United States › Forrest City MICROPOLITAN AREA
Forrest City Micro Forrest City, AR · 1 counties · 21,800 residents (2025 est.) · 635 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
Forrest City is home to 22,400 people. 14% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. The poverty rate is 28.5%, above the 12.5% national rate. Home values have risen by half since 2000, reaching $90,900. 2% of people across the metro were born outside the United States. Median household income is $42,574, under the $82,259 national median.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 40.1
US median: 38.9
Less educated
14% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 29,329 in 2000
21,800 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 46 / sq mi in 2000
US average: 281
from 33.8 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
22K 24K 26K 28K 30K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Forrest City Age distribution, 2024
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Section 02
Income & economy $42,574
−11%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $26,146 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $12,483 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 9.5% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 27.5% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.475 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 8.4%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 4.8%
Transportation & warehousing 2.7%
Public administration 1.5%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.6%
Education & health services 0.4%
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$90,900
−2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $50,700 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$779
+6%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $403 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 63.2% in 2000
44.5% rent
from 16.9% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.36 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 23.8% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 54.0% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.3 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 45.1%(13,224)
Hispanic / Latino 4.9%(1,431)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 39.3%(8,797)
Hispanic / Latino 3.7%(821)
from 70 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 35 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 Ancestry
+ 9 more ancestry groups with data from 9.6% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 65.1% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 3.3% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 16.7 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 85.9% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 10.5% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.7% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 1.6% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 1.0% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 12.2% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 13.2% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 45.4% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 59.3% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 24.0% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 25.2% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 2.1% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 9.3% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 21.3% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 18.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 48.3% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 85.0% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 84.8% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 94.6% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 3.5% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 45.4%(4,751)
Women 15+
Never married 32.1%(2,571)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 18.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 33.8% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 11.6% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 21.5% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 41.1% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.3% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 44.5% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 55.7% 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) 7.7%(77)
Gulf War (1990s) 13.7%(138)
Share of the 1,005 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 Forrest City Head to head
Compare Forrest City side by side FORREST CITY VS
Cordele
Income $45,105 +6%
Home value $140,200 +54%
Population 19,237 −12%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
FORREST CITY VS
Fitzgerald
Income $41,758 −2%
Home value $112,700 +24%
Population 17,099 −22%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
FORREST CITY VS
Clarksdale
Income $37,461 −12%
Home value $90,300 −1%
Population 19,849 −9%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
FORREST CITY VS
Eufaula
Income $45,549 +7%
Home value $112,202 +23%
Population 26,861 +23%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Forrest City, AR? Forrest City, AR has about 22,400 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Forrest City, AR? The typical household in Forrest City, AR earns about $42,574 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Forrest City, AR expensive? In Forrest City, AR, the median home is worth about $90,900, and the typical rent is about $779 a month.
How educated are people in Forrest City, AR? About 14.2% of adults age 25 and over in Forrest City, AR hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Forrest City, AR? About 28.5% of people in Forrest City, AR live below the federal poverty line.
Has Forrest City, AR grown since 1990? Yes, Forrest City, AR has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 6,097 residents, a change of about -21 percent over that period.
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