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City · 15,312 residents · Seminole County, Florida

Forest City , Florida

In Forest City, a typical home is worth $369,900 and typical rent is $1,777 a month. Home values, rent and income are very close to those of all of Seminole County.

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  • Typical home value

    $369,900

    4% below the county

    3% above Florida

    • Forest City
    • Seminole
    • Florida

  • Typical rent

    $1,777a month

    About the same as the county

    6% above Florida

    • Forest City
    • Seminole
    • Florida

  • Typical household income

    $85,606a year

    About the same as the county

    15% above Florida

    • Forest City
    • Seminole
    • Florida

  • Households that own their home

    62%

    4 points below the county

    6 points below Florida

    • Forest City
    • Seminole
    • Florida

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Forest City is in Seminole County. The FHA loan limit ($541,287 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Seminole County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Forest City apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. Nearby, in South Apopka, the typical rent is $1,088: 39% less than in Forest City ($1,777).

  2. Nearby, in Lockhart, the typical home value is $264,800: 28% less than in Forest City ($369,900).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).

The homes here

Housing in Forest City

What homes there are in Forest City, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

The detached house rules in Forest City: 67% of homes, more than in Seminole County (61%).

Year built

In Forest City, half of the homes were built before 1984; in Seminole County, before 1988.

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes
Monthly rent with utilities

With a mortgage

$1,740 a month

Seminole County: $2,020 a month

Without a mortgage

$767 a month

Seminole County: $681 a month

Owners with a mortgage

65%

Seminole County: 66%

In Forest City, 65% of owners have a mortgage, and their typical cost is $1,740 a month, against $2,020 in Seminole County. Without one it drops to $767.

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

From 2015–2019 to 2020–2024, the typical home value in Forest City rose 47%; in Seminole County, it rose 60%.

Rents in Forest City rose faster than in Seminole County: 49% since 2015–2019, against 44%.

Here income did not keep up with housing: it rose 28%, while home values changed +47% and rent +49%.

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasureForest CitySeminole CountyFloridaUnited States
Rental vacancy Unreliable estimate7.2%7.6%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimate0.9%1.4%0.9%
More than one person per room Unreliable estimate2.4%3.3%3.4%
People per household 2.712.552.512.53
Drive alone 75%68%70%69%
Carpool 9%7%9%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimate1%1%3%
Walk or bike Unreliable estimate1%2%3%
Work from home 14%22%16%15%
Other means Unreliable estimate2%2%2%
Typical commute 20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

More people live in each home here: 2.71 on average, against 2.55 in Seminole County.

To get to work, 75% of workers in Forest City drive alone; in Seminole County, 68%.

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in Forest City?

A typical home costs more than the typical income allows

We start with a typical home in Forest City, worth $369,900, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 42% of the typical household income in Forest City, which is $85,606 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $128,444 a year.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Seminole County.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Forest City. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $12,947 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$2,997

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$363,200
Total interest
$522,559
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $6,247 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $1,997 a month

  • Tight

    $1,997 to $2,568 a month

  • Hard

    more than $2,568 a month

    Your payment · 42%

Compared with the typical household income in Forest City ($85,606 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$2,997
Principal & interest$2,460
Property tax$219
Home insurance$154
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$164

You need at least $12,947 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

The city and its county

Forest City and Seminole County

Forest City is in Seminole County, Florida. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

Forest City's own numbers

Typical home value
$369,900
Typical monthly rent
$1,777
Typical yearly household income
$85,606
Households that own their home
62%
Effective property tax rate
0.71%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of Seminole County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,959
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+55%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
2.8%

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Seminole County.

Everything about Seminole County

Buying

Buying a home in Forest City

A typical home in Forest City is worth $369,900: 4% below the county and 3% above Florida. With the typical household income in Forest City ($85,606 a year), a typical home costs 4.3 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • Forest City 4.3 years
  • Seminole 4.5 years
  • Florida 4.8 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Seminole County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Seminole County rose 124% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Seminole County.

