Forest City, North Carolina Population, Hospitals, Airports, and Schools

Population: 7,549. Estimated population in July 2024: 7,273 (-3.7% change)
Males: 3,432 (45.5%), Females: 4,117 (54.5%)

Rutherford County

Zip code: 28043

Demographics

Median resident age: 37.8 years
Median household income: $24,243
Median house value: $62,700

Population by Race

Races in Forest City:

  • White Non-Hispanic (65.4%)
  • Black (28.8%)
  • Hispanic (3.7%)
  • Other race (1.4%)
  • Two or more races (1.3%)
  • American Indian (0.7%)

Ancestries: United States (12.7%), German (9.7%), Irish (8.1%), English (5.8%), Scotch-Irish (3.4%), Subsaharan African (1.5%).

Elevation: 999 feet

Land area: 8.2 square miles

Population by Education

For population 25 years and over in Forest City

  • High school or higher: 64.9%
  • Bachelor’s degree or higher: 9.6%
  • Graduate or professional degree: 3.3%
  • Unemployed: 10.0%
  • Mean travel time to work: 17.8 minutes

For population 15 years and over in Forest City town

  • Never married: 24.0%
  • Now married: 47.4%
  • Separated: 3.7%
  • Widowed: 12.3%
  • Divorced: 12.5%

2.7% Foreign born (2.4% Latin America).

Population change in the 1990s: -216 (-2.8%).

Hospitals

Hospitals/medical centers near Forest City:

Airports

Airports certified for carrier operations nearest to Forest City:

  • GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG INTL (about 40 miles; GREER, SC; Abbreviation: GSP)
  • HICKORY REGIONAL (about 44 miles; HICKORY, NC; Abbreviation: HKY)
  • ASHEVILLE REGIONAL (about 47 miles; ASHEVILLE, NC; Abbreviation: AVL)

Other public-use airports nearest to Forest City:

  • RUTHERFORD CO – MARCHMAN FIELD (about 8 miles; RUTHERFORDTON, NC; Abbreviation: FQD)
  • SHELBY MUNI (about 20 miles; SHELBY, NC; Abbreviation: EHO)
  • FAIRVIEW (about 22 miles; LANDRUM, SC; Abbreviation: 33A)

Colleges and Universities

Colleges/universities with over 2000 students nearest to Forest City:

  • GARDNER-WEBB UNIVERSITY (about 16 miles; BOILING SPRINGS, NC; Full-time enrollment: 2,563)
  • SPARTANBURG TECHNICAL COLLEGE (about 23 miles; SPARTANBURG, SC; Full-time enrollment: 2,086)
  • UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA AT SPARTANBURG (about 25 miles; SPARTANBURG, SC; Full-time enrollment: 3,041)
  • CATAWBA VALLEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE (about 45 miles; HICKORY, NC; Full-time enrollment: 2,052)
  • BOB JONES UNIVERSITY (about 47 miles; GREENVILLE, SC; Full-time enrollment: 3,577)
  • GASTON COLLEGE (about 48 miles; DALLAS, NC; Full-time enrollment: 2,473)
  • GREENVILLE TECHNICAL COLLEGE (about 48 miles; GREENVILLE, SC; Full-time enrollment: 6,157)

Schools

Public high schools in Forest City:

  • EAST RUTHERFORD HIGH (Students: 911; Location: CAVALIER DR; Grades: 09 – 12)
  • CHASE HIGH (Students: 835; Location: 1603 CHASE HIGH ROAD; Grades: 09 – 12)

Public primary/middle schools in Forest City:

  • CHASE MIDDLE (Students: 759; Location: 840 CHASE HIGH ROAD; Grades: 06 – 08)
  • HARRIS ELEMENTARY (Students: 652; Location: 3330 US 221 S HWY; Grades: KG – 05)
  • FORREST W HUNT ELEMENTARY (Students: 464; Location: 100 FORREST HUNT DRIVE; Grades: KG – 05)
  • PAUL L DUNBAR SCHOOL (Students: 312; Location: 286 LEARNING PARKWAY; Grades: KG – 05)
  • FOREST CITY ELEMENTARY (Students: 293; Location: 140 OLD CAROLEAN ROAD; Grades: KG – 02)
  • MT VERNON-RUTH ELEMENTARY (Students: 256; Location: 2785 HUDLOW ROAD; Grades: KG – 05)