Median Income
$41,837
household / year
Median Home Value
$95,900
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,042
gross / month
Cost of Living
101
national avg = 100

Is Forest Park, GA a Good Place to Live?

Forest Park is a small city of 19,619 in Georgia, with a median household income of $41,837 and a 8.9% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 101 (US average = 100), which is 1% above the national average.

Strengths: Forest Park stands out for below-average home prices.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include a higher-than-average crime index, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Forest Park is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Forest Park city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 100.9

Forest Park's overall cost of living index is 100.9, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Forest Park costs roughly 1% more than the average American city.

Metric Forest Park, GA National Avg
Median Home Value $95,900 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,042 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 36.0% 65.9%
Median Household Income $41,837 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Higher than Average

Forest Park's violent crime rate is 572.0 per 100,000 residents — 51% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
572.0 /100k
Property Crime
2865.0 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Forest Park is served primarily by State Specialty Schools II- Sankofa Montessori. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14.4:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Forest Park, GA National Avg
School District State Specialty Schools II- Sankofa Montessori —
Elementary Schools 1 —
Middle Schools N/A —
High Schools N/A —
Student/Teacher Ratio 14.4:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 10.3% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 76.6% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Forest Park sees average highs of 54.0°F in January and 90.1°F in July, with 50.4 inches of annual precipitation and 2.2 inches of snow per year.

MetricForest Park, GA
Average High — January54.0°F
Average High — July90.1°F
Annual Precipitation50.4"
Annual Snowfall2.2"

Demographics

MetricForest Park, GANational Avg
Population19,619—
Median Age31.338.9
Unemployment Rate8.9%3.7%
Avg Commute Time27.3 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)20.2%59.3%
Black or African American54.3%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino16.4%18.9%
Asian5.6%6.3%
Under 1829.1%22.2%
65 and over13.0%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Lake City, GA 1 mi Conley, GA 2 mi Morrow, GA 3 mi Hapeville, GA 4 mi Riverdale, GA 5 mi

ZIP Codes in Forest Park

Forest Park, GA is covered by 2 ZIP codes:

30297 30294

Forest Park vs Other Cities

Forest Park, GA vs Lake City, GA Forest Park, GA vs Conley, GA Forest Park, GA vs Morrow, GA Forest Park, GA vs Hapeville, GA Forest Park, GA vs Riverdale, GA

Frequently Asked Questions

Forest Park's cost of living index is 101, where 100 is the national average. That puts Forest Park roughly 1% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $95,900 and median rent is $1,042/month.
Forest Park's violent crime rate is 572.0 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 2865.0 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Forest Park are operated by State Specialty Schools II- Sankofa Montessori. The district has 1 elementary, several middle, and several high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14.4:1. 10.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Forest Park, GA has a population of 19,619, a median household income of $41,837, and an unemployment rate of 8.9%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Forest Park averages 54.0°F in January and 90.1°F in July. Annual rainfall is 50.4 inches with about 2.2 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Forest Park, GA is covered by 2 ZIP codes: 30297, 30294.
The population of Forest Park, Georgia is 19,619 with a median age of 31.3. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Forest Park: cost of living index 101 (100 = US average), median home $95,900, median household income $41,837, crime index 145 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated C. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Forest Park side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.