Population 402 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
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Population and households in Forward
Household size in Forward
| Period | Forward | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.63 | 2.43 | 2.45 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.67 | 2.41 | 2.47 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.71 | 2.39 | 2.43 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.55 | 2.30 | 2.40 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.08 | −0.13 | −0.06 | −0.03 |
The average household in Forward has 2.55 people, a bit under the U.S. average of 2.65. Still, the typical household here is bigger than in the Madison area overall, where it has 2.30 people.
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 Forward
| Period | Forward | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 44.4 | 37.0 | 38.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 46.2 | 37.9 | 39.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 45.1 | 38.3 | 40.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 49.8 | 38.9 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +5.5 | +1.9 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
Forward skews older: half of its residents are older than 49.8, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. The median age has climbed from 44.4 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, survey estimates can swing a lot from one release to the next.
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 Forward
| Period | Forward | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.6% | 8.7% | 10.4% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 5.3% | 8.8% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 5.7% | 8.0% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.1% | 8.2% | 9.8% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.5 pts | −0.5 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Forward: 3.1% 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 Forward
Renters in Forward
| Period | Forward | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.6% | 35.1% | 30.5% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 13.1% | 38.3% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 11.1% | 38.9% | 33.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 10.7% | 39.7% | 32.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.1 pts | +4.5 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 10.7% of households in Forward rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Among homeowners, 35.6% have no mortgage at all, below 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 Forward
| Period | Forward | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.4% | 8.9% | 10.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 2.8% | 6.3% | 10.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.1% | 5.7% | 10.1% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 8.7% | 5.5% | 9.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | +2.3 pts | −3.4 pts | −1.3 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy in Forward is close to the national rate: 8.7% of homes are empty, against 9.6%. The rate is higher than in the Madison area as a whole (5.5%).
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 Forward
| Period | Forward | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1956 | 1976 | 1970 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1967 | 1978 | 1971 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1979 | 1979 | 1972 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1984 | 1983 | 1974 | 1980 |
| Change | +27 | +7 | +5 | +6 |
Homes in Forward are a bit newer than the national norm: the median home was built in 1984, versus 1980 across the U.S. That is in line with the rest of the Madison area.
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 Forward
| Period | Forward | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $778 | $868 | $758 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,068 | $950 | $821 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,048 | $1,072 | $904 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,400 | $1,366 | $1,139 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$622 | +$498 | +$380 | +$606 |
The median renter in Forward pays $1,400 a month for rent and utilities, below the national median of $1,571. That is in line with the rest of the Madison area. Rent takes 25.0% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under 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 Forward
Bachelor's degrees in Forward
| Period | Forward | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 28.9% | 41.3% | 26.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 33.5% | 43.6% | 28.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 36.4% | 46.9% | 30.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 40.3% | 50.6% | 33.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +11.5 pts | +9.3 pts | +7.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
About four in ten adults 25 and older in Forward (40.3%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, a bit above the national share of 35.6%. Still, the share is lower than in the wider Madison area (50.6%).
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 Forward
| Period | Forward | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 93.0% | 93.8% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 94.3% | 94.4% | 90.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 97.0% | 95.2% | 92.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 97.0% | 95.1% | 93.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.9 pts | +1.3 pts | +3.8 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Forward: 97.0% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 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 Forward
| Period | Forward | Madison area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.2% | 5.0% | 6.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.1% | 5.5% | 7.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.1% | 2.6% | 3.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.3% | 2.6% | 3.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.0 pts | −2.4 pts | −3.4 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Forward has been strong: just 2.3% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. The Madison area as a whole looks much the same. 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).
Forward 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forward | 2.55 | 49.8 | 3.1% | 10.7% | 8.7% | 1984 | $1,400 | 40.3% | 97.0% | 2.3% |
| Mount Vernon | 2.63 | 42.3 | 4.1% | 23.4% | 4.8% | 1993 | $1,422 | 46.4% | 97.5% | 3.0% |
| Postville | 2.65 | 47.1 | 3.4% | 13.6% | 4.8% | 1993 | $1,147 | 37.3% | 95.6% | 2.5% |
| New Glarus | 2.57 | 45.3 | 6.6% | 16.6% | 6.3% | 1974 | $1,075 | 41.3% | 97.0% | 4.9% |
| Blanchardville | 2.24 | 51.0 | 5.8% | 16.3% | 5.5% | 1965 | $793 | 30.1% | 94.9% | 2.0% |
| Mount Horeb | 2.64 | 41.0 | 4.9% | 25.5% | 6.7% | 1991 | $1,250 | 48.5% | 97.4% | 3.2% |
| Hollandale | 2.34 | 49.6 | 7.3% | 13.7% | 5.8% | 1964 | $812 | 26.1% | 95.3% | 3.5% |
| Belleville | 2.50 | 41.5 | 7.4% | 12.6% | 4.1% | 1987 | $1,046 | 40.2% | 97.6% | 1.1% |
| Blue Mounds | 2.42 | 45.5 | 7.4% | 19.4% | 3.8% | 1989 | $1,134 | 42.0% | 97.8% | 1.9% |
| Dayton | 2.54 | 42.0 | 7.5% | 10.7% | 3.5% | 1996 | $961 | 39.0% | 96.5% | 2.1% |
| Monticello | 2.30 | 46.9 | 4.5% | 21.1% | 3.4% | 1970 | $926 | 25.1% | 95.8% | 2.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Gilman, MN · Gotha, MN · Goshen, MA · Goodwater, OK · Goodsprings, AL · Gonyon, VA · White Bird, ID · Glencoe, OH · Glencairn, NY · Glen Springs, KY
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 Forward. 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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