The Town FilesForest City, Florida
Community in Seminole County · population 14,623 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $369,900
- Household income
- $85,606
- Jan low / Jul high
- 52° / 92°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 42
- Median age
- 40.6
Forest City is a community of 14,623 people in Seminole County, Florida. The median home is worth $369,900, above the typical Florida town ($331,600). It ranks better for young professionals than 91% of Florida towns, more of a college town than 84% of Florida towns, better transit than 84% of Florida towns.
How Forest City ranks
Percentile among Florida towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Florida towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Forest City is worth $369,900, above the typical Florida town ($331,600). Homes cost about 4.3 times the median household income of $85,606, which is more affordable than 58% of Florida towns. Median rent is $1,777 a month. 62.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Forest City | Typical Florida town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $369,900 | $331,600 |
| Median rent | $1,777 | $1,569 |
| Median household income | $85,606 | $71,140 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.3× | 4.5× |
| Homeownership | 62.0% | 73.5% |
| Median year built | 1984 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Forest City
| People | Forest City | Typical Florida town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.6 | 42.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.2% | 20.2% |
| Under 18 | 20.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 39.4% | 28.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.5% | 11.3% |
| Veterans | 4.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 17.2% | — |
| Work from home | 14.2% | 13.5% |
| Average commute | 27.3 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 97.0% | 92.4% |
Weather in Forest City
July highs average 91.9°F and January lows 51.8°F. About 51.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical Florida town: 0.0 in). Expect about 111 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 1 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
42 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Forest City since 1950, compared with 35 for the typical Florida town. 8 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on February 23, 1998 about 6.3 miles from the town center and killed 12. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 15 deaths and 175 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on March 10, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 88 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on March 25, 1992.
Severe weather in Seminole County since 1996
Seminole County has been included in 39 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, freezing, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| October 11, 2024 | Hurricane | DR-4834: Hurricane Milton |
| October 7, 2024 | Hurricane | EM-3622: Hurricane Milton |
| August 10, 2024 | Tropical Storm | DR-4806: Hurricane Debby |
| August 3, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3605: Tropical Storm Debby |
| August 31, 2023 | Hurricane | DR-4734: Hurricane Idalia |
Jobs and pay in Seminole County
Seminole County had 213,221 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $65,449 a year. Unemployment was 2.8% in 2023; in Forest City itself the ACS puts it at 3.9%.
Towns near Forest City
- Lockhart, FL2.5 mi · 14,058 people · home $264,800
- Wekiwa Springs, FL2.9 mi · 23,428 people · home $453,600
- Altamonte Springs, FL3.0 mi · 46,231 people · home $293,000
- South Apopka, FL3.7 mi · 6,803 people · home $280,500
- Clarcona, FL4.0 mi · 3,283 people · home $317,800
- Maitland, FL4.9 mi · 19,543 people · home $523,200
- Fairview Shores, FL5.1 mi · 10,722 people · home $354,000
- Pine Hills, FL5.7 mi · 66,111 people · home $253,300
Forest City questions
Is Forest City, Florida a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Forest City scores better for retirees than 55% of Florida towns and quieter than 18%. 15.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.6).
How much does a house cost in Forest City?
The median owner-occupied home in Forest City is valued at $369,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $85,606, so homes cost about 4.3 times income. Median rent is $1,777 a month.
What is the weather like in Forest City?
July highs average 91.9°F and January lows 51.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 51.5 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Forest City get tornadoes?
42 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Forest City since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on February 23, 1998. The typical Florida town has had 35.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)