Ogle County, Illinois
Forreston Real Estate and Local Guide
Forreston is a small, rural farming village in northwest Ogle County with strong German ancestry, platted in 1854 and named for the surrounding forests.
Living in Forreston
Known for its German-heritage Sauerkraut Days festival, first held in 1913. Source: villageofforreston.org
IncomeAbout $68,042 median household
EducationAbout 13.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
CountyOgle County
Homes in Forreston
Detached single-family homesRoughly 87% of housing units
- About 81% of housing units are owner-occupied, reflecting a stable small-village population.
- The median home value is about $116,500, well below Illinois averages.
Source: ACS 2023
What makes Forreston home
First House and Store in Forreston Historical Marker
Source: hmdb.org
Illinois State Historical Society marker at the site of the town's first brick house and store, erected 2005 for the Forreston Sesquicentennial
Forreston Sauerkraut Days
Source: villageofforreston.org
Annual German-heritage festival first held in 1913, revived in 2018, with a parade, car show, and sauerkraut lunch each August
Memorial Park
Source: shawlocal.com
Village park on the southeast edge of downtown that hosts the Sauerkraut Days lunch and shelter events