Forest, Indiana Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 259, Forest's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Forest is a small community located in Indiana. The total population is 259. It ranks as the 652nd most populous out of 967 Census-designated places in Indiana.

Age Demographics

The median age in Forest is 31.7 years. This is 17% lower than the state median of 38.1 years. With 36.3% of the population under 18, Forest has a notably young demographic profile, suggesting a family-oriented community.

Economy, Income & Housing

The poverty rate stands at 18.1%. This is 47% higher than the state poverty rate of 12.3%. The survey records no unemployed residents in Forest, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $84,600. Housing costs are 61% lower than the state median of $218,200. 100.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 42% higher than the state average of 70.5%.

Race & Ethnicity

Every resident counted in Forest was recorded as White (non-Hispanic). A figure of exactly 100.0% reflects a survey sample too small to capture the community's full composition rather than a precise measurement.

Education

0.0% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 70.1%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Forest, Indiana is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Indiana state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 967 Census-designated places in Indiana. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.