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Town Hall · Forest Hill

Forest Hill spent less per resident in 2022 than 84% of similar cities

Forest Hill’s city government spent $8.2 million on day-to-day services in the year to September 30, 2022, about $632 per resident. Water and other utilities ($965,000) are counted separately.

Town website
Election Day

Today

General election in Texas.

Register or check: vote.gov ↗
Day-to-day spending, 2022
$8.2M
year to September 30, 2022
Per resident, 2022
$632
In 2022: $632, less than 84% of 68 similar cities
Long-term debt
$2.5M
end of FY2022, reported
City staff, 2022
80
full-time · 6 part-time · March payroll $435,269
Typical tax bill
$2,748
1.47% of home value · TX 1.49%

What stands out about how Forest Hill is run

Read from the city’s budget, meetings and official records.

Agendas posted online5 upcoming meetings posted, with agendas.Spends less than most similar citiesIn 2022: $632 per resident, less than 84% of 68 similar cities.Runs its own water & sewer33% of day-to-day spending goes to water, sewer and trash (2022).A shared school districtShares Fort Worth Independent School District with 5 other towns.
★ What stands out · Meetings

5 upcoming meetings at town hall

From Forest Hill’s own agenda portal, checked daily. Agendas can change up to the meeting, so check before you go.

Recent meetings

  • Oct27
    City CouncilTuesday · 1:00 pm · 3219 E CALIFORNIA PKWYCity Council Special Called MeetingAgenda ↗Meeting page ↗
  • Oct26
    Meet and ConferMonday · 10:00 am · 3219 E CALIFORNIA PKWYMeet and Confer MeetingAgenda ↗Meeting page ↗
  • Oct21
    Historical Preservation CommissionWednesday · 3:00 pm · 3219 E CALIFORNIA PKWYHistorical Preservation Commission Meeting CancellationAgenda ↗Meeting page ↗
  • Oct20
    Community Development CorporationTuesday · 6:00 pm · 3219 E CALIFORNIA PKWYCommunity Development Corporation Meeting-Cancelled No QuorumAgenda ↗Meeting page ↗
  • Oct13
    City CouncilTuesday · 6:00 pm · 3219 E CALIFORNIA PKWYCity Council MeetingAgenda ↗Meeting page ↗
Go in person

Most meetings are open to the public, and many have a public comment period at the start.

Agenda portal ↗
Your share of the 2022 budget

About $632 per resident a year, or $1.73 a day

Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: police, at 38%.

Where the money comes from
Property taxes 39%Sales taxes 24%Fees & charges 19%Utility sales 14%Interest, fines & other 3%Other taxes & licenses <1%From other local governments <1%
Not in the receipt.Interest on debt $116,000. With these and the enterprises, the whole budget was $9.3 million.
Compared with similar places

$632 per resident in 2022: less than 84% of them

Forest Hill’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($632 per resident, hospital and utilities left out) against 68 Texas cities of 10,000–24,999 that don’t run their own schools: the median was $986, and the middle half spent $731–$1,301. Forest Hill spent less than 84% of them.

Middle half of the group, $731–$1,301Median $986Forest Hill

Includes sewer and trash ($2 million), as the Census Bureau counts them. Later years come from a Census sample, so the comparison stays on 2022. How Town Hall compares budgets →

The group
68

Texas cities of 10,000–24,999 that don’t run their own schools, 2022 Census of Governments (every government counted that year; Forest Hill itself left out).

Over the years

No trend yet

Forest Hill reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.

Property tax

The typical homeowner pays $2,748 a year

Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 1.47% of the home’s value, vs 1.49% across Texas.

What homes cost →

Typical yearly bill next door and statewide

Kennedale$6,098
Fort Worth$5,191
Texas$4,232
Forest Hill$2,748
$2,748
typical bill a year
1.47%
effective rate
$187,400
typical home value (Census)
Your own bill

The Housing page’s calculator splits a monthly payment into loan, tax and insurance at Forest Hill’s 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.

Tax bills are one input to Forest Hill’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Forest Hill →

Who runs it

Who’s in charge in Forest Hill

Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.

See foresthilltx.org for Forest Hill’s current officialsWe name an official only when a public source lists a current term. None does for Forest Hill yet.foresthilltx.org ↗
Who works for Forest Hill

One full-time city employee for every 162 residents

On the payroll in March 2022, from the Census Bureau’s Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll. Residents: the Census population in the 2022 finance file (12,943).

