Is Forest Hills, MI a Good Place to Live?
Forest Hills is a small city of 28,425 in Michigan, with a median household income of $150,153 and a 2.0% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 95 (US average = 100), which is 5% below the national average.
Strengths: Forest Hills stands out for an affordable cost of living, solid school ratings (A), a well-educated population, short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include high home prices. Whether Forest Hills is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Forest Hills 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: 95.2Forest Hills's overall cost of living index is 95.2, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Forest Hills costs roughly 5% less than the average American city.
| Metric | Forest Hills, MI | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $442,800 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,620 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 94.7% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $150,153 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Near National AverageForest Hills's violent crime rate is 460.5 per 100,000 residents — 21% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Forest Hills is served primarily by Forest Hills Public Schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16.9:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Forest Hills, MI | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Forest Hills Public Schools | — |
| Elementary Schools | 8 | — |
| Middle Schools | 6 | — |
| High Schools | 4 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 16.9:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 72.0% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 98.6% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Forest Hills sees average highs of 31.0°F in January and 83.1°F in July, with 39.5 inches of annual precipitation and 77.6 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Forest Hills, MI |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 31.0°F |
| Average High — July | 83.1°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 39.5" |
| Annual Snowfall | 77.6" |
Demographics
| Metric | Forest Hills, MI | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 28,425 | — |
| Median Age | 42.7 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.0% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 21.4 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 89.8% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 1.0% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 2.4% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 4.3% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 27.8% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 15.9% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Forest Hills
Forest Hills, MI is covered by 2 ZIP codes: