Forest, VA

Census Place

Add Comparison

2023 Population

12,476

7.93% 1-year growth

US Senator

Mark Warner

Democratic Party

US Senator

Tim Kaine

Democratic Party

2023 Median Age

42.1

5.82% 1-year decrease

2023 Poverty Rate

7.47%

34.7% 1-year increase

2023 Median Household Income

$78,825

0.636% 1-year growth

2023 Median Property Value

$319,100

3.1% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

5,929

6.29% 1-year growth

About

In 2023, Forest, VA had a population of 12.5k people with a median age of 42.1 and a median household income of $78,825. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Forest, VA grew from 11,559 to 12,476, a 7.93% increase and its median household income grew from $78,327 to $78,825, a 0.636% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Forest, VA are White (Non-Hispanic) (76.9%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (9.95%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (6.51%), Two+ (Hispanic) (2.56%), and Asian (Non-Hispanic) (1.48%).

None of the households in Forest, VA reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

98.2% of the residents in Forest, VA are U.S. citizens.

In 2023, the median property value in Forest, VA was $319,100, and the homeownership rate was 75%.

Most people in Forest, VA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 21.5 minutes. The average car ownership in Forest, VA was 2 cars per household.

United States Virginia Bedford County, VA Lynchburg, VA Virginia's Region 2000 (North)--Bedford, Amherst, Appomattox Counties & Bedford City PUMA, VA Virginia's Region 2000 (South)--Campbell County & Lynchburg City PUMA, VA

Population & Diversity

Forest, VA is home to a population of 12.5k people, from which 98.2% are citizens. As of 2023, 4.02% of Forest, VA residents were born outside of the country (502 people).

In 2023, there were 7.73 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (9.6k people) in Forest, VA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 1.24k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 812 Two+ (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

98.2%

2023 Citizenship

98%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 98.2% of Forest, VA residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Forest, VA was 98%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Forest, VA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Forest, VA

White (Non-Hispanic)
9.6k ± 651
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
1.24k ± 459
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
812 ± 303

3.6%

Hispanic Population

449 people

3.6% of the people in Forest, VA are hispanic (449 people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Forest, VA as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the Place level, so we are showing data for Virginia.

Most Common Origin

El Salvador
107,605 ± 8,003 people
India
98,735 ± 7,670 people
Mexico
59,855 ± 5,986 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Virginia was El Salvador, the natal country of 107,605 Virginia residents, followed by India with 98,735 and Mexico with 59,855.

Foreign-Born Population

4.02%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

502 people

4.12%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

476 people

As of 2023, 4.02% of Forest, VA residents (502 people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.8%. In 2022, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Forest, VA was 4.12%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Forest, VA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Gulf War (2001-)
216 ± 187
Vietnam
177 ± 83
Korea
128 ± 144

Forest, VA has a large population of military personnel who served in Gulf War (2001-), 1.22 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Forest, VA employs 5.93k people. The largest industries in Forest, VA are Educational Services (1,276 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (742 people), and Retail Trade (621 people), and the highest paying industries are Information ($149,010), Utilities ($111,071), and Wholesale Trade ($87,670).

Males in Virginia have an average income that is 1.33 times higher than the average income of females, which is $69,674. The income inequality in Virginia (measured using the Gini index) is 0.475, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

5.93k

2023 Value

± 584

6.29%

1 Year growth

± 13.3%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Forest, VA grew at a rate of 6.29%, from 5.58k employees to 5.93k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Forest, VA, are Education Instruction, & Library Occupations (844 people), Sales & Related Occupations (660 people), and Management Occupations (600 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Forest, VA.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Virginia (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

View Full Dashboard

Industries

Employment by Industries

5.93k

2023 Value

± 584

6.29%

1 Year growth

± 13.3%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Forest, VA grew at a rate of 6.29%, from 5.58k employees to 5.93k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Forest, VA, are Educational Services (1,276 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (742 people), and Retail Trade (621 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Forest, VA, though some of these residents may live in Forest, VA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$55,968

Median earning men ± $6,257

$45,444

Median earning women ± $3,325

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($92,083), Wholesale Trade ($88,239), and Manufacturing ($78,864).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Information ($147,708), Manufacturing ($78,750), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($61,569).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Virginia.

