City profile · Oregon · Census ACS 2023

Forest Grove, OR

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

26,406
Residents
$81,998
Median income
$464,300
Median home
$1,922
Median rent (state)

Forest Grove - the verdict

Nationally, Forest Grove sits in the 64th percentile for household income and the 39th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

64th
percentile, household income
83rd
percentile, home value
80th
percentile, median rent
39th
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 Grove, OR

Oregon's Forest Grove is a small city, with 26,406 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Median household income here is $81,998 per year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 8.7%. Typical homes in Forest Grove are valued around $464,300, and the median resident age is 34.6 years. Educational attainment runs 31.7% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 61.0% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 149 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Building Boom), up 55% from five years earlier. Forest Grove reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 1704.2 incidents per 100,000 residents, below the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). The annual average temperature per NOAA climate normals runs 52.1°F with 46.7 inches of precipitation per year and 2.7 inches of snowfall.

Oregon carries a cost-of-living premium: the state registers 103.4 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Above Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,922 monthly. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Oregon's average monthly utility costs around $185 (state average). FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 96.0 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

26,406 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Oregon

Median Household Income

$81,998 /yr

Poverty 8.7%

Cost of Living Index (state)

103.4 (US=100)

Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, Oregon average

How does Forest Grove compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 64% higher than other cities
Home value 83% pricier than other cities
Median rent 80% pricier than other cities
Safety 39% safer than other cities

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

Zoom in to just Oregon and the picture shifts: Forest Grove ranks #34 of 85 Oregon cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

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

Oregon-relative analysis

Median Gross Rent places Forest Grove toward the top of Oregon's cities

Among the 395 Oregon cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Forest Grove ranks #1 - the 80th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Forest Grove only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#131 of 364
64th percentile in Oregon
Median Gross Rent
#1 of 395
80th percentile in Oregon
Median Home Value
#84 of 366
77th percentile in Oregon
Poverty Rate
#135 of 395
66th percentile in Oregon
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#102 of 395
74th percentile in Oregon

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 Oregon only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

64thIncome percentile
39thSafety percentile

64th percentile nationally for median household income · 39th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Forest Grove's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Forest Grove'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 41 Avg. percentile National median
Forest Grove'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 Grove's home value compares nationally

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

$464,300 17th percentile more affordable than 17% 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%). 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. Forest Grove $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 Grove, OR Forest Grove, OR's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Forest Grove, OR-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 Grove, OR median $81,998/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 Grove, OR'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 Grove, OR. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 31.7%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 8.7%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 61.0%

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

Population
26,406
Median Income
$81,998
Median Home Value
$464,300
Median Age
34.6
Poverty Rate
8.7%
Labor force participation
61.0%
Bachelor's Degree+
31.7%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1704.2
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
337.1
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1367.1
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.

Climate

Avg Temperature
52.1°F
Annual Precipitation
46.7"
Annual Snowfall
2.7"

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 →
25,500 residents26,000 residents26,500 residents27,000 residents27,500 residents 202020212022202320242025 26,066 residents 27,252 residents ▲ +4.5%
Forest Grove's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
149
housing units authorized
Single-Family
145
detached homes
Multifamily
4
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
5.6
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 96
2020 89
2021 386
2022 155
2023 62
2024 149

Permit volume increased 55% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
67.5%
Carpool
8.8%
Public Transit
4.6%
Walk
6.8%
Work from Home
9.4%
Other
2.9%

Based on 12,647 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

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

Electricity
$85
avg/month
Natural Gas
$50
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$50
avg/month
Total Utilities
$185
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Oregon 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 Oregon state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Forest Grove sits in

Cost of Living Index
103.4
Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,922/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
96.0 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Oregon

Wilsonville
26,183 people
Woodburn
26,845 people
West Linn
27,065 people
Newberg
25,622 people
Happy Valley
25,572 people
Tualatin
27,710 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Forest Grove's 26,406 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Carolina Forest, SC
26,373 people
Elk River, MN
26,367 people
Owatonna, MN
26,462 people
Elmira, NY
26,349 people
Venice, FL
26,467 people
Auburn, NY
26,475 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Forest Grove's $81,998 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Hillview, IL
$82,000 median income
Cole, OK
$82,000 median income
Nuangola, PA
$82,000 median income
Bingen, WA
$82,000 median income
Belmont, WI
$82,000 median income
South Ashburnham, MA
$82,006 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Forest Grove, OR 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 Grove, OR - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 68.6% 12.2% 13.3% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 30.3% White 68.6% Black or African American 2.6% Asian 2.2% American Indian 0.9% Native Hawaiian 0.3% Some other race 12.2% Two or more races 13.3% 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 Grove compares to nearby Oregon 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 Grove (this city) 26,406 $81,998
Wilsonville 26,183 $87,371
Woodburn 26,845 $67,469
West Linn 27,065 $138,526
Census ACS 5-year FIPS OR FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Forest Grove, OR?

What is the population of Forest Grove, OR? +

The population of Forest Grove, OR stands at 26,406 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Forest Grove, OR? +

In Forest Grove, the typical household earns $81,998 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Forest Grove? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Forest Grove; the closest available measure is the Oregon state average, a cost of living index of 103.4 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Oregon vary by metro area.

Is Forest Grove, OR safe? +

Forest Grove has a total crime rate of 1704.2 per 100,000 residents, which is below 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 Grove, OR? +

The median home value in Forest Grove is $464,300, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Forest Grove? +

Forest Grove has an average annual temperature of 52.1°F, 46.7 inches of precipitation, and 2.7 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, 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

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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.