CountyScore

Forest County

Pennsylvania · PA

#6 in Pennsylvania
70.7
County Score

County Report Card

About Forest County, Pennsylvania

Forest County Outpaces U.S. Average

Forest County's composite score of 72.7 far exceeds the national median of 50.0, ranking it in the top quartile of American counties. This strong showing is driven by exceptional tax rates and housing affordability.

Pennsylvania's Affordable Champion

Forest County leads Pennsylvania with a 72.7 score versus the state average of 66.0, earning a place among the state's most livable counties. Its combination of low costs and minimal tax burden is unmatched in the commonwealth.

Lowest Taxes and Cheapest Housing

Forest boasts the lowest effective tax rate in this dataset at 1.038% and a cost score of 86.6, supporting median home values of just $111,900 and rents at $808 monthly. These are exceptional conditions for anyone seeking maximum affordability.

Income and Data Gaps Are Concerning

Forest's income score of 16.1 with a median household income of $50,061 reflects limited local economic opportunity. Safety, health, schools, and water data are unavailable, making it hard to assess non-financial quality-of-life factors.

For Those Seeking Rural Affordability

Forest County suits retirees, remote workers, and anyone prioritizing ultra-low costs and taxes over career advancement. Be prepared for a rural lifestyle with limited income-earning options and incomplete data on schools and services.

Score breakdown

5 dimensions have live data. 3 more coming as vertical sites launch.

Tax73.1Cost86.6SafetyComing SoonHealth62.2SchoolsComing SoonIncome16.1Risk80.1WaterComing Soon
🏛73.1
Property Tax
Effective property tax rate vs national benchmarks
TaxByCounty →
🏠86.6
Cost of Living
Median rent, home values, and housing affordability
CostByCounty →
💼16.1
Income & Jobs
Median household income and per capita earnings
IncomeByCounty →
🛡Coming Soon
Safety
Violent and property crime rates per 100K residents
❤62.2
Health
Life expectancy, uninsured rates, and health access
HealthByCounty →
🎓Coming Soon
Schools
Graduation rates, per-pupil spending, and attainment
⚡80.1
Disaster Risk
FEMA National Risk Index — flood, fire, tornado, and more
RiskByCounty →
💧Coming Soon
Water Quality
EPA drinking water health violations and safety grades

Explore this county

Property Taxtaxbycounty.comCost of Livingcostbycounty.comIncomeincomebycounty.com
Compare Forest County with another county →

Counties with similar scores

Greene County
Georgia
70.7
Median income: $84,530
Jenkins County
Georgia
70.7
Median income: $36,906
Lincoln County
Georgia
70.7
Median income: $50,688
Wilkinson County
Georgia
70.7
Median income: $46,673
Blaine County
Idaho
70.7
Median income: $84,470

Deep Dives

Forest County across the ByCounty Network

Detailed analysis from 5 data dimensions — each powered by a dedicated ByCounty site.

Property Tax in Forest County

via TaxByCounty

Forest offers Pennsylvania's most tax-friendly outlook

Forest County's effective tax rate of 1.038% ranks well below the national median of 1.317%, placing it in roughly the 30th percentile nationally. The median property tax of $1,162 is less than half the national median of $2,690.

Forest ranks among Pennsylvania's lowest-tax counties

At 1.038%, Forest's effective rate is the lowest among the eight counties analyzed and well below the state average of 1.317%. The median tax bill of $1,162 is approximately $1,495 lower than the state median, offering substantial savings for property owners.

Forest has the region's lowest tax burden

Forest's 1.038% rate is the lowest in the region, beating Huntingdon County (0.914% rate but higher value homes) on effective burden and significantly undercutting Fayette, Erie, and all other nearby counties. A Forest homeowner pays roughly $500–$1,100 less annually than most regional peers.

Median Forest home costs about $1,162 yearly

A typical Forest home worth $111,900 carries an annual property tax bill of just $1,162. With a mortgage, that bill rises to $1,372; without one, it drops to $1,024.

Even in low-tax Forest, appeals can yield savings

Hundreds of Pennsylvania homeowners win assessment appeals every year. If you suspect your home is overvalued, a formal appeal could reduce your already-low Forest County tax bill further.

Full property tax analysis on TaxByCounty

Cost of Living in Forest County

via CostByCounty

Forest County Faces Serious Housing Burden

Forest County's 19.4% rent-to-income ratio is the highest among these eight counties and notably exceeds both the national average of 15.8% and Pennsylvania's state average of 16.5%. With a median household income of just $50,061—32% below the national median—housing costs consume an outsized share of local earnings.

Forest County Struggles with Affordability

At 19.4%, Forest County ranks among Pennsylvania's least affordable counties for renters, with a rent-to-income ratio nearly 3 percentage points above the state average. This burden reflects both modest local incomes and housing costs that haven't aligned with the county's economic capacity.

Forest County Renters Face Regional Strain

Forest County's $808 monthly rent exceeds Fayette ($771) and Greene ($754) but trails Franklin ($1,071), yet the real problem is Forest's $50,061 median income—the lowest in this group by far. This income-to-rent mismatch creates the highest affordability pressure in the region.

