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Living in
Forest Park.
About
Life in Forest Park
Living in Forest Park means you're getting genuine Atlanta-area affordability without actually being in the city proper—median home values around $143,000 and median rent at $1,189 a month make this one of the most realistic options if you're priced out of Midtown or the closer suburbs. The tradeoff is honest: you're about 27 minutes from downtown on average, and you'll absolutely need a car since this is entirely urban sprawl, though MARTA does serve the area and commuter rail along the Norfolk Southern line is in the planning stages. Jobs are there if you're flexible; unemployment sits at 4.3% and proximity to the airport plus Atlanta's broader job market means commuting into the city for work is totally doable, though it's worth noting the education and income stats suggest this is a working-class community where many folks are building their lives on modest salaries.
Forest Park at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
32.1 yrs
Poverty Rate
20.3%
Foreign-Born
15.5%
Broadband Internet
81.8%
of households
Population Growth
-3.3%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics15.5% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Forest Park: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Forest Park, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (44.4%), and 24.9% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
30.5%
of residents
65 and Older
12.8%
of residents
Households with Kids
36.9%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
29.5%
of households
Married Couples
28.6%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.81
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 GA average
Rent, home values, and income in Forest Park
In Forest Park, rent runs 15% below the GA average, and home values are 53% below the GA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
61.2%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
23.5%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
100.1
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$1,450
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
40.3%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1965
median year built
Vacant Homes
8.2%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $161,260 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1 pts above GA average
Unemployment in Forest Park and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Clayton County, which includes Forest Park, is 1 percentage points higher than the GA average.
Unemployment rate
Forest Park: Clayton County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Clayton County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Forest Park Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA metro area
Commute29.1 min avg
How Forest Park residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Forest Park, most residents drive alone to work (72%), and 57% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 4 mi
Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)
Major hub51.5M 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 71% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Forest Park runs 71% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
563
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
2,215.4
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Forest Park Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 6 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
86.7 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Clayton County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Clayton County, which includes Forest Park, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 6 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 6 | Thunderstorm Wind | $18,000 |
| 2024 | 4 | Thunderstorm Wind | $10,000 |
| 2023 | 5 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1,000 |
| 2022 | 2 | Strong Wind | $10,000 |
| 2021 | 4 | Thunderstorm Wind | $315,000 |
| 2020 | 5 | Flash Flood | $96,000 |
| 2019 | 8 | Drought | $95,000 |
| 2018 | 5 | Thunderstorm Wind | $64,000 |
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.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Clayton County, county-wide
Air Quality48 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Clayton County, which includes Forest Park, is typically good.
Median AQI
48
Clayton County, county-wide
Climate89°F summers, 38°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Forest Park has warm summers (avg high 89°F) and mild winters (avg low 38°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
74°/53°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
89°/71°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
74°/55°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
56°/38°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
50.4"
Annual Snowfall
2.2"
Hot Days/Year
47
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
36
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
116
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 54°F | 36°F | 4.59" |
| Feb | 58°F | 39°F | 4.55" |
| Mar | 66°F | 45°F | 4.68" |
| Apr | 74°F | 53°F | 3.81" |
| May | 81°F | 61°F | 3.56" |
| Jun | 87°F | 69°F | 4.54" |
| Jul | 90°F | 72°F | 4.75" |
| Aug | 89°F | 71°F | 4.30" |
| Sep | 84°F | 66°F | 3.82" |
| Oct | 74°F | 55°F | 3.28" |
| Nov | 64°F | 44°F | 3.98" |
| Dec | 56°F | 38°F | 4.57" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Forest Park
Uninsured
21.9%
of residents
No hospitals inside Forest Park's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Southern Regional Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 3.6 mi away · Riverdale
Riverwoods Behavioral Health System
Psychiatric · 3.7 mi away · Riverdale
So Crescent Beh Hlth Sys - Anchor Hospital Campus
Psychiatric · 5.5 mi away · College Park
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.
Education14.5:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Forest Park
Forest Park's student/teacher ratio is 14.5:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 12.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
8
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
12.4%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
14.5:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Forest Park (within 15 miles)
Public · 4-year · 26,623 students · in-state tuition $8,664 · 56% graduate · median earnings $51,903 (10 yrs after entry)
Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus
10.7 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 18,785 students · in-state tuition $12,008 · 93% graduate · median earnings $114,210 (10 yrs after entry)
Georgia State University-Perimeter College
9.2 mi awayPublic · 2-year · 13,693 students · in-state tuition $3,200 · 24% graduate · median earnings $51,903 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 7,298 students · in-state tuition $68,056 · 93% graduate · median earnings $93,897 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 3,603 students · in-state tuition $30,270 · 45% graduate · median earnings $46,867 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 3,414 students · in-state tuition $32,470 · 76% graduate · median earnings $65,773 (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: Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park, 9 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Forest Park
Forest Park has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park (9 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park
National Historical Park
9 mi awayChattahoochee River National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
26 mi awayKennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park
National Battlefield Park
27 mi awayOcmulgee Mounds National Historical Park
National Historical Park
70 mi awayFreedom Riders National Monument
National Monument
89 mi awayHorseshoe Bend National Military Park
National Military Park
91 mi awayLittle River Canyon National Preserve
National Preserve
91 mi awayAndersonville National Historic Site
National Historic Site
99 mi awayPublic Libraries in Forest Park
Forest Park Branch Library
4812 West Street, Forest Park
Cities Near Forest Park
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Forest Park?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Forest Park FAQ
Is Forest Park, Georgia affordable?⌄
Forest Park's median rent is $1,189/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $41,211/year. Median home value is $143,400.
Is Forest Park, Georgia safe?⌄
Forest Park's violent crime rate was 563 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is significantly above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 2215 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Forest Park, Georgia?⌄
Clayton County, which includes Forest Park, has an unemployment rate of 4.4%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Forest Park, Georgia?⌄
The cost of living in Forest Park is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,189/month and median household income is $41,211/year. The median home value is $143,400. About 61% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Forest Park, Georgia?⌄
The average commute in Forest Park is 29 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