Population 6,123 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Forest Hills
Household size in Forest Hills
| Period | Forest Hills | Jamaica Plain | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.24 | 2.36 | 2.54 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.33 | 2.46 | 2.59 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.63 | 2.42 | 2.60 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.26 | 2.30 | 2.55 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.02 | −0.06 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Forest Hills is a place of small households, averaging 2.26 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. That is in line with the rest of Jamaica Plain. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the west.
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 Hills
| Period | Forest Hills | Jamaica Plain | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.3 | 32.4 | 38.9 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 36.6 | 33.0 | 39.7 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 37.4 | 34.1 | 40.4 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 40.7 | 34.2 | 40.8 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.4 | +1.8 | +1.9 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
At 40.7, the median age in Forest Hills is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. The population here is older than in Jamaica Plain overall, where the median age is 34.2. The median age has climbed from 37.3 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Hills
| Period | Forest Hills | Jamaica Plain | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.7% | 13.3% | 10.4% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 18.4% | 11.9% | 10.2% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 13.6% | 9.9% | 9.6% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.4% | 8.0% | 9.7% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −5.3 pts | −5.3 pts | −0.7 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Forest Hills: 4.4% of households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share has fallen 5.3 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than 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 Hills
Renters in Forest Hills
| Period | Forest Hills | Jamaica Plain | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 52.6% | 60.6% | 36.8% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 51.3% | 60.1% | 38.5% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 45.4% | 61.1% | 38.3% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 57.6% | 61.4% | 38.4% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | +5.1 pts | +0.8 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Forest Hills rent: 57.6% of occupied homes are rented, far above the national share of 34.8%. Expect more apartments, and more turnover, than in owner-heavy areas. Even so, renters make up a smaller share here than in Jamaica Plain overall (61.4%). Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 5.1 points, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Hills
| Period | Forest Hills | Jamaica Plain | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.1% | 7.8% | 8.1% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 4.6% | 5.7% | 7.4% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.4% | 5.2% | 7.3% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.0% | 5.6% | 6.7% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.1 pts | −2.2 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 5.0% of homes in Forest Hills are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing. Jamaica Plain as a whole looks much the same. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 2.1 points, as it has nationally.
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 Hills
| Period | Forest Hills | Jamaica Plain | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1939 | 1946 | 1958 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1942 | 1947 | 1959 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1940 | 1950 | 1961 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1939 | 1955 | 1964 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | +0 | +9 | +6 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in Forest Hills is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1939, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. Newer construction is concentrated in the west, while the east has the oldest housing.
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 Hills
| Period | Forest Hills | Jamaica Plain | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,102 | $1,224 | $1,171 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,279 | $1,399 | $1,251 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,779 | $1,707 | $1,537 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,258 | $2,359 | $2,051 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,156 | +$1,135 | +$881 | +$775 | +$606 |
The median renter in Forest Hills pays $2,258 a month for rent and utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $1,156 a month since 2006–10, up 105%, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 27.1% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. The priciest rents are in the east; the most affordable are in the west.
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 Hills
Bachelor's degrees in Forest Hills
| Period | Forest Hills | Jamaica Plain | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 55.7% | 53.8% | 42.2% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 52.8% | 57.5% | 44.1% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 58.4% | 61.8% | 48.2% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 65.8% | 68.4% | 51.9% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +10.0 pts | +14.5 pts | +9.7 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
Forest Hills is highly educated: about two-thirds of adults 25 and older (65.8%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. That is in line with the rest of Jamaica Plain. The share with a degree has risen 10.0 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 Hills
| Period | Forest Hills | Jamaica Plain | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 89.4% | 87.4% | 89.8% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 86.9% | 90.6% | 90.6% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 90.7% | 90.4% | 91.5% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 95.0% | 90.6% | 91.8% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +5.6 pts | +3.1 pts | +2.1 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Forest Hills: 95.0% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 5.6 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Hills
| Period | Forest Hills | Jamaica Plain | Boston area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.8% | 7.0% | 7.0% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.4% | 7.6% | 8.0% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.6% | 6.6% | 4.6% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 1.3% | 4.4% | 4.9% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −4.5 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Forest Hills has been strong: just 1.3% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 4.5 points, mirroring the country. 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 Hills compared with nearby neighborhoods
| Neighborhood | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forest Hills | 2.26 | 40.7 | 4.4% | 57.6% | 5.0% | 1939 | $2,258 | 65.8% | 95.0% | 1.3% |
| Mount Bowdoin | 3.19 | 30.8 | 32.7% | 80.3% | 6.2% | 1952 | $1,418 | 21.4% | 77.0% | 11.5% |
| Dorchester Center | 3.07 | 33.7 | 27.4% | 60.0% | 5.4% | 1954 | $1,768 | 25.9% | 79.6% | 9.2% |
| Roxbury | 2.36 | 34.2 | 16.5% | 74.9% | 9.5% | 1959 | $1,507 | 33.3% | 81.5% | 8.2% |
| Brookline Village | 2.09 | 37.2 | 5.7% | 54.3% | 4.0% | 1950 | $2,688 | 82.6% | 98.3% | 2.9% |
| South Dorchester | 2.70 | 38.7 | 19.4% | 56.8% | 6.6% | 1943 | $1,992 | 35.4% | 82.1% | 8.8% |
| Brookline Village Commercial District | 2.39 | 35.4 | 4.4% | 54.4% | 3.2% | 1945 | $2,858 | 85.6% | 97.4% | 2.9% |
| Nubian Square | 2.21 | 36.7 | 17.3% | 78.3% | 8.2% | 1968 | $1,427 | 28.8% | 79.1% | 11.2% |
| Milton Upper Mills | 3.10 | 41.8 | 16.1% | 29.0% | 5.4% | 1945 | $1,722 | 65.8% | 95.6% | 5.1% |
| Fields Corner | 2.29 | 49.7 | 9.5% | 52.1% | 9.1% | 1944 | $2,302 | 37.5% | 78.6% | 5.9% |
| Washington Square | 2.28 | 36.6 | 4.0% | 52.3% | 4.1% | 1940 | $2,857 | 87.8% | 97.5% | 4.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Jingletown, Oakland, CA · South Hagginwood, Sacramento, CA · Shoreview, San Mateo, CA · Northwest Arvada, Arvada, CO · Mcbean, Hephzibah, GA · Marlton, Camden, NJ · Lind-Bohanon, Minneapolis, MN · Leaksville, Eden, NC · Knollwood, Kalamazoo, MI · Kilbourn Town, Milwaukee, WI
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 Hills. 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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