The Town FilesForest Hill, Louisiana
Village in Rapides Parish · population 605 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $320,700
- Household income
- $115,938
- Jan low / Jul high
- 39° / 93°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 20
- Median age
- 34.2
Forest Hill is a village of 605 people in Rapides Parish, Louisiana. The median home is worth $320,700, above the typical Louisiana town ($166,450).
How Forest Hill ranks
Percentile among Louisiana towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Louisiana towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Forest Hill is worth $320,700, above the typical Louisiana town ($166,450). Homes cost about 2.8 times the median household income of $115,938, which is more affordable than 61% of Louisiana towns. Median rent is $1,163 a month. 59.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Forest Hill | Typical Louisiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $320,700 | $166,450 |
| Median rent | $1,163 | $887 |
| Median household income | $115,938 | $52,134 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.8× | 3.0× |
| Homeownership | 59.0% | 70.4% |
| Median year built | 1995 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 5.5% | — |
Who lives in Forest Hill
| People | Forest Hill | Typical Louisiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.2 | 38.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 6.5% | 17.0% |
| Under 18 | 33.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.0% | 15.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.6% | 20.4% |
| Veterans | 1.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 29.2% | — |
| Work from home | 1.3% | 4.7% |
| Average commute | 21.7 min | 25.8 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.5% | 84.6% |
Weather in Forest Hill
July highs average 92.5°F and January lows 39.3°F. About 60.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.1 inches of snow (typical Louisiana town: 0.0 in). Expect about 100 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 28 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Forest Hill since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Louisiana town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on April 22, 2020 about 8.7 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 5 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on December 13, 2022.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 15 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on May 3, 2017.
Severe weather in Rapides Parish since 1996
Rapides Parish has been included in 49 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3638: Severe Winter Storm |
| September 10, 2024 | Hurricane | EM-3614: Tropical Storm Francine |
| August 30, 2023 | Fire | FM-5486: Highway 113 Fire |
| September 13, 2021 | Coastal Storm | EM-3574: Tropical Storm Nicholas |
| August 29, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4611: Hurricane Ida |
Jobs and pay in Rapides Parish
Rapides Parish had 56,422 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $51,777 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Forest Hill itself the ACS puts it at 2.1%.
Public schools in Forest Hill
1 public school with 515 students, about 12.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forest Hill Junior High School | PK-8 | 515 | 12.9 |
Towns near Forest Hill
- Glenmora, LA6.3 mi · 1,087 people · home $103,700
- Lecompte, LA7.9 mi · 845 people · home $59,900
- Woodworth, LA8.6 mi · 1,762 people · home $302,200
- Alexandria, LA17.1 mi · 45,275 people · home $183,700
- Oakdale, LA17.9 mi · 6,692 people · home $98,700
- Pine Prairie, LA19.5 mi · 1,490 people · home —
- Bunkie, LA21.0 mi · 3,346 people · home $93,300
- Pineville, LA21.4 mi · 14,384 people · home $201,500
Forest Hill questions
Is Forest Hill, Louisiana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Forest Hill scores better for retirees than 32% of Louisiana towns and quieter than 49%. 6.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 34.2).
How much does a house cost in Forest Hill?
The median owner-occupied home in Forest Hill is valued at $320,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $115,938, so homes cost about 2.8 times income. Median rent is $1,163 a month.
What is the weather like in Forest Hill?
July highs average 92.5°F and January lows 39.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 60.0 inches of precipitation a year and 0.1 inches of snow.
Does Forest Hill get tornadoes?
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Forest Hill since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on April 22, 2020. The typical Louisiana town has had 27.
- 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)