City profile · Georgia · Census ACS 2023

Forest Park, GA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Forest Park - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

19,619
Residents
$42,286
Median income
$119,000
Median home
$1,820
Median rent (state)

Forest Park - the verdict

Nationally, Forest Park sits in the 10th percentile for household income and the 11th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

10th
percentile, household income
17th
percentile, home value
76th
percentile, median rent
11th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Forest Park, GA

Forest Park is a small town in Georgia, home to 19,619 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $42,286 per year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 11.9%. Forest Park's housing stock carries a median value of $119,000, and the median resident age is 32.4 years. About 12.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 55.8% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 8 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Building Boom), up 700% from five years earlier. Forest Park's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 3437.0 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, above the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Living costs in Georgia run below the national norm: the state registers 96.3 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,820 monthly. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Georgia run around $225, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Natural-hazard exposure scores 86.7 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

19,619 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Georgia

Median Household Income

$42,286 /yr

Poverty 11.9%

Cost of Living Index (state)

96.3 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Georgia average

How does Forest Park compare to other US cities?

Forest Park measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 10% higher than other cities
Home value 17% pricier than other cities
Median rent 76% pricier than other cities
Safety 11% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

Zoom in to just Georgia and the picture shifts: Forest Park ranks #135 of 165 Georgia cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Forest Park's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Georgia, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

10thIncome percentile
11thSafety percentile

10th percentile nationally for median household income · 11th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Forest Park's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Forest Park's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 25 Avg. percentile National median
Forest Park's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Forest Park's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$119,000 Among the most affordable more affordable than 83% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). This entry sits in this band. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Forest Park $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Forest Park, GA Forest Park, GA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Forest Park, GA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Forest Park, GA median $42,286/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Forest Park, GA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Forest Park, GA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 12.1%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 11.9%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 55.8%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
19,619
Median Income
$42,286
Median Home Value
$119,000
Median Age
32.4
Poverty Rate
11.9%
Labor force participation
55.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
12.1%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
3437.0
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
572.0
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2865.0
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
8
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
19,000 residents19,200 residents19,400 residents19,600 residents19,800 residents20,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 19,777 residents 19,168 residents ▼ -3.1%
Forest Park's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
8
housing units authorized
Single-Family
8
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.4
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 1
2020 1
2021 2
2022 2
2023 18
2024 8

Permit volume increased 700% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
71.5%
Carpool
13.7%
Public Transit
5.8%
Walk
3.1%
Work from Home
5.3%
Other
0.6%

Based on 8,016 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Georgia - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$125
avg/month
Natural Gas
$55
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$225
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Georgia state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Georgia state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Forest Park sits in

Cost of Living Index
96.3
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,820/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
86.7 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Georgia

Fayetteville
19,364 people
Kingsland
19,101 people
Winder
18,847 people
St. Marys
18,805 people
Thomasville
18,720 people
North Decatur
18,460 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Forest Park's 19,619 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Sartell, MN
19,620 people
Highland, UT
19,625 people
Roosevelt, NY
19,636 people
Zachary, LA
19,637 people
Harrison, NJ
19,599 people
Angleton, TX
19,597 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Forest Park's $42,286 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Earl, NC
$42,287 median income
Nelsonville, OH
$42,281 median income
Alderson, OK
$42,292 median income
Central, TN
$42,292 median income
Hillsboro, WV
$42,292 median income
Allegan, MI
$42,261 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Forest Park, GA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Forest Park, GA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 18.4% 50.6% 8.1% 13.2% 9.4% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 24.3% White 18.4% Black or African American 50.6% Asian 8.1% American Indian 0.3% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 13.2% Two or more races 9.4% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Forest Park compares to nearby Georgia cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Forest Park (this city) 19,619 $42,286
Fayetteville 19,364 $82,144
Kingsland 19,101 $80,395
Winder 18,847 $59,944
Census ACS 5-year FIPS GA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Forest Park, GA?

What is the population of Forest Park, GA? +

The population of Forest Park, GA stands at 19,619 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Forest Park, GA? +

Forest Park households earn a median of $42,286 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Forest Park? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Forest Park; the closest available measure is the Georgia state average, a cost of living index of 96.3 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Georgia vary by metro area.

Is Forest Park, GA safe? +

Forest Park has a total crime rate of 3437.0 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Forest Park, GA? +

Homes in Forest Park carry a median value of $119,000, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.