MICROPOLITAN AREA
Forest City Micro
Forest City, NC · 1 counties · 65,745 residents (2025 est.) · 565 sq mi
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The short version
Forest City is home to 64,930 people. At a median age of 45.3, this is an older place than the country as a whole. 21% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. The foreign-born share is 3%. Home values have roughly tripled since 2000, reaching $201,800. Median rent is $783 a month.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 45.3
US median: 38.9
Less educated
21% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 55%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth
64,930
+3%since 2000
from 62,899 in 2000
65,745 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Land area
565 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
202465K
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55%(3,216)
5 to 95.9%(3,836)
10 to 145.4%(3,529)
15 to 195.8%(3,775)
20 to 245.1%(3,323)
25 to 3411.5%(7,493)
35 to 4410.9%(7,069)
45 to 5413.3%(8,609)
55 to 6414.8%(9,622)
65 to 7413.1%(8,524)
75 to 847.5%(4,869)
85 and over1.6%(1,065)
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy
$51,410
−9%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $31,122 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Households earning $100K+
34.3%
+18.9 ptssince 2009
from 15.4% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade15.6%
Information11.3%
Wholesale trade7.7%
Finance & insurance5%
Other services4.7%
Professional, scientific, technical3.2%
Public administration3.2%
Education & health services1.7%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing1.3%
Arts, entertainment, food1.1%
Construction1%
Transportation & warehousing0.5%
Manufacturing0.3%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03
Housing
$201,800
+55%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $71,300 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
3.9
+39%since 2009
from 2.8 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
59
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity
2000
White, non-Hispanic85.8%(53,957)
Black11.2%(7,028)
Hispanic / Latino1.8%(1,136)
Asian0.3%(191)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic80.8%(52,457)
Black7.7%(4,984)
Hispanic / Latino5.7%(3,698)
Asian0.5%(304)
Other5.4%(3,487)
42
+27%since 2009
from 33 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
31
+1%since 2020
from 31 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry
Hispanic origin
Mexican3.4%(2,227)
South American0.9%(580)
Colombian0.6%(369)
Central American0.4%(266)
Honduran0.4%(228)
Puerto Rican0.3%(225)
Bolivian0.1%(70)
Venezuelan0.1%(55)
Spaniard0.1%(40)
Chilean0.1%(37)
Ecuadorian0%(32)
Cuban0%(20)
+ 8 more hispanic origin groups with data
Dominican0%(16)
Nicaraguan0%(13)
Salvadoran0%(10)
Argentine0%(10)
Costa Rican0%(7)
Uruguayan0%(7)
Panamanian0%(6)
Guatemalan0%(2)
Asian origin
Vietnamese0.2%(120)
Filipino0.1%(80)
Korean0%(31)
Hmong0%(30)
Asian Indian0%(25)
Chinese0%(17)
Japanese0%(1)
Ancestry
English13.9%(9,027)
American10.8%(7,025)
Irish10.7%(6,956)
German9.8%(6,376)
Scotch-Irish3.2%(2,049)
Scottish2.5%(1,622)
Italian2.3%(1,478)
Polish1%(621)
Dutch0.8%(549)
Welsh0.8%(539)
French0.7%(470)
Swedish0.4%(288)
+ 30 more ancestry groups with data
British0.3%(204)
Subsaharan African0.3%(165)
Russian0.2%(161)
Czech0.2%(137)
French Canadian0.2%(134)
Australian0.2%(131)
Hungarian0.2%(125)
Danish0.2%(108)
Norwegian0.1%(94)
Brazilian0.1%(85)
West Indian0.1%(78)
Portuguese0.1%(58)
Greek0.1%(56)
Ukrainian0.1%(56)
Belgian0.1%(50)
Barbadian0.1%(48)
Swiss0.1%(43)
Slovak0.1%(34)
Arab0%(23)
Canadian0%(19)
Jamaican0%(18)
Palestinian0%(16)
Finnish0%(16)
Romanian0%(14)
Serbian0%(9)
Lithuanian0%(8)
Turkish0%(7)
Lebanese0%(4)
Iranian0%(3)
Haitian0%(2)
Section 05
Education
High school or higher
87.2%
+16.9 ptssince 2000
from 70.4% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Section 06
Commute & transportation
Section 07
Work & employment
Women 20-64 in the labor force
69.1%
+7.2 ptssince 2020
from 61.9% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Section 08
People & community
Computer in household
89.9%
+5.2 ptssince 2020
from 84.7% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married28.6%(7,506)
Married54%(14,171)
Widowed4.7%(1,232)
Divorced12.6%(3,310)
Women 15+
Never married24.6%(6,916)
Married49.5%(13,916)
Widowed12.7%(3,572)
Divorced13.2%(3,726)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage
Direct-purchase
18.4%
+0.7 ptssince 2020
from 17.7% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
VA health care
3.5%
−0.2 ptssince 2020
from 3.7% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
58.5%
−0.8 ptssince 2020
from 59.3% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
46.1%
+0.6 ptssince 2020
from 45.5% 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)18.2%(701)
Gulf War (1990s)20.3%(784)
Vietnam era40.2%(1,549)
Korean War4.6%(176)
World War II0.1%(4)
Share of the 3,853 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
In this metro
Largest cities
What's inside
1 component county
Drill deeper
Metros similar to Forest City
Columbus
Pop 67,144
Fort Payne
Pop 74,085
Gaffney
Pop 58,275
Clewiston
Pop 61,546
Places similar to Forest CityHead to head
Compare Forest City side by side
FOREST CITY VS
Columbus
Income$50,861−1%
Home value$153,272−24%
Population67,144+2%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
FOREST CITY VS
Fort Payne
Income$51,204same
Home value$152,700−24%
Population74,085+13%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
FOREST CITY VS
Gaffney
Income$50,288−2%
Home value$142,000−30%
Population58,275−11%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
FOREST CITY VS
Clewiston
Income$53,987+5%
Home value$200,405−1%
Population61,546−6%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Forest City, NC?
Forest City, NC has about 64,930 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Forest City, NC?
The typical household in Forest City, NC earns about $51,410 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Forest City, NC expensive?
In Forest City, NC, the median home is worth about $201,800, and the typical rent is about $783 a month.
How educated are people in Forest City, NC?
About 21.5% of adults age 25 and over in Forest City, NC hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Forest City, NC?
About 16.8% of people in Forest City, NC live below the federal poverty line.
Has Forest City, NC grown since 1990?
Yes, Forest City, NC has grown since 1990. The population has added about 8,012 residents, a change of about 14 percent over that period.
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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · METRO ROLLUP OF COMPONENT COUNTIES · UPDATED 2024