Population 7,115 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Oak Forest
Household size in Oak Forest
| Period | Oak Forest | Charlotte area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.01 | 2.60 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.71 | 2.68 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 3.05 | 2.67 | 2.56 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 3.15 | 2.62 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.14 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Oak Forest are large by national standards, averaging 3.15 people against 2.65 for the U.S. That usually means more families with children at home. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 3.01, even as the national average fell. Few Charlotte neighborhoods have larger households: only four of 105.
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 Oak Forest
| Period | Oak Forest | Charlotte area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 25.0 | 36.7 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 33.2 | 37.8 | 38.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 27.1 | 38.6 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 30.7 | 38.8 | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +5.7 | +2.0 | +2.3 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 30.7, Oak Forest is far younger than the country as a whole (40.1), a population that tilts toward young families with children. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 25.0, as it has nationally. The youngest areas are in the northwest, the oldest in the northeast.
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 Oak Forest
| Period | Oak Forest | Charlotte area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 33.6% | 12.3% | 12.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 24.2% | 12.7% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 27.5% | 11.5% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 23.3% | 11.3% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | −10.3 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.0 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are common in Oak Forest: 23.3% of all households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share is down 10.3 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only six of Charlotte's 105 neighborhoods have a higher share of single-parent households.
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 Oak Forest
Renters in Oak Forest
| Period | Oak Forest | Charlotte area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 75.8% | 30.9% | 31.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 80.8% | 33.4% | 34.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 78.0% | 34.3% | 34.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 68.6% | 34.1% | 33.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | −7.3 pts | +3.2 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in Oak Forest: 68.6% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. Nearly four in ten owners (37.8%) have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. Rentals cluster in the northwest; owners are most common in the northeast. The renter share has fallen 7.3 points since 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 Oak Forest
| Period | Oak Forest | Charlotte area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.6% | 10.4% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 19.7% | 10.0% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.4% | 8.6% | 12.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.9% | 8.3% | 11.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | −6.7 pts | −2.1 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Oak Forest: 6.9% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. The Charlotte area as a whole looks much the same. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 6.7 points, 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 Oak Forest
| Period | Oak Forest | Charlotte area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1979 | 1986 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1978 | 1987 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1977 | 1989 | 1986 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1981 | 1994 | 1990 | 1980 |
| Change | +2 | +8 | +7 | +6 |
Homes in Oak Forest are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1981, versus 1980 nationally. Homes here are older than in the Charlotte area overall, where the median home dates to 1994.
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 Oak Forest
| Period | Oak Forest | Charlotte area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $738 | $875 | $789 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $748 | $966 | $868 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $921 | $1,127 | $981 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,337 | $1,552 | $1,317 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$598 | +$678 | +$528 | +$606 |
Rent in Oak Forest runs $1,337 a month at the median, utilities included, below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $598 a month since 2006–10, up 81%, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 31.1% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Rents run highest in the center and lowest in the south.
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 Oak Forest
Bachelor's degrees in Oak Forest
| Period | Oak Forest | Charlotte area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.2% | 30.6% | 27.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.3% | 32.4% | 29.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 11.0% | 35.9% | 32.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 17.4% | 40.6% | 36.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +9.2 pts | +10.0 pts | +8.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Oak Forest have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 17.4%, against 35.6% nationally. The share with a degree is up 9.2 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Only six of Charlotte's 105 neighborhoods 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 Oak Forest
| Period | Oak Forest | Charlotte area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 69.1% | 85.8% | 84.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 69.0% | 87.3% | 86.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 70.0% | 89.2% | 88.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 65.3% | 90.6% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | −3.8 pts | +4.8 pts | +5.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
Just over a third of adults in Oak Forest never finished high school, well above the national share: only 65.3% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has fallen 3.8 points, even as the national rate rose. Few Charlotte neighborhoods have a lower share of high school graduates: only three of 105.
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 Oak Forest
| Period | Oak Forest | Charlotte area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.2% | 9.1% | 8.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 17.9% | 10.8% | 10.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.6% | 5.2% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.1% | 4.3% | 4.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.1 pts | −4.8 pts | −4.0 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been harder to find in Oak Forest than nationally: unemployment was 7.1%, against 5.4%. Unemployment has edged down 1.1 points since 2006–10, 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).
Oak Forest 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oak Forest | 3.15 | 30.7 | 23.3% | 68.6% | 6.9% | 1981 | $1,337 | 17.4% | 65.3% | 7.1% |
| Hickory Grove | 2.72 | 37.6 | 18.9% | 28.7% | 12.2% | 1992 | $1,513 | 31.3% | 83.7% | 9.5% |
| Plaza-Eastway | 2.83 | 38.3 | 17.1% | 46.9% | 6.3% | 1974 | $1,285 | 26.6% | 74.5% | 11.1% |
| Shannon Park | 2.54 | 35.8 | 11.4% | 53.4% | 10.4% | 1979 | $1,352 | 18.8% | 69.7% | 7.2% |
| Windsor Park | 2.62 | 37.3 | 17.9% | 54.9% | 8.9% | 1974 | $1,442 | 26.5% | 73.4% | 4.0% |
| Eastland-Wilora Lake | 2.51 | 32.0 | 16.0% | 64.0% | 9.7% | 1984 | $1,385 | 20.4% | 74.6% | 4.8% |
| Farm Pond | 3.11 | 28.2 | 25.8% | 74.2% | 5.9% | 1984 | $1,308 | 10.2% | 64.2% | 2.1% |
| Newell South | 2.79 | 29.8 | 14.1% | 44.1% | 9.5% | 1998 | $1,742 | 34.6% | 71.6% | 6.2% |
| Hickory Ridge | 2.95 | 39.0 | 12.4% | 43.6% | 5.1% | 1985 | $1,515 | 17.6% | 76.9% | 6.8% |
| Country Club Heights | 2.39 | 32.8 | 17.0% | 57.6% | 6.9% | 1966 | $1,401 | 35.9% | 75.7% | 12.2% |
| Plaza-Shamrock | 1.98 | 35.9 | 10.4% | 52.3% | 7.8% | 1956 | $1,178 | 45.5% | 84.6% | 3.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Gresham-Kelly Creek, Gresham, OR · Crystal Springs, Jacksonville, FL · Delta, Everett, WA · Downtown Durham, Durham, NC · Downtown Normal, Normal, IL · Westside, Binghamton, NY · Euclid-St Paul, St. Petersburg, FL · West University, Tucson, AZ · Wellswood, Tampa, FL · Vintage, Napa, CA
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 Oak Forest. 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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