Forest County, Pennsylvania Demographics 2026

Name: Forest County, Pennsylvania Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Forest County, Pennsylvania has a population of 6,715, the 65th most populous county in Pennsylvania. The median household income is $52,191 and the median home value is $115,300. The poverty rate is 11.9%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Forest County Quick Facts

Population 6,715

Median Household Income $52,191

Median Home Value $115,300

Poverty Rate 11.9%

Unemployment Rate 2.5%

Median Age 48.7 years

Homeownership Rate 78.3%

Affordability Ratio 2.2x

Bachelor's Degree+ 12.3%

High School Graduation 85.3%

Cities/Places 2

Population 6,715 65th of 67

Median Income $52,191 33% lower than state

Poverty Rate 11.9%

Unemployment 2.5%

How Forest County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric	2019–2023	2020–2024	Change
Population	6,785	6,715	-1.0%
Median household income	$50,061	$52,191	+4.3%
Median home value	$111,900	$115,300	+3.0%

Median Household Income

Forest

$52,191

$77,971

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Forest

$115,300

$254,500

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 17.8%

$25K-$50K 28.5%

$50K-$100K 35.9%

$100K+ 17.8%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

4.6%

$10K-$15K

4.2%

$15K-$20K

6.3%

$20K-$25K

2.7%

$25K-$30K

8.4%

$30K-$35K

5.6%

$35K-$40K

5.4%

$40K-$45K

3.2%

$45K-$50K

5.9%

$50K-$60K

10.9%

$60K-$75K

11.1%

$75K-$100K

13.9%

$100K-$125K

7.5%

$125K-$150K

3.2%

$150K-$200K

5.4%

$200K+

1.7%

Employment

2.5% Unemployment Rate State: 5.3%|National: 5.2%

29.3% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 78.3%

Renter 21.7%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.2x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $817/mo 18.8% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

3.7%

18-34

28.3%

35-54

26.9%

55-74

31.4%

75+

9.7%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Low Diversity

A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.

State average: 45 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Forest County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Marienville	3,163	$52,029	4.6%	$99,100
Tionesta	323	$54,531	14.2%	$127,500

Explore Pennsylvania Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Forest County is located in Pennsylvania with a total population of 6,715. It is the 65th most populous county out of 67 in Pennsylvania. The county encompasses 2 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Forest County is 48.7 years. This is 19% higher than the state median of 40.9 years. Only 3.7% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Forest County is $52,191. This is 33% lower than the state median of $77,971. It is also 35% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 11.9%. This is 2% higher than the state poverty rate of 11.7%. The unemployment rate is 2.5%. This is 53% lower than the state rate of 5.3%. The median home value is $115,300. Housing costs are 55% lower than the state median of $254,500. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.2x, Forest County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 78.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 13% higher than the state average of 69.3%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Forest County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 78.3% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 13.8%. The Asian population (0.4%) is well below the state average of 3.8%.

Education

12.3% 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. This is 65% lower than the state rate of 35.2%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 85.3%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Forest County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Pennsylvania and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Forest County, Pennsylvania?

Forest County has a population of 6,715, making it the 65th most populous county in Pennsylvania.

What is the median income in Forest County?

The median household income in Forest County is $52,191 with a poverty rate of 11.9%.

How many cities are in Forest County, Pennsylvania?

Forest County contains 2 Census-designated places.