Population 15,417 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
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Population and households in Forrest City
Household size in Forrest City
| Period | Forrest City | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.72 | 2.54 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.68 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.76 | 2.55 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.32 | 2.53 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.40 | −0.00 | −0.03 |
Households in Forrest City are small: just 2.32 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 2.72 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Forrest City
| Period | Forrest City | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.8 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 37.0 | 38.7 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 37.2 | 39.5 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 39.6 | 39.6 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.8 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
At 39.6, the median age in Forrest City is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. The median age has climbed from 36.8 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. Residents skew youngest in the west and oldest in the east.
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 Forrest City
| Period | Forrest City | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 30.8% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 28.9% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 29.4% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 14.9% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −15.9 pts | −0.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are common in Forrest City: 14.9% of all households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share is down 15.9 points from 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 Forrest City
Renters in Forrest City
| Period | Forrest City | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 47.8% | 32.3% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 48.5% | 33.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 51.4% | 34.4% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 54.0% | 33.6% | 34.8% |
| Change | +6.3 pts | +1.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in Forrest City: 54.0% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. Among owners, 46.5% have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has risen 6.3 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Of the 101 Arkansas cities with 5,000+ people, only two have a higher share of renters.
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 Forrest City
| Period | Forrest City | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.8% | 13.4% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 16.1% | 13.9% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 16.8% | 14.4% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 17.1% | 13.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.7 pts | −0.3 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Forrest City: 17.1% 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. Vacancy is down 0.7 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Forrest City
| Period | Forrest City | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1976 | 1981 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1976 | 1983 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1977 | 1985 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1986 | 1988 | 1980 |
| Change | +10 | +6 | +6 |
Homes in Forrest City are newer than the national norm: the median home was built in 1986, versus 1980 across the U.S. The median year built has moved up from 1976 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the southwest, the oldest in the east.
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 Forrest City
| Period | Forrest City | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $550 | $660 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $666 | $718 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $653 | $785 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $768 | $1,007 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$218 | +$346 | +$606 |
Rent in Forrest City runs $768 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $218 a month since 2006–10, up 40%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 39.8% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. The priciest rents are in the southeast; 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 Forrest City
Bachelor's degrees in Forrest City
| Period | Forrest City | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.3% | 20.6% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 13.4% | 21.8% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 10.5% | 23.8% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 12.2% | 26.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | −2.1 pts | +5.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Forrest City have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 12.2%, against 35.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has fallen 2.1 points, even as the national share rose. Of the 101 Arkansas cities with 5,000+ people, only seven have a lower share of college graduates.
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 Forrest City
| Period | Forrest City | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 75.8% | 82.6% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 78.4% | 84.6% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 82.3% | 86.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 83.7% | 88.7% | 89.3% |
| Change | +8.0 pts | +6.1 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in six adults in Forrest City never finished high school, well above the national share: only 83.7% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. The share with a diploma is up 8.0 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Forrest City has a lower share of high school graduates than the great majority of Arkansas cities.
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 Forrest City
| Period | Forrest City | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.3% | 7.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 12.5% | 8.4% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.4% | 5.2% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.5% | 5.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −8.8 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment runs a little high in Forrest City: 6.5% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 8.8 points, 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).
Forrest 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forrest City | 2.32 | 39.6 | 14.9% | 54.0% | 17.1% | 1986 | $768 | 12.2% | 83.7% | 6.5% |
| Madison | 2.21 | 52.7 | 10.5% | 34.0% | 31.8% | 1983 | $729 | 25.8% | 83.5% | 4.1% |
| Caldwell | 2.56 | 40.1 | 7.9% | 30.2% | 24.4% | 1991 | $730 | 10.1% | 86.5% | 6.1% |
| Haynes | 2.59 | 36.9 | 23.2% | 24.8% | 21.2% | 1979 | $668 | 16.2% | 86.0% | 10.3% |
| Widener | 2.91 | 39.8 | 26.5% | 20.7% | 30.8% | 1987 | $570 | 16.1% | 78.2% | 3.1% |
| Palestine | 2.65 | 41.9 | 17.0% | 25.7% | 10.2% | 1985 | $770 | 16.2% | 90.4% | 5.9% |
| Meadow Cliff | 2.67 | 34.5 | 20.3% | 45.5% | 21.1% | 1987 | $725 | 12.6% | 88.7% | 20.4% |
| Colt | 2.54 | 46.6 | 10.3% | 23.4% | 21.7% | 1985 | $753 | 13.4% | 87.2% | 11.2% |
| Slonikers Mill | 2.48 | 52.6 | 7.7% | 15.9% | 22.1% | 1984 | $808 | 11.3% | 87.5% | 3.3% |
| Newcastle | 2.43 | 46.9 | 10.7% | 15.5% | 13.4% | 1981 | $606 | 8.7% | 81.0% | 3.2% |
| Hicks Station | 2.95 | 40.8 | 24.0% | 22.7% | 35.1% | 1989 | $567 | 13.1% | 75.8% | 3.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Marshall, MO · Pacific Grove, CA · Orland, CA · Ocean Acres, NJ · North Bend, WA · Neabsco, VA · Millersburg, OH · Midlothian, IL · Midland, GA · Melissa, TX
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 Forrest 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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