City profile · Massachusetts · Census ACS 2023

Forestdale, MA

Forestdale's Census ACS profile: residents, income, housing, and the joined public-record layers available for this place.

3,716
Residents
$105,368
Median income
$462,500
Median home
$2,261
Median rent (state)
View my watchlist

Compare or rank this city

Side-by-side metrics and state or size-class ranks use the same Census and FBI fields shown on this profile. Results stay in the URL so you can bookmark or share them.

Compare with another city

Starting with Forestdale, MA - add up to three more cities on the compare page.

See how it ranks

State rank, size-class rank, and four peer cities for Forestdale.

Place dossier plate

Sheet MA-FORESTDALE-MA · Forestdale, MA 3,716 pop · income 81st pct

POP-VILLAGE · INC-HIGH · COL-ABOVE · SAFE-UNK · RANK-TOP · PHOTO-FINISH · HOME-HIGH · BOOK-UNK

  • POP-VILLAGE 3,716
  • INC-HIGH $105,368
  • COL-ABOVE 105.8
  • SAFE-UNK Safety pending
  • RANK-TOP 81st
  • PHOTO-FINISH ≈ Sinking Spring
  • HOME-HIGH $462,500
  • BOOK-UNK Tracts pending

Nearest income peer: Sinking Spring, OH (+ $0 income $)

Instrument codes from this place’s ACS population and household income, BEA state COL, FBI safety, national income percentile, photo-finish peer city, home-value band, and matched Census-tract book - not a moving recommendation.

Income neighbourhood around Forestdale

Lowest/highest poles plus peers nearest Forestdale on median household income. Full ladder: /browse and /rankings.

median HH income

What this shows Neighbourhood peers only - not a full nationwide city board. Open a near peer when the gap is small; open the poles when the spread is wide.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2026-08-08

Compare beyond this state

Nationwide peers by population, income

Out-of-state nearest neighbors for Forestdale on ACS population and median household income . Link sets are deduped so each column is a distinct comparison path, not a forecast that peers share a labor market or climate.

Similar population

Nearest out-of-state cities by ACS population. This city: 3,716.

4 peers

Similar household income

Nearest out-of-state cities by ACS median household income. This city: $105,368. Population peers are excluded.

4 peers

Forestdale - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Forestdale places in the 81st percentile for household income. Source: Census ACS.

81st
percentile, household income
82nd
percentile, home value
98th
percentile, median rent
📝 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: Forestdale, MA

Massachusetts's Forestdale is a small town, with 3,716 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Median household income here is $105,368 per year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 0.0%. Typical homes in Forestdale are valued around $462,500, and the median resident age is 42.8 years. About 38.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 66.9% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Massachusetts carries a cost-of-living premium: the state registers 105.8 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Above Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $2,261 per month. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Massachusetts's average monthly utility costs around $330 (state average). Workers in Forestdale report an average commute of 27.8 minutes, with 85.5% driving alone and 6.3% working from home. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 78.8 out of 100 (High).

A decision-led reading path

Useful questions to ask of Forestdale's data

How this reading path is ordered

This is not a composite city score. It is a city-specific route through the available public records, ordered for this profile so the page starts with questions the joined data can actually answer. The route here runs from housing and income to work and mobility to comparison shortlist; another city can have a different sequence or fewer supported layers because the source joins are not uniform.

For Forestdale, city-specific coverage includes commute-mode shares. No matched row is reported here for within-city Census tract profiles, annual population history, matched public-school count, FBI reported-crime rates, local building permits; the page leaves those layers out instead of substituting a statewide or national value.

Question 1

How far does income reach against housing in Forestdale?

The home-value-to-income reference is comparatively stretched: the ACS median home value is 4.4 times median household income. The ACS poverty estimate is 0.0%, which keeps the citywide median from describing every household.

This is a citywide price-to-income reference, not a mortgage-affordability test; it does not include interest rates, taxes, insurance, household size, or an individual buyer's down payment. Housing value is high relative to the citywide income median. That flags a question for comparison, not a verdict: tenure, household composition, financing costs, and the age of the ACS estimate can all change what a resident actually pays.

