Population 27,614 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Forest Park
Household size in Forest Park
| Period | Forest Park | Springfield area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.74 | 2.56 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.82 | 2.57 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.79 | 2.56 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.77 | 2.51 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.04 | −0.05 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Forest Park average 2.77 people, a bit above the national 2.65, so families with children are somewhat more common here. Since 2006–10, household size has crept up from 2.74, even as the national average fell. Households are largest in the center and smallest in the south.
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 Park
| Period | Forest Park | Springfield area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 33.4 | 38.8 | 39.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 33.9 | 39.4 | 40.1 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 34.7 | 40.3 | 41.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 35.4 | 40.7 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.0 | +1.9 | +2.0 | +2.3 |
Forest Park is young: half of its residents are under 35.4, compared with a national median of 40.1. The population tilts toward young families with children. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 33.4, mirroring the country.
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 Park
| Period | Forest Park | Springfield area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 21.3% | 15.4% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 27.9% | 16.7% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 24.2% | 15.8% | 10.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 20.9% | 15.3% | 10.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.4 pts | −0.2 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head just over one in five households in Forest Park (20.9%), well above the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has barely moved since 2006–10, while the national share fell.
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 Park
Renters in Forest Park
| Period | Forest Park | Springfield area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 54.2% | 37.0% | 36.0% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 57.0% | 38.5% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 57.1% | 38.9% | 37.6% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 51.7% | 37.8% | 37.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | −2.5 pts | +0.8 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Forest Park rent: 51.7% of occupied homes are rented, far above the national share of 34.8%. Expect more apartments, and more turnover, than in owner-heavy areas. Among homeowners, 42.8% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. The renter share is down 2.5 points from 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
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 Park
| Period | Forest Park | Springfield area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.2% | 8.4% | 9.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 12.4% | 8.3% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 12.0% | 8.2% | 8.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 8.2% | 7.7% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Change | −10.0 pts | −0.8 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in Forest Park as nationally: 8.2%, against 9.6%. Vacancy has fallen 10.0 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than 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 Park
| Period | Forest Park | Springfield area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1940 | 1956 | 1958 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1940 | 1956 | 1959 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1943 | 1957 | 1961 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1945 | 1958 | 1963 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +2 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in Forest Park is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1945, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The median year built has moved up from 1940 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the southeast, the oldest in the center.
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 Park
| Period | Forest Park | Springfield area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $900 | $809 | $1,085 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $962 | $871 | $1,157 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,037 | $995 | $1,398 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,337 | $1,261 | $1,860 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$436 | +$452 | +$775 | +$606 |
The median renter in Forest Park pays $1,337 a month for rent and utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Locally, though, rents here are higher than in the Springfield area as a whole ($1,261). Rent has climbed $436 a month since 2006–10, up 48%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 38.1% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
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 Park
Bachelor's degrees in Forest Park
| Period | Forest Park | Springfield area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 24.2% | 23.3% | 38.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 22.0% | 24.8% | 40.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 22.7% | 26.7% | 43.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 19.7% | 29.0% | 47.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | −4.4 pts | +5.8 pts | +8.7 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Forest Park: 19.7% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is down 4.4 points from 2006–10, even as the national share rose. College graduates are most concentrated in the west and least in the north.
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 Park
| Period | Forest Park | Springfield area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 76.6% | 82.4% | 88.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 75.9% | 83.3% | 89.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 77.0% | 85.2% | 90.5% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 80.2% | 86.7% | 91.0% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.6 pts | +4.3 pts | +2.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in five adults in Forest Park never finished high school, well above the national share: only 80.2% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. The share with a diploma is up 3.6 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 Park
| Period | Forest Park | Springfield area | Massachusetts | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.2% | 10.2% | 7.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 17.0% | 11.8% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.7% | 6.2% | 5.0% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.6% | 6.3% | 5.2% | 5.4% |
| Change | −8.6 pts | −3.9 pts | −2.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in Forest Park: 7.6% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment is down 8.6 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. 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 Park 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 Park | 2.77 | 35.4 | 20.9% | 51.7% | 8.2% | 1945 | $1,337 | 19.7% | 80.2% | 7.6% |
| Maple High-Six Corners | 2.51 | 31.1 | 16.6% | 78.2% | 11.8% | 1950 | $961 | 9.4% | 65.1% | 14.9% |
| East Forest Park | 2.53 | 38.0 | 15.0% | 13.4% | 4.8% | 1954 | $1,607 | 34.8% | 92.1% | 4.5% |
| South End Springfield | 2.28 | 32.7 | 29.2% | 88.3% | 6.3% | 1953 | $1,026 | 16.0% | 63.3% | 13.5% |
| Old Hill | 3.10 | 28.9 | 48.4% | 60.9% | 15.0% | 1944 | $1,543 | 9.3% | 60.3% | 14.0% |
| Upper Hill | 2.83 | 31.6 | 27.8% | 57.7% | 17.6% | 1945 | $1,314 | 25.2% | 82.5% | 8.5% |
| Metro Center | 2.00 | 32.7 | 19.4% | 93.1% | 6.9% | 1946 | $917 | 18.5% | 73.5% | 16.4% |
| McKnight | 3.00 | 35.0 | 27.3% | 56.2% | 10.9% | 1938 | $981 | 13.2% | 72.2% | 12.1% |
| Bay | 2.94 | 27.2 | 32.2% | 64.5% | 15.1% | 1943 | $1,089 | 13.1% | 70.5% | 8.5% |
| Memorial Square | 2.87 | 30.1 | 30.2% | 82.4% | 9.5% | 1949 | $1,004 | 12.9% | 60.2% | 21.6% |
| Liberty Heights | 2.83 | 33.5 | 25.1% | 51.6% | 10.8% | 1947 | $1,225 | 18.9% | 79.4% | 11.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: East Broad, Black Lick, OH · Great Bridge, Chesapeake, VA · North Park San Diego, San Diego, CA · North End, St. Paul, MN · North Dorchester, Boston, MA · North Central, Philadelphia, PA · Mountain's Edge, Las Vegas, NV · Model City, Miami, FL · Meadowview, Sacramento, CA · Little Haiti, Miami, FL
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 Park. 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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