Forest City is a town located in Rutherford County North Carolina. Forest City has a 2024 population of 7,391. Forest City is currently growing at a rate of 0.05% annually and its population has increased by 0.22% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 7,375 in 2020.
The average household income in Forest City is $55,926 with a poverty rate of 33.58%. The median age in Forest City is 34.8 years: 29.3 years for males, and 37.7 years for females.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Forest City was:
Race | Population | Percentage (of total) |
|---|---|---|
| White | 4,248 | 57.65% |
| Black or African American | 1,843 | 25.01% |
| Other race | 599 | 8.13% |
| Two or more races | 554 | 7.52% |
| Asian | 121 | 1.64% |
| Native American | 3 | 0.04% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 0 | 0% |
White
Black or African American
Other race
Two or more races
Asian
Native American
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All | 2,645 | 2.73 | 41.1 | 58.9 |
| Non Family | 1,082 | 1.15 | 37 | 63 |
| Female | 764 | 3.89 | 15.7 | 84.3 |
| Married | 639 | 3.28 | 76.8 | 23.2 |
| Male | 160 | 5.71 | 47.5 | 52.5 |
3.6
Average Family Size
2.73
Average Household Size
41.1%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 9th to 12th Grade | 440 | 9.59% |
| Associates Degree | 228 | 4.97% |
| Bachelors Degree | 476 | 10.38% |
| Graduate Degree | 312 | 6.8% |
| High School Graduate | 1,604 | 34.98% |
| Less Than 9th Grade | 213 | 4.64% |
| Some College | 1,313 | 28.63% |
Less Than 9th Grade
9th to 12th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Associates Degree
Bachelors Degree
Graduate Degree
High School Graduation Rate
Bachelors Rate
Race | Total | High School | Bachelors |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 2,758 | 2,457 | 526 |
| Black | 1,164 | 1,060 | 84 |
| Hispanic | 385 | 224 | 63 |
| Other Race | 269 | 167 | 49 |
| 2+ Races | 245 | 203 | 115 |
| Asian | 63 | 0 | 0 |
| Native American | 3 | 3 | 0 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among native american people with a rate of 100%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among 2+ races people with a rate of 46.94%.
All
Male
Female
Name | Average | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelors Degree | $48,298 | $0 | $31,250 |
| Graduate Degree | $106,146 | $0 | $105,521 |
| High School Graduate | $23,773 | $32,500 | $21,466 |
| Less Than 9th Grade | $36,210 | $43,851 | $0 |
| Overall | $28,481 | $38,158 | $25,206 |
| Some College | $26,602 | $25,208 | $27,235 |
$28,481
Average Earnings
$38,158
Average Male
$25,206
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
89.94% of Forest City residents speak only English, while 10.06% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 7.51% of the population.
rate
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 3,951 | 1,102 | 27.89% |
| Black | 1,832 | 1,047 | 57.15% |
| Other | 566 | 146 | 25.8% |
| Hispanic | 797 | 141 | 17.69% |
| Multiple | 554 | 94 | 16.97% |
33.58%
Overall Poverty Rate
30.94%
Male Poverty Rate
35.65%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Forest City is Black, with 57.15% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Forest City is Multiple, with 16.97% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 11.86%. Among those working part-time, it was 29.65%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 47.2%.
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| High School | 47.72% |
| Less Than 9th Grade | 37.42% |
| Some College | 21.64% |
| Bachelors or Greater | 12.05% |
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Male Unemployed | 74.55% |
| Female Unemployed | 48.97% |
| Female Employed | 21.87% |
| Male Employed | 8.94% |
Households
Families
MarriedFamilies
NonFamilies
Name | Median | Mean |
|---|---|---|
| Families | $38,794 | $52,292 |
| Households | $35,897 | $55,926 |
| Married Families | $71,356 | $-999,999,999 |
| Non Families | $28,977 | $58,986 |
mean
median
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
29.0%
Overall Marriage Rate
32.0%
Male Marriage Rate
26.6%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
The age group where males are most likely to be married is 55-64, while the female age group most likely to be married is 20-34.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Second Gulf War
First Gulf War
Vietnam
Korea
World War II
399
Number of Veterans
261
Male Veterans
138
Female Veterans
War | Veterans |
|---|---|
| Vietnam | 78 |
| Second Gulf War | 67 |
| First Gulf War | 52 |
| World War II | 46 |
| Korea | 10 |
count
Age Group | Veterans |
|---|---|
| 75+ | 118 |
| 35 to 54 | 101 |
| 65 to 74 | 96 |
| 55 to 64 | 55 |
| 18 to 34 | 29 |
count
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| White | 320 | 10.18% |
| Black | 69 | 5.02% |
| Hispanic | 18 | 3.66% |
| 2+ Races | 10 | 2.98% |
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
11.25%
Veteran Poverty Rate
44.5%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
56.2%
Labor Force Participation
52.4%
Employment Rate
6.7%
Unemployment Rate
LaborForceParticipation
LaborForceParticipation
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
71.34%
Born in Forest City
94.34%
Native Born
5.66%
Foreign Born
3.24%
Non Citizen
2.42%
Naturalized
94.34% of Forest City residents were born in the United States, with 71.34% having been born in North Carolina. 3.24% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.
Year | Population | Growth | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2029 | 7,411 | 4 | 0.05% |
| 2028 | 7,407 | 4 | 0.05% |
| 2027 | 7,403 | 4 | 0.05% |
| 2026 | 7,399 | 4 | 0.05% |
| 2025 | 7,395 | 4 | 0.05% |
| 2024 | 7,391 | 4 | 0.05% |
| 2023 | 7,387 | 40 | 0.54% |
| 2022 | 7,347 | -14 | -0.19% |
| 2021 | 7,361 | -14 | -0.19% |
| 2020 | 7,375 | 218 | 3.05% |
| 2019 | 7,157 | 14 | 0.2% |
| 2018 | 7,143 | -4 | -0.06% |
| 2017 | 7,147 | 5 | 0.07% |
| 2016 | 7,142 | -54 | -0.75% |
| 2015 | 7,196 | -52 | -0.72% |
| 2014 | 7,248 | -64 | -0.88% |
| 2013 | 7,312 | -61 | -0.83% |
| 2012 | 7,373 | -36 | -0.49% |
| 2011 | 7,409 | -54 | -0.72% |
| 2010 | 7,463 | 0 | 0% |
| 2000 | 7,549 | 74 | 0.99% |
| 1990 | 7,475 | -213 | -2.77% |
| 1980 | 7,688 | 509 | 7.09% |
| 1970 | 7,179 | 623 | 9.5% |
| 1960 | 6,556 | 1,585 | 31.88% |
| 1950 | 4,971 | -64 | -1.27% |
| 1940 | 5,035 | 966 | 23.74% |
| 1930 | 4,069 | -3,342 | -45.1% |