49% of the land in Forest Township is conserved, against 4.4% in Michigan’s towns and 4.3% across U.S. towns. The biggest place to walk is Pigeon River Country State Forest, 21,581 acres with 56.3 miles of trail. Forest Township has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.

Small town

979 people, and everyone knows the way

In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.

Nearby towns

Walker Township · 5 mi Onaway · 6 mi Allis Township · 6 mi Nunda Township · 9 mi Waverly Township · 10 mi North Allis Township · 10 mi

Allis TownshipWaverly TownshipNunda TownshipWalker TownshipMontmorency TownshipForest Township

Getting set up

Moving to Forest Township: who provides what

Who provides power, water and the rest in Forest Township, and how to reach them.

The full setup list →

PowerPresque Isle Elec & Gas Coop23.9¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA

Internet5 providers97% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC

Trash & dumpForest Township Transfer StationTue, Thu 2 pm–6 pm; Sat 9 am–5 pmOpenStreetMap

SchoolsOnaway Area Community School DistrictWhich school depends on your addressNCES

Register to voteOnlineIn Michigan you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 15 days before).vote.gov

Who runs elections hereForest Township ClerkThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Nov 2025

ZIP code4976549765 100%Census 2020

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 Township.

Outdoors

Forest Township has set aside nearly a third of its land for conservation

Across 4 parks and preserves: 84 miles of trail. The density of trails for Forest Township comes to 1.2 miles per square mile, where Michigan’s towns sit at 0.3 and U.S. towns at 0.4. Parks and preserves in the town: 4, covering 23,507 acres.

49.1%conserved

49.1%

conserved · 21,710 of 44,206 acres

84 mi

of trails · 1.2 per sq mi

Biggest places to walk	Trails	Acres
1. Pigeon River Country State Forest	56.3 mi	21,581
2. Mackinaw State Forest - Gaylord Unit	10.2 mi	1,914
3. Forest Township Park	—	11

Full pageForest Township’s outdoors pageOpen the page

Trail map84 miles of trail, mapped Pick a walk56.3 miles of trail · Pigeon River Country State Forest Conserved land49.1% conserved · 21,710 acres protected Questions“Where can I hike in Forest Township?”

Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US

Work & commute

Most of Forest Township’s workers commute out: the town has 0.4 jobs for each of them

Half commute less than 31 miles. Among residents in Forest Township, 24% live below the poverty line. For most workers, Forest Township is a place to come home to: only 1% work in town. Employers in Forest Township added 103 jobs between 2011 and 2021, to 143.

1%work in town

	Forest Township	Michigan towns	U.S. towns
Below the poverty line	24%	8.9%	9.6%
Median household income	$57,000	$77,000	$80,000
Working residents who work in town	1.5%	5.9%	8%
Average trip to work	26 minutes	25 minutes	25 minutes

Where working residents work

In Forest Township1%

Petoskey6%

Tuscarora Township5%

Mentor Township5%

Cheboygan4%

31 mi

median commute distance

143

jobs based in Forest Township

A commuter town

jobs vs. working residents

Full pageForest Township’s work & commute pageOpen the page

The jobs here143 jobs based here · A commuter town Where people work1% work in Forest Township Commute times26 minutes · The average commute How far they goHalf commute less than 31 miles

Census LEHD 2021 · ACS

Climate

Forest Township: snowy winters and pleasant summers

Forest Township’s peak summer temperature comes in at 80°F.

87″snow a winter

Typical low → high °F

Winter13–29°

Spring29–53°

Summer53–78°

Fall37–57°

Oct 2

typical first frost

May 22

typical last frost

+1.7°

vs. the 20th-century average

Full pageForest Township’s climate pageOpen the page

A year of weatherJuly highs 80°, January lows 11°Rain & snow87″ of snow a winter · 31 inches of rain and snow a year Heating & coolingMostly a heating bill Then and now+1.7° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Health

How healthy Forest Township is

The share of adults in Forest Township who had a checkup this year: 82%. The town beats the Michigan average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 14. In Forest Township, 43% of adults have high blood pressure, and 15% have diabetes.

	Forest Township	Michigan towns	U.S. towns
Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES)	18%	14%	14%
High blood pressure (CDC PLACES)	43%	36%	35%
Diabetes (CDC PLACES)	15%	12%	12%
Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES)	19%	15%	14%

32 measures vs. Michigan

1 better17 too close to call14 worse

What stands out	Forest Township	MI
More adults treating high blood pressure	81.3%	77.6%
More older adults who have lost all their teeth	17.2%	10.2%

Mclaren Northern Michigan

32.2 mi away · emergency room

3 of 3

care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health

Full pageForest Township’s health reportOpen the page

Everyday habitsMore smokers Hospitals & doctors nearby32.2 miles to an ER · Mclaren Northern Michigan How adults are doingMore adults in frequent physical distress Every CDC estimateBetter than MI on 1 of 32

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

Natural hazards

Forest Township faces a moderate natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding

In Forest Township, the FEMA hazard score is 54 of 100. 81% of the town’s expected losses from natural hazards come from inland flooding, followed by cold waves at 12%.

54risk score of 100

FEMA risk score

Inland floodingCold waves

Full pageForest Township’s hazards pageOpen the page

What it facesModerate risk Flood claims0 paid flood claims · No paid flood claims on record Past disasters6 disaster declarations · Declared for the county Get ready0.1 events a year, on average · Ready for inland flooding

FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

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