CITY · 1990 CENSUS

Forest City

North Carolina · 7,475 residents · 8.57 sq mi

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The short version

With 7,475 people, Forest City is a city in North Carolina. 9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Median home value sits at $43,100. 52% of homes are owner-occupied. Households here earn about 28% less than in North Carolina as a whole. Households take in $19,068 at the median, 37% less than the US figure.

At a glance

Lower income

below the US median

US median: $30,130

Mid-age

median age 33.6

US median: 33.0

Less educated

9% hold a bachelor's degree

US average: 20%

More affordable

home values down 8%, inflation adjusted

US median home: $93,722

Section 01

Population & growth

Total population

7,475

−1%vs 2000

vs 7,549 in 2000

1990 – 2025

Median age

33.6

−11%vs 2000

vs 37.8 in 2000

US average: 33.0

Land area

8.57 sq mi

Population, 1990 – 2024

20247K

Age distribution, 1990

Under 57.9%(590)

US avg: 7.3%

5 to 97.1%(533)

US avg: 7.3%

10 to 146.5%(486)

US avg: 6.9%

15 to 198%(600)

US avg: 7.1%

20 to 247.7%(576)

US avg: 7.5%

25 to 3414.8%(1,109)

US avg: 17.5%

35 to 4413.1%(978)

US avg: 15.1%

45 to 548.2%(615)

US avg: 10.2%

55 to 6410.1%(756)

US avg: 8.5%

65 to 749.1%(680)

US avg: 7.3%

75 to 846%(450)

US avg: 4%

85 and over1.4%(102)

US avg: 1.2%

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE

Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income

$19,068

+4%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $24,243 in 2000

US average: $30,130

1990 – 2024

Per capita income

$10,572

−31%vs 2000

vs $15,248 in 2000

US average: $14,340

Poverty rate

17.8%

−1.4 ptsvs 2000

vs 19.2% in 2000

US average: 13.2%

Section 03

Housing

Median home value

$43,100

−8%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $61,700 in 2000

US average: $93,722

1990 – 2024

Median gross rent

$300

−2%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $404 in 2000

US average: $450

Owner-occupied

52.5%

+0.6 ptsvs 2000

vs 51.8% in 2000

47.5% rent

Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000

White, non-Hispanic65.4%(4,935)

Black28.7%(2,168)

Hispanic / Latino3.7%(281)

Asian0.6%(47)

Other0%

1990

White, non-Hispanic73.1%(5,462)

Black26.5%(1,980)

Hispanic / Latino0.3%(22)

Asian0.2%(13)

Other0.3%(20)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin

Mexican7.6%(562)

Puerto Rican1.2%(91)

Spaniard0.5%(36)

South American0.3%(23)

Colombian0.3%(23)

Asian origin

Vietnamese1.6%(116)

Ancestry

German10%(737)

American9.8%(723)

Irish6.7%(492)

English6.3%(467)

Scotch-Irish1.8%(135)

Scottish1.6%(117)

French Canadian1%(71)

Italian0.8%(56)

Subsaharan African0.7%(48)

Russian0.5%(39)

Polish0.3%(19)

French0.2%(13)

+ 5 more ancestry groups with data

British0.1%(10)

Czech0.1%(7)

Dutch0.1%(7)

Norwegian0.1%(7)

Welsh0.1%(7)

RANKED:Largest German population · Largest American population · Largest Mexican population · Largest Irish population · Largest English population

Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher

9.5%

−0.1 ptsvs 2000

vs 9.6% in 2000

US average: 20.3%

High school or higher

62.3%

−2.6 ptsvs 2000

vs 64.9% in 2000

US average: 75.2%

Graduate degree

2.4%

−0.9 ptsvs 2000

vs 3.3% in 2000

US average: 7.1%

Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute

14.2 min

+13%vs 2000

vs 12.6 min in 2000

US average: 21.9

Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)

Men 15+

Never married40.8%(1,080)

Married36.8%(974)

Widowed4.1%(108)

Divorced18.2%(482)

Women 15+

Never married32.8%(983)

Married33.4%(1,001)

Widowed10.4%(312)

Divorced23.3%(699)

SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024

Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured

14.1%

−3.7 ptssince 2013

from 17.8% in 2013

US average: 8.4%

Employer-based

27.7%

−8.2 ptssince 2020

from 35.9% in 2020

US average: 54.8%

Direct-purchase

10.6%

−2.6 ptssince 2020

from 13.2% in 2020

US average: 13.8%

Medicare

24.8%

+4.4 ptssince 2020

from 20.4% in 2020

US average: 18.4%

Medicaid

44.3%

+5.2 ptssince 2020

from 39.1% in 2020

US average: 20.9%

VA health care

2.8%

−0.6 ptssince 2020

from 3.4% in 2020

US average: 2.2%

Any private

37.4%

−10.0 ptssince 2020

from 47.4% in 2020

US average: 67.1%

Any public

60.0%

+6.6 ptssince 2020

from 53.4% 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)26%(101)

US avg: 26.4%

Gulf War (1990s)9.8%(38)

US avg: 24.3%

Vietnam era23.4%(91)

US avg: 33.1%

Korean War5.4%(21)

US avg: 4.5%

World War II0%(0)

US avg: 1%

Share of the 389 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.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE

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