Forest City, NC Profile: Facts & Data

The Town of Forest City had a population of 7,367 as of July 1, 2024. Forest City ranks in the upper quartile for Diversity Index when compared to the other cities, towns and Census Designated Places (CDPs) in North Carolina. See peer rankings below.

The primary coordinate point for Forest City is located at latitude 35.334 and longitude -81.8651 in Rutherford County. The formal boundaries for the Town of Forest City encompass a land area of 8.57 sq. miles and a water area of 0.02 sq. miles. Rutherford County is in the Eastern time zone (GMT -5).

The Town of Forest City has a C1 Census Class Code which indicates an active incorporated place that does not serve as a county subdivision equivalent. It also has a Functional Status Code of "A" which identifies an active government providing primary general-purpose functions.

Forest City, NC Data & Demographics (As of July 1, 2024)

POPULATION
Total Population	7,367 (100%)
Population in Households	7,160 (97.2%)
Population in Families	5,649 (76.7%)
Population in Group Quarters¹	207 ( 2.8%)
Population Density	860
Diversity Index²	65


INCOME
Median Household Income	$46,239
Average Household Income	$72,813
% of Income for Mortgage⁴	25%
Per Capita Income	$30,143
Wealth Index⁵	62
Socioeconomic Status Index⁶	Low (38.4)

HOUSING
Total HU (Housing Units)	3,488 (100%)
Owner Occupied HU	1,522 (43.6%)
Renter Occupied HU	1,523 (43.7%)
Vacant Housing Units	443 (12.7%)
Median Home Value	$180,952
Average Home Value	$226,429
Housing Affordability Index³	104

HOUSEHOLDS
Total Households	3,045
Average Household Size	2.35
Family Households	1,818
Average Family Size	3.00

NOTES

Group Quarters - a place where people live or stay in a group living arrangement. Includes college residents halls, nursing facilities, military barracks, and correctional facilities.
The Diversity Index is a scale of 0 to 100 that represents the likelihood that two persons, chosen at random from the same area, belong to different races or ethnic groups. If an area's entire population belongs to one race AND one ethnic group, then the area has zero diversity. An area's diversity index increases to 100 when the population is evenly divided into two or more race/ethnic groups.
The Housing Affordability Index base is 100 and represents a balance point where a resident with a median household income can normally qualify to purchase a median price home. Values above 100 indicate increased affordability, while values below 100 indicate decreased affordability.
The % of Income for Mortgage quantifies the percentage of median household income dedicated to mortgage payments on a home priced at the median value (assuming a 30-year mortgage and a 20% down payment).
The Wealth Index is based on a number of indicators of affluence including average household income and average net worth, but it also includes the value of material possessions and resources. It represents the wealth of the area relative to the national level. Values above or below 100 represent above-average wealth or below-average wealth compared to the national level.
The Socioeconomic Index ranges from zero (lowest relative status) to 100 (highest relative status). This measure quantifies disparities in social position of an area's inhabitants and is built from a broad range of demographic, housing, and socioeconomic inputs. More information on this measure can be found in Esri's SEI tutorial.

Forest City, NC - Peer Comparisons by Rank and Percentile

The table below compares Forest City to the other 777 incorporated cities, towns and CDPs in North Carolina by rank and percentile using July 1, 2024 data. The location Ranked # 1 has the highest value. A location that ranks higher than 75% of its peers would be in the 75th percentile of the peer group.

GROWTH RATE / YEAR	2020-2024	2024-2029
Population	-0.03%	-0.22%
Households	-0.22%	-0.04%
Families		-0.15%
Median Household Income		2.07%
Per Capita Income		2.81%
Owner Occupied HU		1.58%

Variable Description	Rank	Percentile
Total Population	# 131	83rd
Population Density	# 282	64th
Median Household Income	# 615	21st
Housing Affordability Index	# 424	55th
Per Capita Income	# 449	42nd
Diversity Index	# 196	75th

Forest City, NC Profile: Facts & Data

Forest City, North Carolina - Basic Facts

Forest City, NC Data & Demographics (As of July 1, 2024)

POPULATION

INCOME

HOUSING

HOUSEHOLDS

GROWTH RATE / YEAR

Forest City, NC - Peer Comparisons by Rank and Percentile

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