Population 550 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Forest City
Household size in Forest City
| Period | Forest City | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.45 | 2.69 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.31 | 2.71 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.29 | 2.66 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.15 | 2.58 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.30 | −0.11 | −0.03 |
Households in Forest City are small: just 2.15 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Household size has dropped from 2.45 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, survey estimates can swing a lot from one release to the next.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Forest City
| Period | Forest City | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.6 | 37.6 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 43.8 | 38.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 41.1 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 44.2 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.6 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
Forest City skews older: half of its residents are older than 44.2, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Forest City
| Period | Forest City | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.7% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 8.8% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.8% | 11.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.0% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −6.6 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Forest City: 3.0% of households, against 11.6% nationally.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Forest City
Renters in Forest City
| Period | Forest City | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.1% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.5% | 33.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 16.4% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 22.7% | 32.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | +10.6 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Forest City is largely a place of homeowners: only 22.7% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Nearly two-thirds of owners (64.2%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Forest City
| Period | Forest City | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.4% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 11.3% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 17.6% | 9.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 20.1% | 8.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | +15.6 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Forest City: 20.1% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Forest City
| Period | Forest City | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1965 | 1966 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1968 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1966 | 1968 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1968 | 1970 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +4 | +6 |
The housing in Forest City is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1968, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. That is in line with the rest of Illinois.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Forest City
| Period | Forest City | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $854 | $953 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $904 | $1,028 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $752 | $1,165 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,009 | $1,428 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$155 | +$475 | +$606 |
Rent in Forest City runs $1,009 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent takes 30.7% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Forest City
Bachelor's degrees in Forest City
| Period | Forest City | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.1% | 31.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 6.5% | 32.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 16.0% | 34.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 9.4% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | −1.7 pts | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Forest City: 9.4% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Forest City
| Period | Forest City | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 79.2% | 86.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 85.1% | 87.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 79.4% | 89.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 92.3% | 90.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +13.1 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Forest City is a bit above the national rate: 92.3% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Forest City
| Period | Forest City | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.1% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.3% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.1% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.9% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.2 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in Forest City: 7.9% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Forest City compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forest City | 2.15 | 44.2 | 3.0% | 22.7% | 20.1% | 1968 | $1,009 | 9.4% | 92.3% | 7.9% |
| Topeka | 2.21 | 53.0 | 3.2% | 18.1% | 25.4% | 1971 | $954 | 5.6% | 85.2% | 11.4% |
| Manito | 2.32 | 44.6 | 9.7% | 14.1% | 9.5% | 1970 | $786 | 15.3% | 94.1% | 3.9% |
| Liverpool | 2.33 | 46.5 | 10.4% | 24.6% | 14.9% | 1962 | $912 | 8.0% | 93.7% | 4.0% |
| Parkland | 2.51 | 46.8 | 6.6% | 7.3% | 14.8% | 1974 | $816 | 17.9% | 95.6% | 4.5% |
| Talbott | 2.53 | 47.1 | 6.6% | 4.9% | 16.1% | 1974 | $786 | 14.5% | 95.0% | 5.4% |
| Eckard | 2.70 | 42.7 | 2.3% | 1.3% | 21.8% | 1965 | $946 | 30.0% | 96.2% | 3.1% |
| Banner | 2.37 | 44.4 | 12.6% | 27.2% | 11.2% | 1959 | $900 | 9.5% | 96.6% | 1.4% |
| Poplar City | 2.27 | 52.3 | 3.0% | 6.9% | 8.8% | 1966 | $872 | 26.3% | 93.4% | 3.8% |
| Easton | 2.14 | 47.4 | 4.6% | 14.0% | 7.1% | 1939 | $686 | 12.5% | 95.7% | 13.7% |
| Maples Mill | 2.36 | 44.1 | 15.1% | 17.1% | 11.0% | 1965 | $910 | 17.2% | 95.4% | 1.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Coffeeville, AL · Wales Corner, ME · Venango, PA · Vamoosa, OK · Trimble, TN · Daybrook, WV · Cunot, IN · Crimcrest, TX · Creola, OH · Cooksville, NC
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Forest City. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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