The Town FilesForest Hills, Michigan
Community in Kent County · population 28,573 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $498,500
- Household income
- $158,005
- Jan low / Jul high
- 19° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 78 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 15
- Median age
- 42.3
Forest Hills is a community of 28,573 people in Kent County, Michigan. The median home is worth $498,500, above the typical Michigan town ($193,900). It ranks better for families than 99% of Michigan towns, more upscale than 99% of Michigan towns, better transit than 94% of Michigan towns.
How Forest Hills 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 Hills is worth $498,500, above the typical Michigan town ($193,900). Homes cost about 3.2 times the median household income of $158,005, which is more affordable than 31% of Michigan towns. Median rent is $1,958 a month. 94.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Forest Hills | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $498,500 | $193,900 |
| Median rent | $1,958 | $955 |
| Median household income | $158,005 | $69,792 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.2× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 94.0% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1988 | 1975 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.6% | — |
Who lives in Forest Hills
| People | Forest Hills | Typical Michigan town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.3 | 43.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.1% | 20.7% |
| Under 18 | 29.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 70.9% | 21.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.0% | 10.4% |
| Veterans | 6.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.7% | — |
| Work from home | 22.5% | 9.1% |
| Average commute | 19.7 min | 25.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 97.1% | 88.8% |
Weather in Forest Hills
July highs average 83.1°F and January lows 18.6°F. About 39.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 77.6 inches of snow (typical Michigan town: 52.1 in). Expect about 10 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 133 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Forest Hills since 1950, compared with 10 for the typical Michigan town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F5, struck on April 3, 1956 about 9.6 miles from the town center and killed 4. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 4 deaths and 172 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on March 30, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 35 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on August 15, 1961.
Severe weather in Kent County since 1996
Kent County has been included in 13 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| February 8, 2024 | Flood | DR-4757: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| March 27, 2020 | Biological | DR-4494: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3455: Covid-19 |
| June 18, 2013 | Flood | DR-4121: Flooding |
| September 7, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3225: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
Jobs and pay in Kent County
Kent County had 415,565 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $62,288 a year. Unemployment was 3.2% in 2023; in Forest Hills itself the ACS puts it at 1%.
Towns near Forest Hills
- Ada, MI1.6 mi · 14,388 people · home $544,700
- Cascade, MI4.3 mi · 19,667 people · home $472,500
- Grand Rapids, MI5.0 mi · 18,905 people · home $426,600
- Vergennes, MI5.9 mi · 4,741 people · home $392,300
- East Grand Rapids, MI6.0 mi · 11,371 people · home $521,300
- Kentwood, MI7.4 mi · 54,304 people · home $268,200
- Lowell, MI7.4 mi · 6,276 people · home $321,600
- Lowell, MI7.5 mi · 4,142 people · home $228,400
Forest Hills questions
Is Forest Hills, Michigan a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Forest Hills scores better for retirees than 60% of Michigan towns and quieter than 18%. 16.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.3).
How much does a house cost in Forest Hills?
The median owner-occupied home in Forest Hills is valued at $498,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $158,005, so homes cost about 3.2 times income. Median rent is $1,958 a month.
What is the weather like in Forest Hills?
July highs average 83.1°F and January lows 18.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 39.4 inches of precipitation a year and 77.6 inches of snow.
Does Forest Hills get tornadoes?
15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Forest Hills since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F5 on April 3, 1956. 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)