Forest CityIL
A town of 211, settled in 1861.
Is Forest City a good place to live?
Forest City has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
211 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Moving to Forest City: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Forest City, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 12, 2025.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Forest City.
Forest City’s typical home value is about $101K
Among households in Forest City, 68% live in a home they own, below both the Illinois town median (75%) and the median of U.S. towns (73%). In the year to September 2026, typical home values climbed 7.7%. The median rent in the town is $937 a month.
| Forest City | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 68% | 75% | 73% |
| Median rent | $937 a month | $1,129 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
More of Forest City’s residents live below the poverty line than in the typical Illinois or U.S. town
Forest City’s mean commuting time is 30 minutes. The top destinations are Manito (20%), Springfield (11%) and Chicago (6%). The median commute is under 29 miles.
| Forest City | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 28% | 8.4% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 30 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $88,000 | $83,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
In Forest City, expect four seasons and pleasant summers
Expect July afternoons of 86° and January nights of 18°, with about 28 inches of snow a winter.
Typical low → high °F
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
How healthy Forest City is
Among adults in Forest City, 78% had a checkup this year, where Illinois’ towns sit at 78% and U.S. towns at 79%. 16% of Forest City adults smoke cigarettes.
| Forest City | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 17% | 17% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 13% | 14% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 18% | 16% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 13% | 14% |
| What stands out | Forest City | IL |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 16.2% | 10.3% |
| More adults with COPD | 8.6% | 6.3% |
| More smokers | 16% | 12.1% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
The biggest natural risk in Forest City is inland flooding, at a moderate overall level
FEMA puts 34% of Forest City’s expected hazard losses down to inland flooding, and 20% to cold waves. Compared with 51% of U.S. communities, expected storm and flood damage locally is lower.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Everything we know about Forest City
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Forest City; the nearest are
About 2 of every 100 Forest City residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Illinois.
100% of working residents leave Forest City for work
Where Forest City’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
About Forest City
Village in Illinois, United States
Forest City is a village in Mason County, Illinois, United States. The population was 222 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.5 sq mi
- Elevation
- 493 ft
- ZIP code
- 61532
Questions about Forest City
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Forest City, IL a good place to live?
Forest City has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.