United States › Arkansas › Forrest City CITY
Forrest City Arkansas · 12,308 residents (2025 est.) · 20.2 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
Forrest City is home to 12,646 people in Arkansas. The poverty rate is 37.7%, above the 12.5% national rate. 39% of homes are owner-occupied. 14% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. Home values have risen by half since 2000, reaching $92,000. That trails the Arkansas median by roughly 41%.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 36.9
US median: 38.9
Less educated
14% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
More affordable
home values down 10%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 14,774 in 2000
12,308 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 664 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 32.3 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
12K 13K 14K 15K 16K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Forrest City Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $35,689
−15%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $23,111 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $11,716 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 8.5% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 33.4% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.490 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 7.8%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 1%
Transportation & warehousing 0.7%
Education & health services 0.4%
Arts, entertainment, food 0%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$92,000
−10%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $56,100 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$805
+4%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $426 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 51.1% in 2000
60.8% rent
from 14.9% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
2.53 people
+10%since 2009
from 2.30 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 28.2% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 55.8% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 3.0 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 29.6%(4,370)
Hispanic / Latino 8.3%(1,221)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 20.8%(2,633)
Hispanic / Latino 4.8%(609)
from 62 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 2 more ancestry groups with data from 12.4% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 65.5% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 4.1% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 15.4 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 85.1% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 10.2% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 1.9% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 2.1% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 14.3% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 13.5% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 38.2% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 57.5% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 26.0% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 25.9% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 3.1% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 8.9% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 18.8% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 18.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 50.6% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 85.6% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 82.6% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 91.1% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 5.9% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 53.6%(3,305)
Women 15+
Never married 38.8%(1,621)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 18.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 27.6% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 8.4% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 16.5% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 50.9% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 1.9% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 35.4% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 61.8% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 12.6%(48)
Gulf War (1990s) 15.3%(58)
Share of the 380 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
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Drill deeper
Places similar to Forrest City Head to head
Compare Forrest City to nearby cities FORREST CITY VS
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FORREST CITY VS
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FORREST CITY VS
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FORREST CITY VS
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Forrest City, Arkansas? Forrest City, Arkansas has about 12,646 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Forrest City, Arkansas? The typical household in Forrest City, Arkansas earns about $35,689 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Forrest City, Arkansas expensive? In Forrest City, Arkansas, the median home is worth about $92,000, and the typical rent is about $805 a month.
How educated are people in Forrest City, Arkansas? About 13.8% of adults age 25 and over in Forrest City, Arkansas hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Forrest City, Arkansas? About 37.7% of people in Forrest City, Arkansas live below the federal poverty line.
Has Forrest City, Arkansas grown since 1990? Yes, Forrest City, Arkansas has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 718 residents, a change of about -5 percent over that period.
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