Forest County, Pennsylvania

County in PA, US

By Neilsberg Research

Last updated May 1, 2026

Key Indicators

A quick look at key numbers

Population

6,715

Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates

Median Age

48.7

years ∙ half population younger than 48.7, half older

Diversity Index

36.5%

chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity

Nativity

1.9%

foreign-born population

98.1%Native

1.9% Foreign-born

Geographic Context

Location, size, and surroundings

About

Forest County is a county in Pennsylvania, United States.

Location

County in PA, US

Co-ordinates

DEC41.513304° N, 79.249705° W

DMS41° 30′ 47.89″ N, 79° 14′ 58.94″ W

Population Density & area

15.72/sq mi (6.07/km²)

Total Area

430.5 sq mi (1,115 km²)

Land Area

427.3 sq mi (1,106.6 km²) · 99.25%

Water Area

3.2 sq mi (8.4 km²) · 0.75%

Demographics & Living

Who lives here, how households are formed, and community composition

Population Composition

Key characteristics of the population

Sex Distribution

71.4% male

Male 71.4%

Female 28.6%

males per 100 females

Forest County 249.4

Pennsylvania 97.2

United States 98

Nativity

1.9%

foreign-born population

98.1%Native

1.9% Foreign-born

% Foreign-born

Forest County 1.9%

Pennsylvania 7.7%

United States 14.1%

Age Distribution

How the population is spread across age groups

Median Age

48.7

years ∙ half population younger than 48.7, half older

Forest County

48.7

Pennsylvania

40.9

United States

38.9

Dependency ratio

40.2

dependents per 100 working-age adults

Forest County 40.2

Pennsylvania 66.4

United States 64.4

AGE DISTRIBUTION

Distribution of age group

Median age

	Forest County	Pennsylvania	United States
Age Group
Children (Under 18)	3.7%	20.4%	22%
Working age (18-64)	71.3%	60.1%	60.8%
Senior (65+)	25%	19.5%	17.2%
Dependency ratio
Total dependency ratio	40.2	66.4	64.4
Child dependency ratio	5.2	34	36.1
Old-age dependency ratio	35	32.4	28.3

Racial & Ethnic Composition

Racial and ethnic makeup and how it compares

Race & Ethnicity

White

78.3%

Black

13.7%

Asian

0.4%

Hispanic

5.1%

Other

2.5%

Note: White, Black, and Asian refer to individuals belonging to a single race and not of Hispanic origin. Hispanics may be of any race.

Diversity Index

36.5%

chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity

Forest County 36.5%

Pennsylvania 44.6%

United States 61.4%

Note: The Diversity Index (DI), based on the Blau Index, measures the probability that two randomly selected individuals differ in race and ethnicity. Values range from 0 (no diversity) to 1 (high diversity) and are shown as percentages.

RACIAL & ETHNIC COMPOSITION

Race & Ethnicity

Percentage of Forest County population

	Forest County	Pennsylvania	United States
Hispanic or Latino	5.1%	8.7%	19.3%
Mexican	0.7%	1.4%	11.3%
Puerto Rican	2.8%	3.7%	1.8%
Cuban	0.3%	0.2%	0.8%
Other Hispanic / Latino	1.3%	3.4%	5.5%
Not Hispanic or Latino	94.9%	91.3%	80.7%
One race	92.9%	87.7%	76.4%
White	78.3%	73%	57.4%
Black or African American	13.7%	10.3%	11.9%
American Indian and Alaska Native	0.4%	0.1%	0.5%
Asian	0.4%	3.8%	5.9%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander	0%	0%	0.2%
Some Other Race	0.1%	0.5%	0.6%
Two or more races (Multiracial)	2%	3.6%	4.3%

Household & Families Composition

Household size, type, and family structure

Household structure

54.8% family

Family 54.8%

Non family 45.2%

% family households

Forest County 54.8%

Pennsylvania 62.4%

United States 64.2%

Average household size

2.24

persons per household

Forest County

2.24

Pennsylvania

2.39

United States

2.53

Household & Family COMPOSITION

Households

Percentage of Forest County population

	Forest County	Pennsylvania	United States
Total households	1,920	5,274,853	129,227,496
Average houshold size	2.24	2.39	2.53
Family households	1,052	3,291,192	82,990,528
Average family size	2.95	3.01	3.14
Married couple family	899	2,437,812	60,637,388
Other families	153	853,380	22,353,140
Male householder	80	246,246	6,572,819
Female householder	73	607,134	15,780,321
Non-family households	868	1,983,661	46,236,968
One-person households	759	1,629,974	37,140,836
Male householder	480	733,485	16,871,444
Senior (65+) living alone	237	246,162	5,225,110
Female householder	279	896,489	20,269,392
Senior (65+) living alone	186	477,851	10,089,070
Other living arrangements	109	353,687	9,096,132

Housing Profile

Housing stock, ownership, rentals, and cost burdens

Total housing units

6,937

housing units

Forest County 6,937

Pennsylvania 5,806,452

United States 143,775,355

Occupancy status

27.7% occupied

Occupied 27.7%

Vacant 72.3%

vacancy rate

Forest County 72.3%

Pennsylvania 9.2%

United States 10.1%

Housing Characteristics

How the housing supply is structured and used

Types of Housing unit

83.5%

Single family houses

83.5%

Apartments in multi-unit structures

2.3%

Mobile homes

14.1%

Boat, RV, van, etc

Median Year Built

1971

Half of houses were built before 1971, and half after.

