Forest Hills spent less per resident in 2022 than 91% of similar cities
Forest Hills’ village government spent $71,000 on day-to-day services in the year to June 30, 2022, about $189 per resident. Water and other utilities ($10,000) are counted separately.
What stands out about how Forest Hills is run
Read from the village’s budget and official records.
$189 per resident in 2022: less than 91% of them
Forest Hills’ day-to-day spending in 2022 ($189 per resident, hospital and utilities left out) against 221 North Carolina cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools: the median was $803, and the middle half spent $435–$1,365. Forest Hills spent less than 91% of them.
Later years come from a Census sample, so the comparison stays on 2022. How Town Hall compares budgets →
North Carolina cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools, 2022 Census of Governments (every government counted that year; Forest Hills itself left out).
About $189 per resident a year, or $0.52 a day
Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: administration & buildings, at 46%.
Thank you for being a neighbor
Revenue is well above spending. That usually means Forest Hills collects property taxes for the school district and county and passes them on, so only its own spending is counted.
No trend yet
Forest Hills reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.
The typical homeowner pays $1,228 a year
Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county.
Typical yearly bill next door and statewide
The Housing page’s calculator splits a monthly payment into loan, tax and insurance at Forest Hills’ rate.
Can I afford it? →The median bill homeowners report to the Census survey (bills of $10,000+ are reported as “$10,000+”). The effective rate is that bill ÷ the median home value: a rough guide, not the official tax rate. In a town this small the estimate has a wide margin.
Tax bills are one input to Forest Hills’ Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Forest Hills →
Who’s in charge in Forest Hills
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
Jackson County Schools
Forest Hills’ K–12 school district, shared with Dillsboro, Sylva, Webster. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.
Of the $14,411 per pupil, $8,487 goes to the classroom (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren’t in the per-pupil figure.
North Carolina districts overall: 26% local, 57% state, 17% federal.
School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.
Forest Hills’ votes are counted by county
North Carolina reports official results by county and precinct, not by village, so there are no official results for Forest Hills alone, and we don’t estimate them. These are Jackson County’s results.
Donald J TrumpRepublican53.8%11,796 votes
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat44.4%9,746 votesOthers: 1.8% (400 votes).
Most votes in Jackson County: Donald J Trump
North Carolina: Trump 50.9%, Harris 47.6%
100% of Forest Hills lies in Jackson County. Every 2024 race in Jackson County is on the county’s page.
Jackson County’s 2024 results →Official 2024 general election returns, as certified (MIT Election Data + Science Lab). Percentages are of votes for candidates; blank and spoiled ballots aren’t counted. Candidates are listed by votes, and party colors are neutral on purpose.
Portraits: Kamala D Harris: official vice-presidential portrait, Lawrence Jackson, The White House, 2021; Donald J Trump: official portrait, Shealah Craighead, The White House, 2017. All are U.S. government works in the public domain. A race shows photos only when every candidate has an official portrait; otherwise every candidate in it gets initials.
From town hall to Washington
Every level of government that speaks for Forest Hills.
- 1Your cityMayor & councilLocal officials aren’t on record yet.
- 2North Carolina HouseState representatives
- 3North Carolina SenateState senator
- 4GovernorStatewide
- 5U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress
- 6U.S. SenateBoth represent all of North Carolina
Democrat · Republican · other or independent. Tap a name for their official page.
How Forest Hills compares with the towns next door
Forest Hills spent $189 per resident in 2022. Towns that run more services spend more. Tap a town to see its page.
| Town | Day-to-day, per resident (2022) | Tax bill |
|---|---|---|
| Forest Hills | $189 | $1,228 |
Day-to-day spending in 2022, the last year every government was counted, for governments that reported it; hospital and utilities left out. Tax bill: the typical homeowner’s bill (Census ACS, 2020–24).
Reach Forest Hills’ government
Neighbors add phone numbers and hours to the Handbook.
Questions about Forest Hills’ government
How much does Forest Hills spend per resident?
About $189 per resident on day-to-day services in the year to June 30, 2022, as reported to the Census Bureau. In 2022, the last full count, its $189 was less than 91% of 221 North Carolina cities of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools.
Who runs Forest Hills’ government?
We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Forest Hills yet.
How did Forest Hills vote in 2024?
North Carolina counts votes by county and precinct, not by village, so there are no official results for Forest Hills alone. Jackson County, where 100% of Forest Hills lies, voted Trump 53.8%, Harris 44.4% for president; its page has every race.
Who represents Forest Hills in the state legislature?
State Senate District 50 (Kevin Corbin) and State House District 119 (Anna Ferguson). The House district also covers seven other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.
Ask neighbors about Forest Hills’ government
Neighbors who’ve been to the meetings can help.
Budget and staff: U.S. Census Bureau, Census of Governments (2022, every government) and Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023–24, a sample) and the Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll; day-to-day spending is current operations, with hospitals, utilities and airports apart. School district: Census school finance survey, 2023–24. Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 2020–24. Elections: official 2024 returns via the MIT Election Data + Science Lab; turnout uses Census citizen voting-age population (CVAP, 2020–24). Officials: Open States, names shown only with a current term (checked October 9, 2026). Districts: Census Bureau (119th Congress, 2024 state districts); legislators: Open States and congress-legislators. How Town Hall works →