The typical owner-occupied home in Forest is worth about $112,700, 48% below the Ohio median of $214,800 and 66% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $1,090 a year in property taxes, about 0.97% of their home's value, lower than the Ohio rate of 1.31%. The median household earns $55,938 a year, so the median home costs 2.0 times the median income (3.0 times for Ohio). 74% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 44% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Forest at a glance
| Forest | Ohio | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $112,700 | $214,800 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $1,090 | $2,822 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 0.97% | 1.31% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $55,938 | $71,389 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 74% | 67% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 44% | 61% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $1,144 | $1,517 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 17.6% | 18.6% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $820 | $1,034 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 20.0% | 28.3% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1953 | 1970 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 14.0% | 8.1% | 10.1% |
| Population | 1,286 | 11,810,293 | 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 $112,700 with 20% down costs about $745 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $932, 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 $31,910 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 16% of the median Forest household income of $55,938; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $198,000.
The median rent here is $820 a month, a little more than the monthly cost of owning the median home with 20% down.
| Down payment | $22,540 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $90,160 |
| Principal and interest | $607 |
| Property taxes (0.97% a year) | $91 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $47 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $745 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $3,944 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $110,659 |
| Principal and interest | $744 |
| Property taxes (0.97% a year) | $91 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $47 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $50 |
| Total per month | $932 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Forest
What is the median home value in Forest?
About $112,700 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 $1,090 a year, which is about 0.97% 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 $745 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $31,910 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