Y-Axis

2.48%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 4.1M people employed in Virginia. This represents a 2.48% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 10.8%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Virginia.

Civics

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Virginia went to Kamala Harris with 51.8% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (46.1%), followed by Other (0.905%).

Mark Warner and Tim Kaine are the senators currently representing the state of Virginia. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Virginia is currently represented by 11 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

Voting results are not available for Forest, VA. Showing the available data for Virginia.

2024 Election Results

Kamala Harris (51.8%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (46.1%)
Republican Party
Other (0.905%)
Other Party

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Virginia went to Kamala Harris with 51.8% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (46.1%), followed by Other (0.905%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Virginia for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Virginia

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Virginia.

Mark Warner

Senator from Virginia

Assumed office on January 3, 2009

Tim Kaine

Senator from Virginia

Assumed office on January 3, 2013

Mark Warner and Tim Kaine are the senators currently representing Virginia.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Virginia over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from Virginia

Virginia is currently represented by 11 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Virginia have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

Completions

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Virginia.

Measure

In 2022, 0.884% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.904% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Virginia.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2022 were High School or Equivalent (1.71M), Bachelors Degree (1.47M), and Some college (1.4M).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Forest, VA was $319,100 in 2023, which is 1.05 times larger than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $309,500 to $319,100, a 3.1% increase. The homeownership rate in Forest, VA is 75%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 65%.

People in Forest, VA have an average commute time of 21.5 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Forest, VA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Housing

Property

$319,100

Median Property Value 2023

±$15,127

$3,815

Median Property Taxes

±$459

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Forest, VA the largest share of households pay taxes in the $800 - $1,499 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Forest, VA compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

75%

Homeownership

2023

66.2%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 75% of the housing units in Forest, VA were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 75.7%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Forest, VA compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 301.03
Census Tract 301.04

The following map shows all of the places in Forest, VA colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$78,825

Median Household Income

± $10,039

5.09k

Number of Households

± 531

In 2023, the median household income of the 5.09k households in Forest, VA grew to $78,825 from the previous year's value of $78,327.

The following chart displays the households in Forest, VA distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Forest, VA is from Virginia.

0.475

2022 Wage GINI in Virginia

0.476

2021 Wage GINI in Virginia

In 2022, the income inequality in Virginia was 0.475 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.164% decline from 2021 to 2022, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Virginia was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Virginia in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Virginia across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2023

Drove Alone (77.1%)
Worked At Home (16%)
Carpooled (5.24%)

In 2023, 77.1% of workers in Forest, VA drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (16%) and those who carpooled to work (5.24%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

21.5 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Forest, VA have a shorter commute time (21.5 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 1.27% of the workforce in Forest, VA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Forest, VA compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Forest, VA distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Forest, VA have 2 cars.

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

7.47% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Forest, VA (927 out of 12.4k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 18 - 24, followed by Females 25 - 34 and then Males 18 - 24.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Forest, VA is White, followed by Two Or More and Black.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

96.1% of the population of Forest, VA has health coverage, with 58.9% on employee plans, 5.49% on Medicaid, 17.2% on Medicare, 11.7% on non-group plans, and 2.76% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Bedford County, VA see 1287 patients per year on average, which represents a 1.02% increase from the previous year (1274 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 2862 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 1041 patients per year.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

Data is only available at the country level. Showing data for Bedford County, VA.

1,287 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Bedford County, VA

Primary care physicians in Bedford County, VA see an average of 1,287 patients per year. This represents a 1.02% increase from the previous year (1,274 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Bedford County, VA in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 20.5% under 18 years, 21.8% between 18 and 34 years, 36.9% between 35 and 64 years, and 20.8% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 43.4% were men and 56.6% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

3.89%

Uninsured

58.9%

Employer Coverage

5.49%

Medicaid

17.2%

Medicare

11.7%

Non-Group

2.76%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Forest, VA declined by 20.2% from 4.88% to 3.89%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Forest, VA changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Keep Exploring