Historic ∙ 1939 or earlier

12.5%

Postwar & mid-century ∙ 1940 - 1969

36.5%

Late 20th century ∙ 1970 - 1999

39.4%

Modern ∙ 2000 or later

11.6%

Note: Median year built reflects occupied units only; distribution includes all units.

Housing Characteristics

Units, rooms & bedrooms

Physical characteristics of housing units

	Forest County	Pennsylvania	United States
Rooms per unit
Median rooms	4.7	6	5.5
1–3 rooms	23.7%	11.7%	15.1%
4–6 rooms	56.5%	47.7%	51.6%
7+ rooms	19.8%	40.7%	33.4%
Bedrooms
No bedroom / studio	3.6%	2.3%	2.9%
1 bedroom	12.8%	10.4%	10.9%
2 bedrooms	44%	22.5%	25%
3 bedrooms	31%	42.3%	38.7%
4+ bedrooms	8.6%	22.6%	22.4%
At a glance
Median year built	1971	1966	1981
Total housing units	6,937	5,806,452	143,775,355

Occupancy Profile

Who is inside and how they use it

Homeownership

78.3% owners

Renter-occupied 21.7%

Owner-occupied 78.3%

homeownership rate

Forest County 78.3%

Pennsylvania 69.3%

United States 65.2%

Average household size

2.3

Owner-occupied

Renter-occupied

owner-occupied average size

Forest County 2.3

Pennsylvania 2.53

United States 2.64

Housing Characteristics

Occupied unit characteristics

Tenure, crowding, and utilities

	Forest County	Pennsylvania	United States
Total occupied units	1,920	5,274,853	129,227,496
Year moved in
2020 or later	11.9%	20.2%	24.8%
2010 to 2019	30.9%	36.1%	39.6%
2000 to 2009	21.3%	17.5%	16.4%
1999 or earlier	36%	26.2%	19.1%
Occupants per room
1.00 or fewer	99.7%	98.4%	96.6%
1.01 to 1.50	0.3%	1%	2.2%
1.51 or more	0%	0.6%	1.2%
Vehicles availability
No vehicles	6.7%	10.4%	8.4%
1 vehicle	42.8%	35.1%	33.1%
2 vehicles	34.7%	35.9%	36.6%
3 or more vehicles	15.9%	18.6%	21.9%
House heating fuel used
Gas	65.2%	56.4%	51.4%
Electricity	10.4%	25.3%	41.3%
Solar	0%	0.1%	0.3%
Fuel oil, kerosene etc	7.7%	14%	3.9%
All other fuels	16.3%	3.7%	2%
No fuel used	0.4%	0.5%	1.2%
Selected characteristics
Lacking complete plumbing	0.8%	0.4%	0.4%
Lacking complete kitchen	1.2%	0.8%	0.8%
No telephone service available	0.9%	0.9%	0.9%

Housing Value

What owner-occupied units are worth

Median home value

$115,300

owner-occupied units

Median value(USD)

Forest County

$115,300

Pennsylvania

$254,500

United States

$332,700

Housing Cost Burden

24.6%

of homeowners with a mortgage are cost-burdened

% Cost-Burdened Households

Owners with a mortgage

24.6%

Owners without a mortgage

8.4%

Renters

29%

Note: Households spending 30% or more of their income on housing costs are considered cost-burdened.

Financial characteristics

Property value and housing costs

Tenure, crowding, and utilities

	Forest County	Pennsylvania	United States
Property value
Median Value	$115,300	$254,500	$332,700
Under $100,000	43.3%	13.9%	11.4%
$100,000 - $200,000	31.8%	22.4%	15.8%
$200,000 - $300,000	11.7%	22.9%	17.8%
$300,000 - $500,000	10.1%	25.9%	26.9%
$500,000 - $1,000,000	2.5%	12.8%	20.9%
$1,000,000 and more	0.7%	2.1%	7.1%
Owner-occupied households
With a mortgage	25.7%	58%	60.6%
Without a mortgage	74.3%	42%	39.4%
Median monthly owner costs
With a mortgage	$1,009	$1,762	$1,963
Without a mortgage	$413	$644	$638
Gross rent
Median rent	$817	$1,209	$1,413

