The typical owner-occupied home in Forest City is worth about $143,900, 43% below the Pennsylvania median of $254,500 and 57% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $1,803 a year in property taxes, about 1.25% of their home's value, close to the Pennsylvania rate of 1.30%. The median household earns $57,404 a year, so the median home costs 2.5 times the median income (3.3 times for Pennsylvania). 67% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 49% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Forest City at a glance
| Forest City | Pennsylvania | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $143,900 | $254,500 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $1,803 | $3,311 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 1.25% | 1.30% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $57,404 | $77,971 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 67% | 69% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 49% | 58% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $1,165 | $1,762 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 21.3% | 19.4% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $879 | $1,209 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 28.1% | 29.2% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1951 | 1965 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 17.2% | 9.2% | 10.1% |
| Population | 1,770 | 13,018,639 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Forest City
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Forest City home of $143,900 with 20% down costs about $984 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,224, 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 $42,183 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 21% of the median Forest City household income of $57,404; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $196,000.
The median rent here is $879 a month, so owning the median home costs about $105 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $28,780 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $115,120 |
| Principal and interest | $774 |
| Property taxes (1.25% a year) | $150 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $60 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $984 |
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| Down payment | $5,036 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $141,294 |
| Principal and interest | $950 |
| Property taxes (1.25% a year) | $150 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $60 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $64 |
| Total per month | $1,224 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Forest City
What is the median home value in Forest City?
About $143,900 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Forest City?
Homeowners pay a median $1,803 a year, which is about 1.25% 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 City?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $984 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $42,183 a year.
More about Forest City
- Mortgage Refinance in Forest City
- Debt Relief in Forest City
- Home Equity Loans in Forest City
- 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