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Living in
Forrest City.
About
Life in Forrest City
Forrest City is a community of 12,826 people in Arkansas. The median household income is $35,689, median rent runs about $805 per month, and median home values are around $92,000. The unemployment rate is 5.9%.
Forrest City at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
36.9 yrs
Poverty Rate
37.7%
Foreign-Born
3.5%
Broadband Internet
84.4%
of households
Population Growth
-5.4%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics3.5% foreign-born, most often from El Salvador
Who lives in Forrest City: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Forrest City, the largest foreign-born group is from El Salvador (44.3%), and 3.2% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
21.3%
of residents
65 and Older
11.6%
of residents
Households with Kids
34.4%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
41.5%
of households
Married Couples
27.3%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.53
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 15% below AR average
Rent, home values, and income in Forrest City
In Forrest City, rent runs 15% below the AR average, and home values are 51% below the AR average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
54.3%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
36.5%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$484
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
39.2%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1978
median year built
Vacant Homes
16.9%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $69,779 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1.8 pts above AR average
Unemployment in Forrest City
Unemployment in St. Francis County, which includes Forrest City, is 1.8 percentage points higher than the AR average.
Unemployment rate
Forrest City: St. Francis County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
St. Francis County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Forrest City Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute16.4 min avg
How Forrest City residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Forrest City, most residents drive alone to work (79%), and 84% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 46 mi
Frederick W. Smith International Airport (MEM)
Small hub2.4M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 301% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Forrest City runs 301% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
1,321.1
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
3,101.7
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Forrest City Police Department
Natural DisastersHeat most common — 30 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
74.7 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
St. Francis County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In St. Francis County, which includes Forrest City, the most common type is heat, with 30 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 30 | Heat | $202,000 |
| 2024 | 19 | Heat | None reported |
| 2023 | 18 | Heat | $3,000 |
| 2022 | 26 | Heat | $62,000 |
| 2021 | 10 | Heat | $25,000 |
| 2020 | 8 | Thunderstorm Wind | $83,000 |
| 2019 | 12 | Heat | $33,000 |
| 2018 | 14 | Heat | $6.3M |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
4 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
St. Francis County, county-wide
Air Quality39 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Crittenden County, AR (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 30 miles from Forrest City) is typically good — 295 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
39
Good Days
295
per year
Moderate Days
69
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Crittenden County, AR (30 mi away)
Climate91°F summers, 34°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Forrest City has hot summers (avg high 91°F) and mild winters (avg low 34°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
72°/52°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
91°/71°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
75°/52°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
52°/34°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
51.8"
Annual Snowfall
1.9"
Hot Days/Year
64
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
60
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
88
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 49°F | 32°F | 3.71" |
| Feb | 54°F | 34°F | 4.26" |
| Mar | 63°F | 42°F | 5.11" |
| Apr | 73°F | 51°F | 5.70" |
| May | 82°F | 62°F | 5.09" |
| Jun | 90°F | 70°F | 3.58" |
| Jul | 92°F | 73°F | 3.35" |
| Aug | 91°F | 70°F | 2.69" |
| Sep | 86°F | 63°F | 3.30" |
| Oct | 76°F | 52°F | 4.15" |
| Nov | 62°F | 42°F | 4.43" |
| Dec | 52°F | 35°F | 5.22" |
Healthcare1 hospital
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Forrest City
Forrest City has 1 hospital.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
10.7%
of residents
Forrest City Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Crossridge Community Hospital
Critical Access Hospitals · ER available · 14.3 mi away · Wynne
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education15.8:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Forrest City
Forrest City's student/teacher ratio is 15.8:1, close to the national average of 16:1, and 13.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
6
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
13.8%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
15.8:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: Arkansas Post National Memorial, 76 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Forrest City
Forrest City has 4 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Arkansas Post National Memorial (76 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Arkansas Post National Memorial
National Memorial
76 mi awayEmmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument
National Monument
76 mi awayLittle Rock Central High School National Historic Site
National Historic Site
88 mi awayTrail Of Tears National Historic Trail
National Historic Trail
95 mi awayPublic Libraries in Forrest City
Forrest City Public Library
421 South Washington Street, Forrest City
Cities Near Forrest City
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Forrest City?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Forrest City FAQ
Is Forrest City, Arkansas affordable?⌄
Forrest City's median rent is $805/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $35,689/year. Median home value is $92,000.
Is Forrest City, Arkansas safe?⌄
Forrest City's violent crime rate was 1321 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is significantly above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 3102 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Forrest City, Arkansas?⌄
St. Francis County, which includes Forrest City, has an unemployment rate of 5.9%, which is above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Forrest City, Arkansas?⌄
The cost of living in Forrest City is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $805/month and median household income is $35,689/year. The median home value is $92,000. About 54% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Forrest City, Arkansas?⌄
The average commute in Forrest City is 16 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from