United States › North Carolina › Forest City CITY · 2020 ACS
Forest City North Carolina · 7,377 residents · 8.57 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 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS 2024 ACS
The short version
With 7,377 people, Forest City is a city in North Carolina. The poverty rate is 34.6%, above the 12.8% national rate. Households here earn about 48% less than in North Carolina as a whole. 17% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 33% national rate. Owners hold 46% of the housing stock. Home values have risen by half since 2000, reaching $108,500.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Mid-age
median age 39.5
US median: 38.8
Less educated
17% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01
Population & growth from 37.8 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Population, 1990 – 2024
7K 7K 7K 7K 8K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Forest City Age distribution, 2020
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Section 02
Income & economy $29,571
−19%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $24,243 in 2000
US average: $66,278
from $15,248 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
from 11.2% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
from 19.2% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Education & health services 1.3%
Professional, scientific, technical 1.3%
Transportation & warehousing 1.2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0%
Arts, entertainment, food 0%
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$108,500
+17%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $61,700 in 2000
US average: $265,253
$637
+5%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $404 in 2000
US average: $1,124
from 51.8% in 2000
54.2% rent
2.47 people
+19%since 2009
from 2.08 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
from 2.9 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.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 65.4%(4,935)
Hispanic / Latino 3.7%(281)
2020
White, non-Hispanic 60.2%(4,444)
Hispanic / Latino 11.4%(841)
No data for the years selected.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 8 more ancestry groups with data from 9.6% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
from 64.9% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
from 3.3% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 12.6 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
from 68.0% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
from 15.8% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07
Work & employment from 18.2% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
from 48.7% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
US average: 73.3%
from 19.2% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08
People & community from 2.5% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
from 17.8% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
US average: 91.9%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married 40.8%(1,080)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 17.8% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Direct-purchase
US average: 13.7%
VA health care
US average: 2.3%
Any private
US average: 68.1%
Any public
US average: 35.2%
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, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later) 21.7%(63)
Gulf War (1990s) 12.4%(36)
Share of the 290 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 Forest City Head to head
Compare Forest City to nearby cities FOREST CITY VS
Shelby
Income $48,376 +64%
Home value $197,200 +82%
Population 23,309 +215%
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FOREST CITY VS
Boiling Springs
Income $72,068 +144%
Home value $244,400 +125%
Population 12,936 +75%
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FOREST CITY VS
Gaffney
Income $41,089 +39%
Home value $137,700 +27%
Population 12,583 +70%
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FOREST CITY VS
Valley Falls
Income $55,661 +88%
Home value $256,600 +136%
Population 8,239 +11%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Forest City, North Carolina? Forest City, North Carolina has about 7,377 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Forest City, North Carolina? The typical household in Forest City, North Carolina earns about $29,571 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Forest City, North Carolina expensive? In Forest City, North Carolina, the median home is worth about $108,500, and the typical rent is about $637 a month.
How educated are people in Forest City, North Carolina? About 17.0% of adults age 25 and over in Forest City, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Forest City, North Carolina? About 34.6% of people in Forest City, North Carolina live below the federal poverty line.
Has Forest City, North Carolina grown since 1990? Yes, Forest City, North Carolina has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 98 residents, a change of about -1 percent over that period.
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