Forest City is a small town of 208 in Missouri, with a median household income of $43,438
and a 1.2% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 82 (US average = 100), which is
18% below the national average.
Strengths:
Forest City stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices.
Trade-offs:
Potential downsides include longer commutes. Whether Forest City is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Forest City 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: 82.2
Forest City's overall cost of living index is 82.2,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Forest City costs roughly 18% less than the average American city.
Metric
Forest City, MO
National Avg
Median Home Value
$74,300
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$381
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
58.9%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$43,438
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Very Safe
Forest City's violent crime rate is 249.8 per 100,000 residents
— 34% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
249.8 /100k
Property Crime
999.3 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Metric
Forest City, MO
National Avg
School District
N/A
—
Elementary Schools
N/A
—
Middle Schools
N/A
—
High Schools
N/A
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
N/A
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
9.4%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
94.1%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Forest City sees average highs of 34.7°F in January
and 86.6°F in July,
with 38.7 inches of annual precipitation
and 21.1 inches of snow per year.
Forest City's cost of living index is 82, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Forest City roughly 18% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $74,300 and median rent is $381/month.
Forest City's violent crime rate is 249.8 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 999.3 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
School district information is sourced from NCES Common Core of Data.
Forest City, MO has a population of 208, a median household income of $43,438, and an unemployment rate of 1.2%.
It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. 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 City averages 34.7°F in January and 86.6°F in July. Annual rainfall is 38.7 inches
with about 21.1 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Forest City, MO is covered by 1 ZIP code: 64451.
The population of Forest City, Missouri is 208 with a median age of 56.4. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Forest City: cost of living index 82 (100 = US average), median home $74,300, median household income $43,438, crime index 58 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Forest City side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.