Compare the housing trade-off →

2. Work and mobility

What does the journey to work look like in Forestdale?

Mode share answers how workers usually travel; it does not measure congestion, reliability, distance to a particular job, or the quality of transit service. The profile is strongly car-oriented, so a relocation comparison should put trip distance, vehicle access, and household fuel costs ahead of a citywide commute average. The same-state peer links offer a more relevant benchmark than a national label.

Driving alone is the largest reported mode at 85.5%. The reported mean trip to work is 27.8 minutes.

Compare commute patterns →

Question 3

Which cities make useful reference points for Forestdale?

Within Massachusetts, the closest population matches are East Dennis (3,685 residents, $100,504 income); Orange (3,793 residents, $53,014 income); North Lakeville (3,602 residents, $88,750 income). Outside the state, the closest population matches in this dataset are Winchester, CA (3,716 residents); Dunean, SC (3,716 residents); Greentown, OH (3,714 residents). A third, income-matched reference set of 6 out-of-state cities sits in the income neighbourhood chart near the Place Dossier plate. These are mechanical peer sets, not claims that the places share a labor market, climate, culture, or metro context.

Use the in-state set to hold state policy and broad price conditions more nearly constant. Use the nationwide size set to ask whether cities with a similar resident count produce different housing, income, or commute outcomes. The income set is a third lens, deliberately separate from population matching.

Open a side-by-side comparison →

Population

3,716 residents

Micro place (under 10k)

Median Household Income

$105,368 /yr

High income · poverty 0.0% (Very low poverty)

Cost of Living Index (state)

105.8 (US=100)

High cost · BEA RPP 2024, Massachusetts average

City profile score · Forestdale, MA

68/100

4 published dimensions · ACS/FBI 2023

Comparative score against U.S. cities with population of 1,000 or more on Census ACS medians (income, poverty, bachelor's share, cost of living) and FBI UCR violent-crime rates when published. Higher means a stronger standing on those published figures, not a livability rating, not a recommendation to move, buy, or pick a "best" city. Missing inputs drop out and redistribute weight. How it is calculated.

Poverty rate A+
0.0%

Share of residents below the poverty line; lower scores better on this axis.

Household income B+
$105,368

Median household income vs U.S. cities (pop ≥1,000); ACS.

Bachelor's+ share B
38.7%

Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher; ACS.

Cost of living F
105.8 index

BEA state Regional Price Parities index (100 ≈ national average); lower is stronger on this axis. Same value for every city in the state.

Violent crime N/A
N/A

No FBI UCR violent-crime rate for this place (coverage is incomplete).

Forestdale profile (scored ACS/FBI dimensions) 4-axis radar comparing 1 series across Poverty rate, Household income, Bachelor's+ share, Cost of living. Poverty rateHousehold incomeBachelor's+ shareCost of living 68 B-
Forestdale profile (scored ACS/FBI dimensions)
Read the chart values
  • Poverty rate: 100/100 (A+) · 0.0%
  • Household income: 79/100 (B+) · $105,368
  • Bachelor's+ share: 73/100 (B) · 38.7%
  • Cost of living: 18/100 (F) · 105.8 index

How does Forestdale compare to other US cities?

Here's how Forestdale stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 81% higher than other cities
Home value 82% pricier than other cities
Median rent 98% pricier than other cities

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

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Forestdale against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Massachusetts only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Massachusetts-relative analysis

Median Gross Rent places Forestdale near the bottom of Massachusetts's cities

Among the 247 Massachusetts cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Forestdale ranks #1 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Forestdale only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#99 of 233
58th percentile in Massachusetts
Median Gross Rent
#1 of 247
0th percentile in Massachusetts
Median Home Value
#136 of 240
43rd percentile in Massachusetts
Poverty Rate
#208 of 247
0th percentile in Massachusetts
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#160 of 247
35th percentile in Massachusetts
How in-state ranks are ordered

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Massachusetts only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

81stIncome percentile
Gauge source note

81st percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Forestdale's home value compares nationally

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

$462,500 18th percentile more affordable than 18% of 15,600 US cities

Show national distribution $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%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Forestdale $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

Forestdale's home-value-to-income ratio: 4.4×

ACS median home value divided by median household income.

