries108.2  Unlock100
 Health  Unlock97.9100
 Housing285.4  Unlock100
 Median Home Cost  Unlock$898,200$338,100
 Utilities94  Unlock100
 Transportation  Unlock151.3100
 Miscellaneous141.0  Unlock100
100 = National Average (Below 100 means cheaper than the US average. Above 100 means more expensive.)
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Reviews for Lake Forest    4 Reviews

We relocated cross county to Lake Forest about a year ago due to a job change. We looked at nearby communities, within proximity of the work commute (the office is in  More

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Be prepared for a so called upscale town with entitled, overpaid, snooty people from teenagers who sneer at you to adults who look you up and down, who make demands on a  More

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Over 15 years ago

Long cold winters, short cold springs, hot humid summers, nice  More

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Start Your Review of Lake Forest

Reviews for Ridgewood    6 Reviews

Over 16 years ago

Great place to live and  More

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Over 16 years ago

Ridgewood, a suburb of NYC, is an ideal bedroom community. This well-established upscale community is located 30 minutes from Manhattan (by car), and is easily  More

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Over 18 years ago

One of the most beautiful places to live outside New York  More

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