City profile · Washington · Census ACS 2023

Forks, WA

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

3,413
Residents
$46,389
Median income
$193,900
Median home
$1,266
Median rent (state)

Forks - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Forks places in the 14th percentile for household income. Source: Census ACS.

14th
percentile, household income
41st
percentile, home value
42nd
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: Forks, WA

3,413 people live in Forks, Washington - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Forks brings in $46,389 a year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 19.4%. Typical homes in Forks are valued around $193,900, and the median resident age is 37.8 years. About 22.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 55.4% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 6 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Rapid Growth), up 20% from five years earlier. The annual average temperature per NOAA climate normals runs 50.4°F with 119.9 inches of precipitation per year and 7.9 inches of snowfall.

Washington carries a cost-of-living premium: the state registers 107.0 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Above Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,266 per month statewide. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Washington's average monthly utility costs around $188 (state average). On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 89.7 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very High).

Population

3,413 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Washington

Median Household Income

$46,389 /yr

Poverty 19.4%

Cost of Living Index (state)

107.0 (US=100)

Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, Washington average

How does Forks compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 14% higher than other cities
Home value 41% pricier than other cities
Median rent 42% 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

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 Forks'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 Washington, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

14thIncome percentile

14th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Forks's home value compares nationally

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

$193,900 Among the most affordable more affordable than 59% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Forks $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 - Forks, WA Forks, WA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Forks, WA-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 Forks, WA median $46,389/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%
Forks, WA'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 Forks, WA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 22.0%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 19.4%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 55.4%

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

Population
3,413
Median Income
$46,389
Median Home Value
$193,900
Median Age
37.8
Poverty Rate
19.4%
Labor force participation
55.4%
Bachelor's Degree+
22.0%

Climate

Avg Temperature
50.4°F
Annual Precipitation
119.9"
Annual Snowfall
7.9"

Schools

Total Schools
6
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
3,350 residents3,400 residents3,450 residents3,500 residents 202020212022202320242025 3,398 residents 3,488 residents ▲ +2.6%
Forks's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Rapid Growth
Total Permits (2024)
6
housing units authorized
Single-Family
6
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1.8
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 5
2020 11
2021 9
2022 14
2023 2
2024 6

Permit volume increased 20% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
67.0%
Carpool
10.5%
Public Transit
0.9%
Walk
10.9%
Work from Home
10.7%

Based on 1,529 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

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

Electricity
$85
avg/month
Natural Gas
$48
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$55
avg/month
Total Utilities
$188
estimated/month

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

Cost of Living Index
107.0
Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,266/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
89.7 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Washington

Elma
3,452 people
Goldendale
3,458 people
Fox Island
3,365 people
Three Lakes
3,466 people
Lake Cassidy
3,337 people
Warm Beach
3,333 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Forks's 3,413 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Jewett City, CT
3,412 people
Ringgold, GA
3,412 people
Fort Branch, IN
3,412 people
Hartford, SD
3,412 people
Lewes, DE
3,415 people
Avon, NY
3,415 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Forks's $46,389 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Bunker Hill, IN
$46,389 median income
Monmouth, IA
$46,389 median income
Dudley, NC
$46,389 median income
Portage, PA
$46,389 median income
Sylacauga, AL
$46,384 median income
Richmond, IN
$46,395 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Forks, WA 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 Forks, WA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 63.5% 23.1% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 25.3% White 63.5% Black or African American 1.2% Asian 5.4% American Indian 3.5% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 3.3% Two or more races 23.1% 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 Forks compares to nearby Washington cities

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

City Population Median Household Income
Forks (this city) 3,413 $46,389
Elma 3,452 $66,194
Goldendale 3,458 $41,621
Fox Island 3,365 $172,917
Census ACS 5-year FIPS WA NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Forks, WA?

What is the population of Forks, WA? +

Forks, WA has a population of 3,413 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Forks, WA? +

Median annual household income in Forks runs $46,389, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Forks? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Forks; the closest available measure is the Washington state average, a cost of living index of 107.0 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Washington vary by metro area.

What is the median home value in Forks, WA? +

The median home value in Forks is $193,900, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Forks? +

Climate normals put Forks's yearly average temperature at 50.4°F, 119.9 inches of precipitation, and 7.9 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

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