Forest River, North Dakota Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 87, Forest River'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 River is a small community located in North Dakota, within Walsh County. The total population is 87. It ranks as the 254th most populous out of 402 Census-designated places in North Dakota.

Age Demographics

The median age in Forest River is 48.5 years. This is 35% higher than the state median of 35.9 years. 11.5% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Forest River is $71,875. This is 6% lower than the state median of $76,657. It is also 11% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 6.9%. This is 36% lower than the state poverty rate of 10.8%. The survey records no unemployed residents in Forest River, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $84,400. Housing costs are 66% lower than the state median of $249,900. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.2x, Forest River is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 91.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 45% higher than the state average of 62.8%.

Race & Ethnicity

Forest River has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 89.7% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 4.6%. The Black or African American population (1.1%) is well below the state average of 3.3%.

Education

20.3% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 38% lower than the state rate of 32.7%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 84.1%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Forest River, North Dakota 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 North Dakota state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 402 Census-designated places in North Dakota. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.