Band
moderate
3.0–5.0×
National rank
#11,742 of 15,516
More affordable than 24% of tracked cities (pop. 1,000+)
Size class
#9,023 of 11,323
Micro cities (under 10,000)

At 4.4×, Forestdale sits in the moderate band: national rank #11,742 of 15,516 and #9,023 of 11,323micro cities (under 10,000). Income and home value move in the same broad scale; check same-state peers before treating the multiple as an advantage or a warning.

How this ratio is calculated

Ratio = Census ACS 2023 median home value ÷ median household income for cities with both fields and population ≥ 1,000. Rank 1 = lowest ratio (most compact). Bands match the fleet affordability thresholds used on guides (<3.0 / 3.0–5.0 / >5.0). This is not a mortgage payment estimate and does not include rates, taxes, insurance, or down payment.

Income distribution context

$105,368 Forestdale, MA median household income (Census ACS)

Show U.S. national quintile / Lorenz context Household income distribution - Forestdale, MA Forestdale, MA's median household income ($105,368) against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern. The Lorenz curve and quintile bars are national context, not Forestdale, MA-specific shares. $ Household Income Distribution Forestdale, MA median $105,368/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%
Forestdale, MA median household income (Census ACS 5-year) with U.S. national quintile shares for context. Diagonal = equality; the curve is national, not computed for Forestdale, MA.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 38.7%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 0.0%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 66.9%

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

Population
3,716
Median Income
$105,368
Median Home Value
$462,500
Median Age
42.8
Poverty Rate
0.0%
Labor force participation
66.9%
Bachelor's Degree+
38.7%

Commute Patterns

Commute source

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
27.8 minutes
Drive Alone
85.5%
Carpool
8.2%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.0%
Work from Home
6.3%

Based on 1,919 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

Massachusetts statewide monthly utility average (EIA 2023): $330

EIA 2023 residential energy data puts average monthly utilities across Massachusetts at $330 (electricity about $160 , water and sewer about $60 ).

These are Massachusetts statewide averages, not a meter reading for Forestdale. Actual bills vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Massachusetts's BEA cost-of-living index is 105.8 (Above Average; US average = 100, RPP 2024). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in the county around Forestdale is $2,261/mo. FEMA's National Risk Index, averaged to Massachusetts statewide on PlainCities, rates natural-hazard exposure at 78.8 / 100 (High).

Cost/risk geography note

Cost of living is a Massachusetts statewide BEA average; rent is a county-level HUD Fair Market Rent for the county Forestdale sits in; the FEMA hazard score shown here is a statewide average of county NRI inputs, not a parcel-level reading.

How Forestdale compares to similar-size Massachusetts cities

Same-state peer method

Closest same-state population matches, not geographic neighbors. Population + median household income come from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 and B19013.

City Population Median Household Income
Forestdale (this city) 3,716 $105,368
East Dennis 3,685 $100,504
Orange 3,793 $53,014
North Lakeville 3,602 $88,750
Primary sources on this page

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, 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.

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

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES. Joins use OMB Bulletin 23-01 / FIPS keys.

Browse all city profiles → · Explore city rankings →

Verify with HUD →

Verify with FBI →

Verify with NOAA →

Verify with U.S. Census Bureau →

Verify with EPA →

Verify with FEMA →

Verify with BEA →

Verify with EIA →

Verify with NCES →

Estimate caveats

ACS and UCR figures are citywide estimates with vintage lags; they do not replace a local visit, school visit, or insurance quote.

Editorial standards, provenance, and how to cite this page

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.

Share or download this profile