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Living in
Forest City.
Forest City is an unincorporated community in Seminole County, FL. It has no city government: the county runs it, and the Census counts it as its own place.
About
Life in Forest City
Living in Forest City means settling into a stable, family-oriented suburb that's solidly part of the greater Orlando area without feeling like you're downtown. With a median household income around $86,000 and a median home value near $370,000, you're looking at a middle-class community where about half of households include married couples and a third have kids—the kind of neighborhood where people actually plant roots rather than just pass through. The job market is solid with unemployment at 3.7%, and your commute to Orlando employment centers typically runs around 27 minutes, making it feasible if you work in the metro but want a quieter home base.
Forest City at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
40.6 yrs
Poverty Rate
9.5%
Foreign-Born
17.2%
Broadband Internet
97.0%
of households
Population Growth
+1.9%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics17.2% foreign-born, most often from Cuba
Who lives in Forest City: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Forest City, the largest foreign-born group is from Cuba (16.8%), and 18.2% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
20.4%
of residents
65 and Older
15.2%
of residents
Households with Kids
36.7%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
17.7%
of households
Married Couples
48.1%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.71
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 6% above FL average
Rent, home values, and income in Forest City
In Forest City, rent runs 6% above the FL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
51.9%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
24.3%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
101.4
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$2,613
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
62.0%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1984
median year built
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for FL
Unemployment in Forest City and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Seminole County, which includes Forest City, is close to the FL average.
Unemployment rate
Forest City: Seminole County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Seminole County (county-wide) · Annual averages
Forest City is about 3% of Seminole County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
What Forest City Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL metro area
Commute27.3 min avg
How Forest City residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Forest City, most residents drive alone to work (75%), and 62% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 15 mi
Orlando Sanford International Airport (SFB)
Small hub1.6M passengers boarded in 2025
- 18 mi
Orlando International Airport (MCO)
Major hub28.0M 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 62% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in the area policed by the Seminole County Sheriff's Office, which covers Forest City, runs 62% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
124.7
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
526.6
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Policed by Seminole County Sheriff's Office (county-wide rate)
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 5 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
91.4 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Seminole County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Seminole County, which includes Forest City, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 5 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5 | Thunderstorm Wind | $4.5M |
| 2024 | 8 | Thunderstorm Wind | $30.0M |
| 2023 | 5 | Thunderstorm Wind | $10,800 |
| 2022 | 12 | Hail | $241.0M |
| 2021 | 6 | Thunderstorm Wind | $3,500 |
| 2020 | 8 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2019 | 8 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.4M |
| 2018 | 5 | Hail | $5,000 |
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.
1 earthquake of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Seminole County, county-wide
Forest City is about 3% of Seminole County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality39 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Seminole County, which includes Forest City, is typically good — 307 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
39
Good Days
307
per year
Moderate Days
56
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Seminole County, county-wide
Forest City is about 3% of Seminole County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate91°F summers, 54°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Forest City has hot summers (avg high 91°F) and warm winters (avg low 54°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
83°/63°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
91°/75°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
84°/67°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
73°/54°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
56.8"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
111
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
1
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
130
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 71°F | 52°F | 2.61" |
| Feb | 74°F | 54°F | 2.06" |
| Mar | 78°F | 58°F | 2.74" |
| Apr | 83°F | 63°F | 2.70" |
| May | 88°F | 69°F | 3.66" |
| Jun | 91°F | 73°F | 8.17" |
| Jul | 92°F | 75°F | 8.07" |
| Aug | 92°F | 75°F | 7.66" |
| Sep | 90°F | 74°F | 6.55" |
| Oct | 84°F | 68°F | 3.24" |
| Nov | 78°F | 60°F | 1.73" |
| Dec | 73°F | 55°F | 2.28" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Forest City
Uninsured
13.1%
of residents
No hospitals inside Forest City's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Aspire Health Partners
Psychiatric · 6.5 mi away · Orlando
Adventhealth Orlando
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 7.4 mi away · Orlando
Orlando Health-health Central Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 9 mi away · Ocoee
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.
Education15.2:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Forest City
Forest City's student/teacher ratio is 15.2:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 39.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
2
within city limits
Private Schools
5
within city limits
College Degree Rate
39.4%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
15.2:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Forest City (within 15 miles)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 4,763 students · in-state tuition $13,575 · 13% graduate
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 2,631 students · in-state tuition $62,950 · 75% graduate · median earnings $64,156 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,361 students · in-state tuition $21,780 · 55% graduate · median earnings $74,765 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 2-year · 714 students · in-state tuition $13,820 · 48% graduate · median earnings $44,255 (10 yrs after entry)
Private for-profit · 4-year · 109 students · in-state tuition $15,992 · 22% graduate · median earnings $51,716 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Canaveral National Seashore, 43 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Forest City
Forest City has 3 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Canaveral National Seashore (43 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Canaveral National Seashore
National Seashore
43 mi awayFort Matanzas National Monument
National Monument
74 mi awayCastillo de San Marcos National Monument
National Monument
86 mi awayCities Near Forest City
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Forest City?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Forest City FAQ
Is Forest City, Florida affordable?⌄
Forest City's median rent is $1,777/month, which is above the national average. The median household income is $85,606/year. Median home value is $369,900.
Is Forest City, Florida safe?⌄
Forest City is policed by the Seminole County Sheriff's Office, whose violent crime rate across its service area was 125 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 527 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Forest City, Florida?⌄
Seminole County, which includes Forest City, has an unemployment rate of 3.7%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Forest City, Florida?⌄
The cost of living in Forest City is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,777/month and median household income is $85,606/year. The median home value is $369,900. About 52% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Forest City, Florida?⌄
The average commute in Forest City is 27 minutes, which is about 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