Period County Florida U.S.
Last year (2025) +0.0% −0.5% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +55% +60% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +124% +127% +85%

The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

Forest City next to Seminole County, Florida and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • Forest City $369,900
  • Seminole $386,900
  • Florida $359,000
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Forest City $1,777
  • Seminole $1,783
  • Florida $1,669
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Forest City $85,606
  • Seminole $85,761
  • Florida $74,568
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Forest City next to Seminole County and Florida
Measure Forest City Seminole County Florida U.S.
Typical home value $369,900 $386,900 $359,000 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $1,777 $1,783 $1,669 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $85,606 $85,761 $74,568 $80,734
Households that own their home 62% 66% 68% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $2,613 $2,599 $2,730 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 0.71% 0.67% 0.76% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 53% 59% 60% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Seminole County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in Forest City

For a typical $369,900 home in Forest City, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Forest City's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $2,997a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $12,947
    Cash to close
    $24,044
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $164

  • Conventional, 5% down $2,929a month

    Down payment
    $18,495
    Cash to close
    $29,592
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $176

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $2,378a month

    Down payment
    $73,980
    Cash to close
    $85,077
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $2,720a month

    Down payment
    $55,485
    Cash to close
    $66,582
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.

  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for Forest City and for Seminole County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Forest City

0.71%of the home’s value each year

$2,613 a year for the typical owner in Forest City.

  • Forest City 0.71%
  • Seminole 0.67%
  • Florida 0.76%

What Florida publishes Homestead exemption (Florida Department of Revenue)

Exemptions and deadlines in Florida

Flood risk in Seminole County

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of Seminole County.

Homes in the high-risk zone
2.8%
4,324
Of those, with NFIP insurance
47%
County Florida U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 2.8% 13% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 47% 67% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Forest City

Typical rent in Forest City is $1,777 a month: about the same as the county. In Forest City, 53% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Seminole County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($1,959 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $37.67 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Seminole County

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $1,658 $31.88 $66,320
1 bedroom $1,726 $33.19 $69,040
2 bedrooms $1,959 $37.67 $78,360
3 bedrooms $2,445 $47.02 $97,800
4 bedrooms $2,856 $54.92 $114,240

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in Forest City

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Forest City has 2 ZIP codes with their own.

For 2 bedrooms it runs from $1,860 in 32703 to $2,080 in 32714.

1 of the 2 is above the fair market rent for Seminole County ($1,959).

  • 32703 $1,860$2,320
  • 32714 $2,080$2,600

2 of these ZIP codes cross the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Forest City when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Forest City

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

There are 2 HUD-approved agencies with an office in Seminole County; 2 say they serve in Spanish.

A young man and a young woman look something up together on a laptop.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Forest City

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Forest City or Seminole County. The ones below are statewide in Florida: they work in Forest City the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in Florida

Housing counselors near Forest City

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of Forest City, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • Nid-Hca Orlando

    5104 N Orange Blossom Trl Ste 203, Orlando · 4 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Mortgage delinquency workshops
    • and 4 more
    (888) 869-0422

  • H.e.l.p. Community Development Corp.

    63 E Kennedy Blvd, Eatonville · 5 miles away · Spanish

    Also serves in Creole.

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Mortgage delinquency workshops
    • and 9 more
    (407) 628-4832

  • Habitat for Humanity Seminole County Apopka

    251 Maitland Ave Ste 312, Altamonte Springs · 5 miles away · Spanish

    • Budget and financial counseling
    • Budget and credit workshops
    • and 8 more
    (407) 696-5855

Every agency in Seminole County All counseling agencies in Florida

Help in Spanish near Forest City

2 of the 3 agencies on this list say they serve in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of Forest City

HUD’s record names them for Forest City or Seminole County. They run public housing or Section 8 vouchers. Ask whether their waiting list is open.

  • Seminole County Housing Authority Public housing and Section 8 vouchers (407) 365-3621

One other authority has an office in Seminole County: see the list Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in Seminole County

These cities are also in Seminole County. They share its loan limits and fair market rents, but home values and rent change from one to the next.

Everything about Seminole County Housing in Florida

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Forest City, with the typical home value.

Neighboring counties

If Seminole County is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in Forest City.

All guides
Three women of one family lean in together to stir the pan.

Questions

Housing questions about Forest City

Short answers with the numbers for Forest City and all of Seminole County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does a typical home cost in Forest City?

The typical home value in Forest City is $369,900, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Seminole County it is $386,900.

How much does it cost to rent in Forest City?

Typical rent in Forest City is $1,777 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Seminole County is $1,959.

What is the FHA loan limit in Forest City?

Forest City uses the FHA limit for all of Seminole County (2026): $541,287 for a one-unit home and $1,041,125 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in Forest City?

The typical homeowner in Forest City pays $2,613 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 0.71% of the home’s value; in Seminole County, the rate is 0.67%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Forest City?

There are 2 HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Seminole County. 2 say they serve in Spanish. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).