The typical owner-occupied home in Forest is worth about $84,600, 61% below the Indiana median of $218,200 and 75% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $480 a year in property taxes, about 0.57% of their home's value, lower than the Indiana rate of 0.74%. 100% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 65% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Forest at a glance
| Forest | Indiana | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $84,600 | $218,200 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $480 | $1,614 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 0.57% | 0.74% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | – | $71,957 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 100% | 71% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 65% | 64% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | – | $1,404 | $1,963 |
| Median rent | – | $1,062 | $1,413 |
| Median year homes were built | 1949 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 16.3% | 8.8% | 10.1% |
| Population | 259 | 6,851,073 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Forest
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Forest home of $84,600 with 20% down costs about $531 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $672, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.
Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $22,746 for the 20%-down payment.
| Down payment | $16,920 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $67,680 |
| Principal and interest | $455 |
| Property taxes (0.57% a year) | $40 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $35 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $531 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $2,961 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $83,068 |
| Principal and interest | $559 |
| Property taxes (0.57% a year) | $40 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $35 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $37 |
| Total per month | $672 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Forest
What is the median home value in Forest?
About $84,600 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Forest?
Homeowners pay a median $480 a year, which is about 0.57% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.
What income do you need to buy a home in Forest?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $531 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $22,746 a year.
More about Forest
- Mortgage Refinance in Forest
- Debt Relief in Forest
- Home Equity Loans in Forest
- Guides and quotes for mortgage refinance on our sister site, MortgageRefinance.com
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data