City profile · Texas · Census ACS 2023

Forest Hill, TX

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

13,923
Residents
$59,653
Median income
$171,300
Median home
$1,723
Median rent (state)

Forest Hill - the verdict

Forest Hill ranks in the 35th percentile for household income and the 38th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

35th
percentile, household income
34th
percentile, home value
69th
percentile, median rent
38th
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 Hill, TX

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 13,923 residents in Forest Hill, a small town within Texas. Forest Hill households earn a median of $59,653 annually, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 15.2%. Home values in Forest Hill run a median of $171,300, and the median resident age is 33.3 years. Educational attainment runs 12.4% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 57.1% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 5 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 89% from five years earlier. Forest Hill reports a comparatively low crime rate: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 1742.8 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, below the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Texas tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Texas scores 97.1 (Near Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,723 per month statewide. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Texas's average monthly utility costs around $223 (state average). Workers in Forest Hill report an average commute of 26.3 minutes, with 74.4% driving alone and 8.3% working from home. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 99.1 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

13,923 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Texas

Median Household Income

$59,653 /yr

Poverty 15.2%

Cost of Living Index (state)

97.1 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Texas average

How does Forest Hill compare to other US cities?

Where Forest Hill sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 35% higher than other cities
Home value 34% pricier than other cities
Median rent 69% pricier than other cities
Safety 38% safer than other cities

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

Zoom in to just Texas and the picture shifts: Forest Hill ranks #404 of 624 Texas cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

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

Texas-relative analysis

Median Gross Rent places Forest Hill toward the top of Texas's cities

Among the 1,663 Texas cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Forest Hill ranks #213 - the 83rd percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Forest Hill only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#860 of 1,520
43rd percentile in Texas
Median Gross Rent
#213 of 1,663
83rd percentile in Texas
Median Home Value
#686 of 1,505
54th percentile in Texas
Poverty Rate
#492 of 1,663
70th percentile in Texas
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#1,121 of 1,663
32nd percentile in Texas

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

35thIncome percentile
38thSafety percentile

35th percentile nationally for median household income · 38th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Forest Hill's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Forest Hill'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 Hill'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 Hill's home value compares nationally

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

$171,300 Among the most affordable more affordable than 66% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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 Hill $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 Hill, TX Forest Hill, TX's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Forest Hill, TX-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 Hill, TX median $59,653/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 Hill, TX'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 Hill, TX. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 12.4%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 15.2%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 57.1%

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

Population
13,923
Median Income
$59,653
Median Home Value
$171,300
Median Age
33.3
Poverty Rate
15.2%
Labor force participation
57.1%
Bachelor's Degree+
12.4%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1742.8
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
175.7
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1567.1
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.

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
13,600 residents13,800 residents14,000 residents14,200 residents14,400 residents 202020212022202320242025 13,950 residents 14,056 residents ▲ +0.8%
Forest Hill's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
5
housing units authorized
Single-Family
5
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.4
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 45
2020 18
2021 15
2022 132
2023 10
2024 5

Permit volume decreased 89% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
26.3 minutes
Drive Alone
74.4%
Carpool
12.4%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.0%
Work from Home
8.3%
Other
4.9%

Based on 5,976 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

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

Electricity
$130
avg/month
Natural Gas
$45
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$48
avg/month
Total Utilities
$223
estimated/month

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

Cost of Living Index
97.1
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,723/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
99.1 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Texas

Lumberton
13,803 people
Azle
13,734 people
Wells Branch
14,156 people
Jacksonville
14,186 people
Port Neches
13,627 people
Seabrook
13,617 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Forest Hill's 13,923 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Wood Dale, IL
13,926 people
Willow Grove, PA
13,919 people
Rocky Point, NY
13,931 people
Brandermill, VA
13,938 people
McCalla, AL
13,939 people
Urbana, MD
13,897 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Forest Hill's $59,653 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

North Rose, NY
$59,648 median income
Rainbow City, AL
$59,659 median income
Harlansburg, PA
$59,659 median income
Mill Village, PA
$59,659 median income
Fayetteville, WV
$59,659 median income
Mineville, NY
$59,661 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Forest Hill, TX 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 Hill, TX - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 18.9% 44.0% 16.4% 20.0% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 48.2% White 18.9% Black or African American 44.0% Asian 0.0% American Indian 0.8% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 16.4% Two or more races 20.0% 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 Hill compares to nearby Texas 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 Hill (this city) 13,923 $59,653
Lumberton 13,803 $104,551
Azle 13,734 $81,200
Wells Branch 14,156 $64,345
Census ACS 5-year FIPS TX FBI UCR Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Forest Hill, TX?

What is the population of Forest Hill, TX? +

13,923 people live in Forest Hill, TX according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Forest Hill, TX? +

The median household income in Forest Hill is $59,653 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Forest Hill? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Forest Hill; the closest available measure is the Texas state average, a cost of living index of 97.1 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Near Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Texas vary by metro area.

Is Forest Hill, TX safe? +

Forest Hill has a total crime rate of 1742.8 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 Hill, TX? +

Forest Hill's median home value sits at $171,300, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

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