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Living in
Forest Hills.
Forest Hills is an unincorporated community in Kent County, MI. It has no city government: the county runs it, and the Census counts it as its own place.
About
Life in Forest Hills
This is a genuinely affluent suburb with real substance behind the numbers — median household income sits at $156,618, and over 71% of residents hold college degrees, so you're looking at a well-educated, established community. That said, housing isn't cheap: median home values are around $498,500 and median rent runs $1,950 monthly, so this is an investment-level move. The community spans 50 square miles with a mix of urban and rural character, so depending on where you land, your daily experience could feel quite different — some neighborhoods are more developed while others have breathing room.
Forest Hills at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
42.3 yrs
Poverty Rate
3.0%
Foreign-Born
5.7%
Broadband Internet
97.1%
of households
Population Growth
+2.4%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics5.7% foreign-born, most often from Korea
Who lives in Forest Hills: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Forest Hills, the largest foreign-born group is from Korea (18.8%), and 2.4% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
29.2%
of residents
65 and Older
16.1%
of residents
Households with Kids
41.6%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
12.6%
of households
Married Couples
80.5%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.83
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 73% above MI average
Rent, home values, and income in Forest Hills
In Forest Hills, rent runs 73% above the MI average, and home values are 115% above the MI average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
33.9%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
15.6%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
95.5
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$5,468
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
94.0%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1988
median year built
Vacant Homes
3.5%
of housing units
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.8 pts below MI average
Unemployment in Forest Hills
Unemployment in Kent County, which includes Forest Hills, is 0.8 percentage points lower than the MI average.
Unemployment rate
Forest Hills: Kent County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Kent County (county-wide) · Annual averages
Forest Hills is about 4% of Kent County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
What Forest Hills Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute19.7 min avg
How Forest Hills residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Forest Hills, most residents drive alone to work (70%), and 84% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 4 mi
Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GRR)
Small hub2.1M passengers boarded in 2025
- 119 mi
General Mitchell International Airport (MKE)
Medium hub2.9M passengers boarded in 2025
- 121 mi
Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW)
Major hub16.3M 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 50% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in the area policed by the Kent County Sheriff's Office, which covers Forest Hills, runs 50% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
165
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
726.5
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Policed by Kent County Sheriff's Office (county-wide rate)
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 7 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
92.2 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Kent County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Kent County, which includes Forest Hills, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 7 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 7 | Thunderstorm Wind | Not estimated |
| 2024 | 10 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.5M |
| 2023 | 8 | Thunderstorm Wind | $30.2M |
| 2022 | 7 | Thunderstorm Wind | $625,000 |
| 2021 | 9 | Thunderstorm Wind | $253,000 |
| 2020 | 9 | Thunderstorm Wind | $573,000 |
| 2019 | 12 | Thunderstorm Wind | $11.6M |
| 2018 | 4 | Thunderstorm Wind | $160,000 |
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
Kent County, county-wide
Forest Hills is about 4% of Kent County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality52 median AQI — Moderate
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Kent County, which includes Forest Hills, is typically moderate — acceptable for most people, but can affect those unusually sensitive to air pollution.
Median AQI
52
Good Days
153
per year
Moderate Days
203
per year
Unhealthy Days
2
per year
Kent County, county-wide
Forest Hills is about 4% of Kent County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate81°F summers, 21°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Forest Hills has warm summers (avg high 81°F) and cold winters (avg low 21°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
57°/38°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
81°/61°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
61°/43°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
34°/21°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
39.5"
Annual Snowfall
77.6"
Hot Days/Year
10
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
133
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
149
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31°F | 19°F | 2.52" |
| Feb | 34°F | 20°F | 2.12" |
| Mar | 45°F | 27°F | 2.39" |
| Apr | 58°F | 37°F | 3.99" |
| May | 70°F | 49°F | 4.00" |
| Jun | 79°F | 58°F | 3.94" |
| Jul | 83°F | 63°F | 3.86" |
| Aug | 81°F | 61°F | 3.55" |
| Sep | 74°F | 53°F | 3.43" |
| Oct | 61°F | 42°F | 4.02" |
| Nov | 47°F | 33°F | 3.10" |
| Dec | 36°F | 25°F | 2.48" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Forest Hills
Uninsured
1.2%
of residents
No hospitals inside Forest Hills's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Forest View Psychiatric Hospital
Psychiatric · 0.9 mi away · Grand Rapids
Mercy Health Saint Mary's
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 6.4 mi away · Grand Rapids
Spectrum Health
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 6.7 mi away · Grand Rapids
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.
Education18.7:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Forest Hills
Forest Hills's student/teacher ratio is 18.7:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 70.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
10
within city limits
Private Schools
2
within city limits
College Degree Rate
70.9%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
18.7:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Forest Hills (within 15 miles)
Grand Rapids Community College
6.6 mi awayPublic · 2-year · 10,698 students · in-state tuition $4,270 · 24% graduate · median earnings $43,741 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 3,193 students · in-state tuition $40,500 · 78% graduate · median earnings $60,411 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,298 students · in-state tuition $23,400 · 67% graduate · median earnings $52,119 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,083 students · in-state tuition $41,992 · 63% graduate · median earnings $53,667 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 716 students · in-state tuition $17,565 · 32% graduate · median earnings $41,951 (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 & Recreation
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Forest Hills
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Public Libraries in Forest Hills
Amy Van Andel Library
7215 Headley St. Se, Ada
Cities Near Forest Hills
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Forest Hills?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Forest Hills FAQ
Is Forest Hills, Michigan affordable?⌄
Forest Hills's median rent is $1,958/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $158,005/year. Median home value is $498,500.
Is Forest Hills, Michigan safe?⌄
Forest Hills is policed by the Kent County Sheriff's Office, whose violent crime rate across its service area was 165 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 727 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Forest Hills, Michigan?⌄
Kent County, which includes Forest Hills, 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 Hills, Michigan?⌄
The cost of living in Forest Hills is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,958/month and median household income is $158,005/year. The median home value is $498,500. About 34% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Forest Hills, Michigan?⌄
The average commute in Forest Hills is 20 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