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Forest, VA

Full City Profile · Virginia · Lynchburg city County

3.7 /5.0
B+ Good
12,476 Population 917/sq mi density
$78,825 Median Income $45,287 per capita
$319,100 Home Value $405,620 Zillow
$1,112 Median Rent 29.6% income on rent
55°F Avg Temperature 305 sunny days/yr
467 Violent Crime/100K 2,533 property/100K
B+
Overall
3.7 / 5.0
Good overall score based on economy, affordability, safety and education
A+
Economy
4.5 / 5.0
$78,825 median income, 2.3% unemployment
A
Affordability
4.4 / 5.0
$319,100 home value, $1,112/mo rent
F
Safety
1.0 / 5.0
467 violent crimes/100K (23% above avg)
A+
Education
4.9 / 5.0
48.4% bachelor's degree or higher

Forest, VA

At a Glance

Median Income
$78,825
5% above
$45,287 per capita
Home Value
$319,100
13% above
Zillow: $405,620
Median Rent
$1,112/mo
4% below
29.6% of income on rent
Violent Crime
467/100K
23% above
2,533/100K property
Bachelor's Degree+
48.4%
44% above
95.3% high school+
Unemployment
2.3%
36% below
3.6% poverty rate
Obesity Rate
35.0%
9% above
11.3% smoking rate
Avg Temperature
55°F
305 sunny days/yr

How Forest Compares to the U.S. Average

Each bar shows Forest's value as a percentage of the national average (100% = U.S. avg)

Income
105%
Home Value
113%
Rent
96%
Poverty
29%
Bachelor's
144%
Unemployment
64%
Crime
123%
Thin vertical line = U.S. national average (100%)

Is Forest a Good Place to Live?

B+
3.7 / 5.0 — Good
Based on economy, affordability, safety, and education metrics compared to national averages.

Economy & Jobs

Forest residents earn a median household income of $78,825 , which is 5% above the national average of $75,149. Per capita income is $45,287. The unemployment rate stands at 2.3% (36% below the U.S. rate of 3.6%). 3.6% of residents live below the poverty line. The area is home to 2,654 business establishments, including 273 restaurants.

Housing & Cost of Living

The median home value in Forest is $319,100 , 13% above the national median of $281,900. Zillow estimates the typical home at $405,620. Median rent is $1,112/month, with 29.6% of renters spending more than 30% of income on housing. The cost of living index is 101.1 (100 = national average). The median home was built in 1992.

Safety & Crime

Forest reports 467 violent crimes per 100,000 residents , which is 23% above the national average of 380/100K. Property crime is 2,533/100K.

Education

48.4% of adults in Forest hold a bachelor's degree or higher (44% above the national average). 95.3% have completed high school. Local schools score 5.6/10 in standardized testing.

Climate & Weather

Forest has an average annual temperature of 55°F (13°C). Winters average 36°F in January while summers reach 75°F in July. The area gets 305 sunny days per year. Annual precipitation totals 43.6 inches. Air quality is rated Good with a median AQI of 35.

Data Overview

People

Population12,476
Median Age42.1 yrs
Density917/mi²
Male / Female43% / 57%
Foreign Born13.6%
Veterans7.7%

Economy

A+
Median Income$78,825
Per Capita$45,287
Unemployment2.3%
Poverty3.6%
Avg Weekly Wage$1,129

Housing

A
Home Value$319,100
Rent$1,112
Ownership75.0%
Zillow$405,620
Housing Units4,964
Rent Burden29.6%

Crime

F
Violent467/100K
Property2,533/100K

Health

Obesity35.0%
Diabetes9.4%
Smoking11.3%
Heart Disease4.9%
Premature Death11,251/100K

Climate

Avg Temp55°F
Sunny Days305/yr
Rain43.6 in/yr
AQI35 (Good)
Elevation793 ft

Education

A+
Bachelor's+48.4%
High School+95.3%
Graduate+21.7%
School Score5.6/10

Community

2024 VoteR 53% / D 45%
Commute22 min
Broadband92.5%
Internet Speed42 Mbps
EV Stations4
Libraries2

Did You Know?

The median home in Forest was built in 1992.
16.0% work from home.
The nearest airport is Lynchburg Regional/Preston Glenn Field (5 miles).
The Gini coefficient (income inequality) is 0.448 (U.S. avg: 0.490).
Natural hazard risk is rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA.
9.8% of the population has a disability.
13.6% of residents are foreign-born.
There are 273 restaurants in the area.
The county recorded 2 fatal vehicle crashes.