Village · Ohio
Forest, Ohio
Forest, village, in Hardin County, Ohio. Forest had 1,332 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 1.6% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 1,350 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 1,286 (±260). GEOID 3927636.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
1,332
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 1,350 · ACS 2020-2024: 1,286 ±260
Median household income
$55,938
±$17,712 (90% margin)
Ohio: $71,389
Median home value
$112,700
±$17,477 (90% margin)
Ohio: $214,800
Median gross rent
$820
±$101 (90% margin)
Ohio: $1,034
Where is Forest and what county is it in?
Forest is a village in Hardin County, Ohio. It covers 1.7 square miles of land, 807 residents per square mile in 2020.
Forest lies entirely within Jackson Township (Hardin County), a township with its own local government (2020 census blocks).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Forest, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 1,332 people lived in Forest on July 1, 2025, down 1.6% since 2020, while Ohio grew 0.9%. The 2020 Census counted 1,350 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 1,286 (±260).
| Measure | Forest | Hardin County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 1,286 ±260 | 30,475 | no clear change |
| Households | 520 ±108 | 11,724 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.47 ±0.28 | 2.44 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 605 ±105 | 12,917 | no clear change |
Forest's population since 2000
From 1,488 in 2000 to 1,332 in 2025: down 10.5%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Forest as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Forest?
The median resident of Forest is 38.3 years old; 23.2% are under 18 and 14.0% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 94.2%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 3.4%.
| Measure | Forest | Hardin County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.3 ±3.4 | 35.2 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 23.2% ±5.6 pts | 22.9% | – |
| 65 years and over | 14.0% ±4.8 pts | 16.1% | – |
| Male | 46.4% ±3.6 pts | 50.0% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 0.9% ±0.9 pts | 2.4% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 94.2% ±3.0 pts | 92.7% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.9 pts | 1.3% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.3% ±0.6 pts | 0.7% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.7% ±1.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.4% ±0.7 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 3.4% ±2.2 pts | 2.5% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.9 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 0.5% ±0.6 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 0.8% ±0.7 pts | 5.2% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 4.9% ±2.7 pts | 6.6% | – |
| With a disability | 12.8% ±3.6 pts | 12.4% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 13.5% ±8.3 pts | 11.1% | +9.7 pts |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 91.9% ±3.5 pts | 92.6% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 11.8% ±5.0 pts | 19.5% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 7.1% ±3.3 pts | 6.9% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 85.1% ±8.1 pts | 86.5% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.3% ±0.4 pts | 2.3% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Forest earn?
Half of Forest's 520 households earn less than $55,938 a year (±$17,712), against $62,484 in Hardin County and $71,389 in Ohio. In 2015-2019 it was $52,223 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 11.5% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Forest | Hardin County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $55,938 ±$17,712 | $62,484 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $68,889 ±$8,707 | $82,547 | – |
| Per capita income | $27,822 ±$3,297 | $32,470 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 11.5% ±4.4 pts | 17.3% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 15.1% ±10.4 pts | 27.9% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 13.7% ±5.7 pts | 12.4% | – |
| Households with a computer | 95.2% ±2.6 pts | 93.1% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 93.1% ±3.3 pts | 85.7% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Forest?
Owners occupy 74.4% of Forest's occupied homes and renters 25.6%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $112,700 by its owner (±$17,477). The median renter pays $820 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Forest | Hardin County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $112,700 ±$17,477 | $151,200 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $820 ±$101 | $793 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 16.7% ±14.4 pts | 27.0% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,144 ±$83 | $1,254 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 74.4% ±7.1 pts | 74.7% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 25.6% ±7.1 pts | 25.3% | – |
| Housing units | 605 ±105 | 12,917 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 2.3% ±3.9 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±24.2 pts | 1.5% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 84.1% ±6.6 pts | 76.4% | – |
| Mobile homes | 5.8% ±3.3 pts | 11.0% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.8% ±1.5 pts | 1.2% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 1.3% ±2.2 pts | 5.3% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 43.3% ±9.9 pts | 29.2% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 1.3% ±1.3 pts | 6.6% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Forest building?
Builders took permits for 0 new housing units in Forest in 2025 (0 in single-family houses), 0.0 per 1,000 residents against 2.8 across Ohio.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Forest work and get to work?
92.6% of Forest's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 22.4 minutes.
| Measure | Forest | Hardin County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 69.7% ±5.7 pts | 61.6% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 2.5% ±1.8 pts | 4.6% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 92.6% ±5.1 pts | 81.4% | – |
| Carpooled | 4.2% ±4.1 pts | 7.5% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±5.3 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Walked | 0.3% ±0.6 pts | 4.8% | – |
| Worked from home | 2.9% ±2.5 pts | 4.8% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 22.4 min ±3.7 | 23.6 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Forest?
No census tract lies mostly in Forest; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 1Hardin County | 3,300 | $68,945 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Forest) · Census block assignment files
How does Forest compare with other places in Ohio?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Forest is the 9,211th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 476th-most populous of 923 in Ohio.
Forest ranks 1,379th of 1,699 places in Ohio with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 476th | 923 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 1,227th | 1,589 |
| Residents per square mile | 635th | 1,734 |
| Median household income | 1,379th | 1,699 |
| Per capita income | 1,506th | 1,729 |
| Median home value | 1,578th | 1,707 |
| Median gross rent | 1,033rd | 1,453 |
| Poverty rate | 534th | 1,116 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 1,452nd | 1,613 |
| Median age | 1,273rd | 1,727 |
| Owner-occupied share | 1,106th | 1,732 |
| Travel time to work | 1,147th | 1,731 |
Forest's figures with every place in Ohio (CSV)
Every place in Ohio, sortable · Compare Forest with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Forest?
21 of the 57 figures for Forest on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Forest are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Forest.