United States › Forest City MICROPOLITAN AREA · 2020 ACS
Forest City Micro Forest City, NC · 1 counties · 64,444 residents · 565 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
Forest City is a metro area of 64,444 people. At a median age of 45.6, this is an older place than the country as a whole. 19% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 33% national rate. Home values have risen by half since 2000, reaching $125,100. The foreign-born share is 3%. Median rent is $655 a month.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Older
median age 45.6
US median: 38.8
Less educated
19% 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 38.3 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Population, 1990 – 2024
56K 59K 62K 66K 69K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Forest City Age distribution, 2020
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Section 02
Income & economy $43,183
−8%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $31,122 in 2000
US average: $66,278
from $16,270 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
from 15.4% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
from 13.9% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Professional, scientific, technical 4.2%
Public administration 2.7%
Transportation & warehousing 1.6%
Education & health services 1.5%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 1.4%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.2%
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$125,100
+17%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $71,300 in 2000
US average: $265,253
$655
+8%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $404 in 2000
US average: $1,124
from 74.5% in 2000
28.7% rent
from 2.34 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
from 2.8 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 85.8%(53,957)
Hispanic / Latino 1.8%(1,136)
2020
White, non-Hispanic 80.7%(52,026)
Hispanic / Latino 5.1%(3,286)
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 27 more ancestry groups with data from 12.5% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
from 70.4% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
from 3.9% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 14.9 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
from 83.2% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
from 7.5% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07
Work & employment from 13.2% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
from 56.1% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
US average: 73.3%
from 26.0% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08
People & community from 1.9% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
from 18.0% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
US average: 91.9%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married 28.6%(7,506)
Women 15+
Never married 24.6%(6,916)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 18.0% 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) 14.1%(565)
Gulf War (1990s) 17.5%(700)
Share of the 4,003 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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In this metro
Largest cities What's inside
1 component county Drill deeper
Metros similar to Forest City Head to head
Compare Forest City side by side FOREST CITY VS
Columbus
Income $50,861 +18%
Home value $153,272 +23%
Population 67,144 +2%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
FOREST CITY VS
Fort Payne
Income $51,204 +19%
Home value $152,700 +22%
Population 74,085 +13%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
FOREST CITY VS
Gaffney
Income $50,288 +16%
Home value $142,000 +14%
Population 58,275 −11%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
FOREST CITY VS
Clewiston
Income $53,987 +25%
Home value $200,405 +60%
Population 61,546 −6%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Forest City, NC? Forest City, NC has about 64,444 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Forest City, NC? The typical household in Forest City, NC earns about $43,183 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 $125,100, and the typical rent is about $655 a month.
How educated are people in Forest City, NC? About 19.2% 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 17.8% 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 7,526 residents, a change of about 13 percent over that period.
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