Population 708 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
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Population and households in Forest Lake
Household size in Forest Lake
| Period | Forest Lake | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.53 | 2.51 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.43 | 2.53 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.21 | 2.50 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.62 | 2.46 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.10 | −0.05 | −0.03 |
At 2.62 people per household, Forest Lake sits close to the national average of 2.65. The typical household here is bigger than in Pennsylvania overall, where it has 2.46 people. Household size has climbed from 2.53 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, much of that may be survey noise rather than real change.
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 Lake
| Period | Forest Lake | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 48.3 | 40.3 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 49.5 | 41.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 51.9 | 41.8 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 51.0 | 42.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.8 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
Forest Lake skews older: half of its residents are older than 51.0, 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 Lake
| Period | Forest Lake | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.3% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 4.7% | 10.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 11.1% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.3% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | +3.1 pts | +0.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are less common in Forest Lake than nationally: 9.3%, against 11.6%.
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 Lake
Renters in Forest Lake
| Period | Forest Lake | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.9% | 29.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 18.8% | 30.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 25.3% | 31.1% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 21.4% | 30.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | +6.5 pts | +1.7 pts | +1.5 pts |
Forest Lake is largely a place of homeowners: only 21.4% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Nearly six in ten owners (57.6%) 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 Lake
| Period | Forest Lake | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 23.6% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 20.4% | 10.5% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 27.1% | 10.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 27.7% | 9.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | +4.1 pts | −1.2 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Forest Lake: 27.7% 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 Lake
| Period | Forest Lake | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1968 | 1963 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1971 | 1964 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1977 | 1965 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1973 | 1967 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +4 | +6 |
Homes in Forest Lake run older than the national norm, with a median build year of 1973 against 1980. Still, homes here are newer than in Pennsylvania as a whole, where the median home dates to 1967.
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 Lake
| Period | Forest Lake | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $553 | $829 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $700 | $923 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $746 | $1,039 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $926 | $1,323 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$372 | +$494 | +$606 |
Rent in Forest Lake runs $926 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. The typical renter here spends 28.3% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally.
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 Lake
Bachelor's degrees in Forest Lake
| Period | Forest Lake | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.3% | 27.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 16.2% | 28.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 18.5% | 31.8% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 24.0% | 35.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +13.7 pts | +8.3 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Forest Lake: 24.0% 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 Lake
| Period | Forest Lake | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 91.2% | 87.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 92.2% | 88.8% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 91.9% | 90.3% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 91.6% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +0.4 pts | +4.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
About nine in ten adults in Forest Lake have finished high school (91.6%), a bit above the national rate of 89.3%. That is in line with the rest of Pennsylvania.
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 Lake
| Period | Forest Lake | Pennsylvania | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.9% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.3% | 8.8% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.4% | 5.5% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.9% | 5.4% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.0 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been harder to find in Forest Lake than nationally: unemployment was 6.9%, against 5.4%. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's 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 Lake 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 Lake | 2.62 | 51.0 | 9.3% | 21.4% | 27.7% | 1973 | $926 | 24.0% | 91.6% | 6.9% |
| St. Joseph | 2.52 | 52.6 | 8.1% | 18.4% | 26.2% | 1981 | $972 | 24.6% | 91.2% | 3.9% |
| Montrose | 2.43 | 48.0 | 11.8% | 30.7% | 20.2% | 1962 | $901 | 19.3% | 88.3% | 5.3% |
| Laurel Lake | 2.30 | 52.4 | 8.5% | 11.1% | 46.9% | 1972 | $813 | 19.6% | 95.8% | 6.4% |
| Fairdale | 2.33 | 54.0 | 6.7% | 16.5% | 24.4% | 1979 | $994 | 17.6% | 91.2% | 4.7% |
| Friendsville | 2.47 | 50.2 | 10.4% | 22.5% | 26.9% | 1979 | $920 | 18.3% | 90.0% | 3.7% |
| Franklin Forks | 2.47 | 55.9 | 8.5% | 17.5% | 33.6% | 1974 | $1,063 | 14.5% | 87.7% | 6.4% |
| South Montrose | 2.30 | 53.7 | 11.1% | 24.9% | 18.5% | 1979 | $937 | 21.0% | 92.9% | 6.7% |
| Middletown Center | 2.38 | 50.0 | 11.0% | 24.6% | 25.5% | 1982 | $912 | 15.7% | 89.8% | 2.9% |
| Brackney | 2.50 | 56.1 | 5.3% | 13.3% | 28.2% | 1982 | $1,014 | 31.0% | 93.5% | 4.0% |
| Tiffany | 2.20 | 55.1 | 11.5% | 18.6% | 18.2% | 1982 | $918 | 19.4% | 88.7% | 1.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Honomu, HI · Groveland, NY · Halcyon, CA · Haleburg, AL · Hammond, IL · Hannawa Falls, NY · Hardwick, GA · Harpers Ferry, IA · Harrington, WA · West Nottingham, NH
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 Lake. 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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