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Living in
Forest Grove.
About
Life in Forest Grove
If you're thinking about Forest Grove, you're essentially buying into suburban Portland living without quite being in Portland proper—and that's the real trade-off to understand upfront. The commute to Portland jobs averages about 30 minutes, which is manageable but means you'll spend real time on the road, especially during rush hour. Housing is relatively affordable compared to Portland itself, with a median home value around $479,600 and median household income of about $88,000, though rent at $1,460 a month puts it in the middle range for the region.
Forest Grove at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
34.0 yrs
Poverty Rate
15.4%
Foreign-Born
13.2%
Broadband Internet
87.6%
of households
Population Growth
+4.0%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics13.2% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Forest Grove: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Forest Grove, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (54.3%), and 19.8% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
24.4%
of residents
65 and Older
14.7%
of residents
Households with Kids
33.9%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
24.8%
of households
Married Couples
48.2%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.85
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 about average for OR
Rent, home values, and income in Forest Grove
Rent and home values here are close to the OR average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
55.4%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
35.6%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
105.4
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$4,047
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
64.1%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1982
median year built
Home Value Trend
Latest: $516,835 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for OR
Unemployment in Forest Grove and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Forest Grove is close to the OR average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Forest Grove Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA metro area
Commute29.8 min avg
How Forest Grove residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Forest Grove, most residents drive alone to work (68%), and 63% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 25 mi
Portland International Airport (PDX)
Medium hub9.1M passengers boarded in 2025
- 139 mi
Seattle–Tacoma International Airport (SEA)
Major hub25.4M 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 22% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Forest Grove runs 22% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
402.4
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,086.7
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Forest Grove Police Department
Natural DisastersFlood most common — 4 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
96.0 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Washington County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Washington County, which includes Forest Grove, the most common type is flood, with 4 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4 | Heavy Snow | Not estimated |
| 2024 | 5 | Frost/Freeze | $75,000 |
| 2023 | 4 | Flood | $14,000 |
| 2022 | 1 | Thunderstorm Wind | $5,000 |
| 2021 | 1 | Flood | None reported |
| 2019 | 1 | Flood | None reported |
| 2018 | 3 | Lightning | $106,000 |
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.
10 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Washington County, county-wide
Forest Grove is about 4% of Washington County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality36 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Washington County, which includes Forest Grove, is typically good — 289 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
36
Good Days
289
per year
Moderate Days
76
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Washington County, county-wide
Forest Grove is about 4% of Washington County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate79°F summers, 33°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Forest Grove has mild summers (avg high 79°F) and mild winters (avg low 33°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
61°/40°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
79°/52°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
63°/42°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
46°/33°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
46.7"
Annual Snowfall
2.7"
Hot Days/Year
23
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
61
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
146
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 45°F | 33°F | 7.19" |
| Feb | 49°F | 33°F | 5.76" |
| Mar | 55°F | 36°F | 5.03" |
| Apr | 60°F | 39°F | 3.33" |
| May | 68°F | 45°F | 2.19" |
| Jun | 73°F | 50°F | 1.40" |
| Jul | 81°F | 54°F | 0.32" |
| Aug | 82°F | 54°F | 0.51" |
| Sep | 76°F | 49°F | 1.34" |
| Oct | 63°F | 42°F | 3.70" |
| Nov | 51°F | 36°F | 7.23" |
| Dec | 44°F | 33°F | 8.72" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Forest Grove
Uninsured
5.6%
of residents
No hospitals inside Forest Grove's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Hillsboro Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 6.4 mi away · Hillsboro
Kaiser Foundation Hospital Westside
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 11.3 mi away · Hillsboro
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.
Education18.9:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Forest Grove
Forest Grove's student/teacher ratio is 18.9:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 31.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
8
within city limits
Private Schools
2
within city limits
College Degree Rate
31.8%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
18.9:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Forest Grove
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,516 students · in-state tuition $58,348 · 70% graduate · median earnings $67,497 (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: Fort Vancouver National Historic Site, 23 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Forest Grove
Forest Grove has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Fort Vancouver National Historic Site (23 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Fort Vancouver National Historic Site
National Historic Site
23 mi awayLewis and Clark National Historical Park
National Historical Park
63 mi awayPublic Libraries in Forest Grove
Forest Grove City Library
2114 Pacific Ave, Forest Grove
Cities Near Forest Grove
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Forest Grove?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Forest Grove FAQ
Is Forest Grove, Oregon affordable?⌄
Forest Grove's median rent is $1,460/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $87,933/year. Median home value is $479,600.
Is Forest Grove, Oregon safe?⌄
Forest Grove's violent crime rate was 402 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1087 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Forest Grove, Oregon?⌄
Forest Grove has an unemployment rate of 5.3%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Forest Grove, Oregon?⌄
The cost of living in Forest Grove is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,460/month and median household income is $87,933/year. The median home value is $479,600. About 55% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Forest Grove, Oregon?⌄
The average commute in Forest Grove is 30 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