Nearly One-Fifth of Income Goes to Rent

Forest County renters earning a median $50,061 annually spend $808 monthly on rent, consuming 19.4% of gross income—well above the recommended 30% threshold for housing stability. Homeowners fare better at $481 monthly, suggesting ownership may offer more breathing room than renting in Forest County.

Forest County: Weigh Costs Carefully

If relocating to Forest County, carefully budget housing expenses—renters face the region's tightest affordability squeeze at 19.4% of income. Compare Forest's rental burden against nearby Fayette ($771 rent, 16.5% ratio) or Greene ($754 rent, 13.5% ratio) to understand your true financial impact.

Full cost of living analysis on CostByCounty

Income & Jobs in Forest County

via IncomeByCounty

Forest County faces severe income gap

Forest County's median household income of $50,061 trails the national median of $74,755 by $24,694—the widest gap among these eight counties. This substantial shortfall reflects the economic isolation and limited job diversity facing this rural northwestern community.

Pennsylvania's lowest income county here

At $50,061, Forest County's median household income ranks among the lowest in Pennsylvania, sitting $19,553 below the state average of $69,614. The county faces concentrated economic challenges that require sustained policy and investment attention.

Forest underperforms all regional peers

Forest County's $50,061 income lags every comparison county, including Fayette ($56,093), Indiana ($58,739), and Erie ($61,476). This performance gap underscores Forest's unique economic vulnerability within the broader northwestern region.

Housing costs consume higher share

Forest County's rent-to-income ratio of 19.4% exceeds the national comfort threshold, meaning housing consumes a larger portion of already-limited incomes. At $111,900, median home values remain low, but stretched household budgets limit buying power.

Focus on income growth and stability

Forest County households earning $50,061 should prioritize job skills development and career advancement as the primary wealth-building tool. Even modest income increases translate to meaningful savings potential; exploring remote work, education credits, and financial counseling strengthens economic resilience.

Full income & jobs analysis on IncomeByCounty

Health in Forest County

via HealthByCounty

Forest County faces the nation's health crisis

At 70.9 years, Forest County residents live nearly 5.2 years shorter than the U.S. average of 76.1 years, marking one of the country's most troubled health profiles. Nearly 1 in 4 adults (23.8%) report poor or fair health—far above the 17.9% national average—indicating widespread chronic disease and limited access to preventive care.

Forest County ranks lowest in Pennsylvania

Forest County's 70.9-year life expectancy is the lowest in Pennsylvania, trailing the state average of 76.4 years by 5.5 years. This severe gap reflects decades of economic decline, limited healthcare infrastructure, and persistent poverty that demand urgent state and federal attention.

Forest faces bleakest health in the region

Forest County's 70.9-year life expectancy is 1.6 years lower than Fayette County (72.5), its closest struggling peer, and more than 6 years below Franklin County (77.2). The county reports limited primary care provider data and just 47 mental health providers per 100K, suggesting severe healthcare infrastructure gaps that isolate residents from essential services.

Uninsured and underserved in rural isolation

Forest's 7.7% uninsured rate exceeds the state average of 7.0%, and with primary care provider data unavailable, the county likely faces acute shortages in routine medical access. This combination—higher uninsurance plus minimal reported provider capacity—creates a perfect storm where residents lack both coverage and nearby doctors.

Securing coverage is your first critical step

In a county with severe healthcare shortages, having insurance is essential to accessing available services. Call 1-800-318-2596 or visit healthcare.gov immediately to explore Medicaid (which may have expanded options) and Marketplace plans; some community health centers also offer sliding-scale care regardless of insurance status.

Full health analysis on HealthByCounty

Disaster Risk in Forest County

via RiskByCounty

Forest County sits among safest counties

With a composite risk score of just 19.91, Forest County ranks in the bottom 5% nationally for natural disaster risk—a "Very Low" rating. This stands in sharp contrast to the typical U.S. county and makes Forest one of the nation's safer places from a hazard perspective.

Lowest-risk county in Pennsylvania

Forest County's 19.91 composite score is by far the lowest in Pennsylvania, where the state average sits at 67.45. This represents less than 30% of the state average, reflecting exceptional protection across most hazard types.

Dramatically safer than surrounding counties

Forest's 19.91 score is a fraction of neighboring Warren County and Venango County's exposure. The county's remote, sparsely populated geography and distance from major fault lines and coastal areas drive this unusually low risk profile.

Hurricane risk outpaces all other hazards

Even in low-risk Forest County, hurricane risk ranks highest at 52.07, though this remains moderate compared to coastal states. Wildfire risk is negligible at 4.77, and tornado risk minimal at 13.99.

Standard homeowner's insurance sufficient

Forest County residents can rely on standard homeowner's insurance policies without specialized flood or wildfire riders. An annual policy review remains prudent, but Forest offers natural disaster protection that most American counties cannot match.

Full disaster risk analysis on RiskByCounty

ByCounty Network

🏛Property Tax🏠Cost of Living💼Income & Jobs🛡Safety❤Health🎓Schools⚡Disaster Risk💧Water Quality

Data from U.S. Census Bureau ACS, FBI UCR, CDC, FEMA NRI, NCES, EPA SDWIS — informational only.