By department full-time, plus part-time, March 2022

Police30 + 3 pt
Fire17
Roads & transportation12
Administration & buildings10
Water & other utilities4 + 1 pt
Courts, inspections & corrections3
Housing & development3
Parks & libraries1 + 2 pt
80
full-time
6
part-time
$435,269
payroll for March 2022
$5.2M
a year, estimated (March × 12)
$64,500
average full-time pay, before benefits (March × 12)
22
sworn police officers
15
full-time firefighters
Compared, 2022.Forest Hill had 6.2 full-time staff per 1,000 residents in March 2022. The median for the 56 of the 68 Texas cities of 10,000–24,999 that don’t run their own schools that reported 2022 staff was 8.2: Forest Hill had fewer than 73% of them. Same group and year as the budget comparison.

The Census reports one month’s payroll (March); yearly figures are that month × 12, an estimate. Part-timers count half in the bar lengths.

The school district

Fort Worth Independent School District

Forest Hill’s K–12 school district, shared with Benbrook, Westover Hills, Westworth Village, Edgecliff Village, Fort Worth. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.

Schools in Forest Hill →
$13,777
per pupil · TX $12,815
71,060
students
$1.7 billion
long-term debt

Of the $13,777 per pupil, $7,863 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.

The district: schools, scores and graduation →

Where the district’s money comes from
Local 51%State 33%Federal 16%

Texas districts overall: 51% local, 36% state, 13% federal.

Also serving Forest Hill

Everman Independent School District · $14,144 per pupil

School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.

Elections · 2024 general election

Forest Hill’s votes are counted by county

Texas reports official results by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for Forest Hill alone, and we don’t estimate them. These are Tarrant County’s results.

President · Tarrant County’s results823,312 votes · results as certified
Donald J TrumpDonald J TrumpRepublican51.8%426,626 votes
Kamala D HarrisKamala D HarrisDemocrat46.7%384,501 votes

Others: 1.5% (12,185 votes).

Most votes in Tarrant County: Donald J Trump

Texas: Trump 56.1%, Harris 42.5%

The county’s page

100% of Forest Hill lies in Tarrant County. Every 2024 race in Tarrant County is on the county’s page.

Tarrant County’s 2024 results →
DemocratRepublicanLibertarianIndependent / other

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.

Who represents Forest Hill

From town hall to Washington

Every level of government that speaks for Forest Hill.

2024 results ↑
  1. 1
    Your cityMayor & council
    Officials: foresthilltx.org ↗
  2. 2
    Texas HouseState representatives
    Nicole Collier
  3. 3
    Texas SenateState senator
    Phil King
  4. 4
    GovernorStatewide
    Greg Abbott
  5. 5
    U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress
    Marc A. Veasey
  6. 6
    U.S. SenateBoth represent all of Texas
    John CornynTed Cruz

Democrat · Republican · other or independent. Tap a name for their official page.

Next door

How Forest Hill compares with the towns next door

Forest Hill spent $632 per resident in 2022; the 2 neighbors that reported 2022 spent $1,211 to $1,407. Towns that run more services spend more. Tap a town to see its page.

Fort Worth: $1,407 per resident (2022)Kennedale: $1,211 per resident (2022)Fort WorthKennedaleForest Hill
Spends the leastSpends the mostEstimate or no figures
TownDay-to-day, per resident (2022)Tax bill
Kennedale$1,211$6,098
Fort Worth$1,407$5,191
Forest Hill$632$2,748

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 Hill’s government

The official site has phone numbers, hours and forms. Neighbors add the rest to the Handbook.

The Handbook →
Official websiteforesthilltx.org ↗

Questions about Forest Hill’s government

How much does Forest Hill spend per resident?

About $632 per resident on day-to-day services in the year to September 30, 2022, as reported to the Census Bureau. In 2022, the last full count, its $632 was less than 84% of 68 Texas cities of 10,000–24,999 that don’t run their own schools.

What is the property tax rate in Forest Hill?

Homeowners report a typical bill of $2,748 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 1.47% of the typical home’s value, vs 1.49% across Texas. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see foresthilltx.org.

Who runs Forest Hill’s government?

See foresthilltx.org for current officials. We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Forest Hill yet.

How did Forest Hill vote in 2024?

Texas counts votes by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for Forest Hill alone. Tarrant County, where 100% of Forest Hill lies, voted Trump 51.8%, Harris 46.7% for president; its page has every race.

How many people work for Forest Hill?

80 full-time and 6 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $435,269 (about $5.2M a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.

Who represents Forest Hill in the state legislature?

State Senate District 10 (Phil King) and State House District 95 (Nicole Collier). The House district also covers three neighboring towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.

When is the next public meeting in Forest Hill?

The next posted meeting is City Council on Wednesday, November 4, at 1:00 pm in 3219 California Parkway, from the city’s own agenda portal.

Ask neighbors about Forest Hill’s government

Neighbors who’ve been to the meetings can help.

Town Square →
Ask neighbors

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 →