Education Profile

How educated is the community and how education pays off

Adults with a college degree

12.3%

of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher

Forest County 12.3%

Pennsylvania 35.2%

United States 35.7%

Adults without a high school diploma

14.8%

of adults (25+) without a high school diploma

Forest County 14.8%

Pennsylvania 7.9%

United States 10.4%

School Enrollment

Who is enrolled in school and at what level

School enrollment

385

population (age 3+) enrolled in school

Nursery / Preschool

2.6%

K–12

64.9%

College / Undergraduate

22.6%

Graduate / Professional

9.9%

College-going rate (18-24 yr olds)

9.4%

of 18-24-year-olds in college or graduate school

Forest County

9.4%

Pennsylvania

44%

United States

40.9%

Enrollment & school type

Enrollment levels, college-going rate, and public vs private school split

Population 3+ currently enrolled in a school

	Forest County	Pennsylvania	United States
Total enrolled (age 3+)	385	2,913,513	80,089,790
Nursery / preschool	2.6%	5.7%	5.7%
K–12	64.9%	66.9%	67.6%
Kindergarten	1%	4.8%	5%
Elementary: Grades 1–4	9.9%	19.7%	19.8%
Elementary: Grades 5–8	15.1%	20.7%	21%
High School: Grades 9–12	39%	21.7%	21.7%
College or graduate school	32.5%	27.4%	26.7%
College, undergraduate	22.6%	21.2%	21%
Graduate, professional school	9.9%	6.2%	5.8%
College-going rate · 18-24 yr olds	9.4%	44%	40.9%
School type
Public school	70.9%	75.3%	82%
Private school	29.1%	24.7%	18%

Education Attainment by Level & Gender

What is the highest level of education completed among adults

Education attainment

5,890

population 25 years and over

Total adults (25+)

Less than 9th grade

9th-12th, no diploma

9.8%

HS graduate

50.7%

Some college no degree

17.5%

Associates degree

4.7%

Bachelors degree

8.7%

Graduate or professional degree

3.6%

Attainment by gender

Male vs Female

Adults (25+) · Share within each education level

% male · % female

Less than 9th grade

66.1% · 33.9%

9th-12th, no diploma

82.1% · 17.9%

HS graduate

70.2% · 29.8%

Some college no degree

77% · 23%

Associates degree

43.2% · 56.8%

Bachelors degree

58.6% · 41.4%

Graduate or professional degree

52.8% · 47.2%

Educational Attainment Overview

Distribution and key education attainment rates for adults (25+)

Highest credential completed · adults 25+

	Forest County	Pennsylvania	United States
Population (25+)	5,890	9,189,697	230,807,303
Less than 9th grade	5%	2.9%	4.7%
9th–12th, no diploma	9.8%	5%	5.7%
High school diploma or GED	50.7%	32.9%	26%
Some college, no degree	17.5%	15.1%	19.1%
Associate's degree	4.7%	8.9%	8.8%
Bachelor's degree or higher	12.3%	35.2%	35.7%
Bachelor's degree	8.7%	20.9%	21.6%
Graduate or professional	3.6%	14.3%	14.1%
High School or higher	85.2%	92.1%	89.6%

Earnings by education level

percentage as applicable

Median Earnings

$37,760

Median earnings for adults 25+, by level

Less than HS graduate

$20,272

HS graduate

$31,827

Some college or associates

$48,253

Bachelors degree

$50,891

Graduate or professional degree

$61,000

Poverty Rate

7.8%

for ages 25+, with bachelors degree or higher

Less than HS graduate

29.1%

HS graduate

13.1%

Some college or associates

5.8%

Bachelors degree or higher

7.8%

Outcomes by Education Level

Earnings and poverty rates across education levels (25+)

Adults 25+

	Forest County	Pennsylvania	United States
Median earnings
Population 25+, with earnings	$37,760	$53,549	$52,696
Less than high school graduate	$20,272	$33,591	$32,485
High school graduate (includes equivalency)	$31,827	$40,643	$40,153
Some college or associate's degree	$48,253	$47,736	$47,260
Bachelor's degree	$50,891	$69,335	$70,044
Graduate or professional degree	$61,000	$87,132	$90,720
Poverty rates
Less than high school graduate	29.1%	25.2%	24.2%
High school graduate (includes equivalency)	13.1%	13.3%	14.4%
Some college or associate's degree	5.8%	9.1%	9.8%
Bachelor's degree or higher	7.8%	4.1%	4.5%

Insights for Forest County, by topic

Income By year By race By age By gender

Population By year By race By age By gender

About Neilsberg Research

Neilsberg Research team are data scientists with expertise in processing, analysis and visualization of big data helping small businesses make right decisions.

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