United States › Illinois › Forrest CITY
Forrest Illinois · 1,015 residents (2025 est.) · 0.65 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
With 994 people, Forrest is a city in Illinois. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 19% of adults. The typical home is worth $113,000, having risen by half since 2000. 79% of homes are owner-occupied. This skews young, with a median age of 34.1. The foreign-born share is 3%.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 34.1
US median: 38.9
Less educated
19% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
More affordable
home values down 14%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 1,225 in 2000
1,015 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1,534 / sq mi
−1%since 2009
from 1,549 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 37.0 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
971 1K 1K 1K 1K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Forrest Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $73,426
−1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $40,677 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $17,707 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 31.0% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 8.9% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.394 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 9.3%
Transportation & warehousing 5.8%
Professional, scientific, technical 4.2%
Public administration 3.8%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.4%
Education & health services 0%
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$113,000
−14%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $71,800 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$730
−10%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $444 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 73.2% in 2000
21.0% rent
from 8.6% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.31 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 15.8% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 41.5% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 1.9 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 95.1%(1,165)
Hispanic / Latino 2.7%(33)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 86.1%(856)
Hispanic / Latino 10.3%(102)
from 14 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
+ 4 more ancestry groups with data from 14.8% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 78.5% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 5.3% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 17.6 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 79.2% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 12.3% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 1.5% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 7.0% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 5.3% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 13.3% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 67.3% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 78.6% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 10.4% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 23.4% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 2.9% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 11.5% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 13.2% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 10.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 69.5% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 96.3% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 91.0% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 94.0% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 4.8% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 10.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 66.0% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 19.5% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 16.5% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 17.9% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 1.5% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 77.3% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 32.0% 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) 16.7%(11)
Share of the 66 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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Frequently asked
How many people live in Forrest, Illinois? Forrest, Illinois has about 994 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Forrest, Illinois? The typical household in Forrest, Illinois earns about $73,426 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Forrest, Illinois expensive? In Forrest, Illinois, the median home is worth about $113,000, and the typical rent is about $730 a month.
How educated are people in Forrest, Illinois? About 18.9% of adults age 25 and over in Forrest, Illinois hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Forrest, Illinois? About 10.0% of people in Forrest, Illinois live below the federal poverty line.
Has Forrest, Illinois grown since 1990? Yes, Forrest, Illinois has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 130 residents, a change of about -12 percent over that period.
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