Forest spent more per resident in 2022 than 80% of similar towns
Forest’s town government spent $510,000 on day-to-day services in the year to December 31, 2022, about $817 per resident.
What stands out about how Forest is run
Read from the town’s budget and official records.
$817 per resident in 2022: more than 80% of them
Forest’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($817 per resident, hospital and utilities left out) against 1113 Wisconsin towns and townships of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools: the median was $509, and the middle half spent $371–$727. Forest spent more than 80% of them.
Includes sewer and trash ($18,000), as the Census Bureau counts them. Later years come from a Census sample, so the comparison stays on 2022. How Town Hall compares budgets →
Wisconsin towns and townships of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools, 2022 Census of Governments (every government counted that year; Forest itself left out).
About $817 per resident a year, or $2.24 a day
Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: roads & transportation, at 65%.
Thank you for being a neighbor
No trend yet
Forest reported only 2022 to the Census Bureau, so there is no trend yet.
The typical homeowner pays $2,373 a year
Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 0.92% of the home’s value, vs 1.42% across Wisconsin.
Typical yearly bill next door and statewide
The Housing page’s calculator splits a monthly payment into loan, tax and insurance at Forest’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. In a town this small the estimate has a wide margin.
Tax bills are one input to Forest’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Forest →
Who’s in charge in Forest
Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.
Forest’s meeting calendar isn’t in our feed yet. The town posts agendas and minutes on townofforest.com ↗.
One full-time town employee for every 624 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 (624).
By department full-time, plus part-time, March 2022
The Census reports one month’s payroll (March); yearly figures are that month × 12, an estimate. Part-timers count half in the bar lengths.
Hillsboro School District
Forest’s K–12 school district, shared with Greenwood, Hillsboro, Yuba, Hillsboro, Union. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.
Of the $19,568 per pupil, $10,350 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.
Wisconsin districts overall: 39% local, 50% state, 11% federal.
Norwalk-Ontario-Wilton School District · $15,103 per pupil
School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.
How Forest voted in 2024
Official results for Forest’s own voters, as certified after the November 5, 2024 general election, with the county and the state beside them.
Donald J TrumpRepublican62.0%183 votes
Kamala D HarrisDemocrat37.3%110 votesOthers: 0.7% (2 votes).
Most votes in Forest: Donald J Trump
Vernon County: Trump 53.0%, Harris 45.2% · Wisconsin: Trump 49.6%, Harris 48.7%
of Forest’s 518 adult citizens voted for president in 2024. Across Wisconsin: 76%.
Votes ÷ citizens of voting age (Census CVAP, 2020–24 ACS).
Most votes in Forest: Eric Hovde
Vernon County: Hovde 50.4%, Baldwin 47.1% · Wisconsin: Baldwin 49.3%, Hovde 48.5%
Most votes in the district: Derrick Van Orden
Whole-district result
President, 2024: Forest, its county and the state
| Trump | Harris | Others | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forest | 62.0% | 37.3% | 0.7% | 295 |
| Vernon County | 53.0% | 45.2% | 1.7% | 16,609 |
| Wisconsin | 49.6% | 48.7% | 1.7% | 3,422,918 |
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.
- 1Your townTown governmentOfficials: townofforest.com ↗
- 2Wisconsin AssemblyState representatives
- 3Wisconsin SenateState senator
- 4GovernorStatewide
- 5U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress
- 6U.S. SenateBoth represent all of Wisconsin
Democrat · Republican · other or independent. Tap a name for their official page.
How Forest compares with the towns next door
Forest spent $817 per resident in 2022; the 4 neighbors that reported 2022 spent $386 to $758. Towns that run more services spend more. Tap a town to see its page.
| Town | Day-to-day, per resident (2022) | Tax bill |
|---|---|---|
| Hillsboro | $386 | $2,698 |
| Union | $607 | $2,713 |
| Wellington | $637 | $2,568 |
| Whitestown | $758 | $1,787 |
| Forest | $817 | $2,373 |
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’s government
The official site has phone numbers, hours and forms. Neighbors add the rest to the Handbook.
Questions about Forest’s government
How much does Forest spend per resident?
About $817 per resident on day-to-day services in the year to December 31, 2022, as reported to the Census Bureau. In 2022, the last full count, its $817 was more than 80% of 1113 Wisconsin towns and townships of under 2,500 that don’t run their own schools.
What is the property tax rate in Forest?
Homeowners report a typical bill of $2,373 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 0.92% of the typical home’s value, vs 1.42% across Wisconsin. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see townofforest.com.
Who runs Forest’s government?
See townofforest.com for current officials. We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Forest yet.
How did Forest vote in 2024?
For president, Donald J Trump 62.0%, Kamala D Harris 37.3% (295 votes, official results). Vernon County: Trump 53.0%, Harris 45.2%. Wisconsin: Trump 49.6%, Harris 48.7%.
How many people work for Forest?
1 full-time and 7 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $8,476 (about $101,712 a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.
Who represents Forest in the state legislature?
State Senate District 32 (Brad Pfaff) and Assembly District 96 (Tara Johnson). The Assembly district also covers 33 other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.
Ask neighbors about Forest’s 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 →