The Town FilesForest, Michigan
Township in Cheboygan County · population 977 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $128,800
- Household income
- $57,292
- Jan low / Jul high
- 12° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 86 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 50.5
Forest is a township of 977 people in Cheboygan County, Michigan. The median home is worth $128,800, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 92% of Michigan towns, quieter than 85% of Michigan towns, better for a vacation home than 72% of Michigan towns.
How Forest ranks
Percentile among Michigan towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Michigan towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Forest is worth $128,800, below the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 2.2 times the median household income of $57,292, which is more affordable than 89% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $675 a month. 77.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Forest | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $128,800 | $193,900 |
| Median rent | $675 | $955 |
| Median household income | $57,292 | $69,792 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.2× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 77.5% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1983 | 1975 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 23.7% | — |
Who lives in Forest
| People | Forest | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 50.5 | 43.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.3% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 19.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 10.1% | 21.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 23.5% | 10.4% |
| Veterans | 10.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 10.3% | 9.1% |
| Average commute | 26.3 min | 25.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.6% | 88.8% |
Weather in Forest
July highs average 80.4°F and January lows 11.8°F. About 32.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 85.5 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 9 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 167 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Forest since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on October 18, 2007 about 5.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on October 18, 2007.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 4 times; the largest was 1.50 inches on May 20, 2022.
Severe weather in Cheboygan County since 1996
Cheboygan County has been included in 8 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, freezing.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 30, 2026 | Flood | DR-4925: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| July 22, 2025 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-4880: Severe Winter Storm |
| March 27, 2020 | Biological | DR-4494: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3455: Covid-19 |
| September 7, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3225: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
Jobs and pay in Cheboygan County
Cheboygan County had 6,140 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $47,915 a year. Unemployment was 8.2% in 2023; in Forest itself the ACS puts it at 8.8%.
Towns near Forest
- Onaway, MI6.4 mi · 890 people · home $69,800
- Allis, MI6.4 mi · 925 people · home $139,600
- Nunda, MI9.0 mi · 1,195 people · home $172,500
- Case, MI11.8 mi · 819 people · home $149,300
- Ellis, MI11.9 mi · 557 people · home $244,200
- Montmorency, MI12.1 mi · 1,016 people · home $213,600
- Koehler, MI13.6 mi · 1,193 people · home $155,800
- Aloha, MI14.9 mi · 937 people · home $207,400
Forest questions
Is Forest, Michigan a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Forest scores better for retirees than 37% of Michigan towns and quieter than 85%. 20.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 50.5).
How much does a house cost in Forest?
The median owner-occupied home in Forest is valued at $128,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $57,292, so homes cost about 2.2 times income. Median rent is $675 a month.
What is the weather like in Forest?
July highs average 80.4°F and January lows 11.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 32.0 inches of precipitation a year and 85.5 inches of snow.
Does Forest get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Forest since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on October 18, 2007. The typical Michigan town has had 10.
- 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)