The Town FilesForest, Minnesota
Township in Rice County · population 1,330 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $478,100
- Household income
- $125,938
- Jan low / Jul high
- 5° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 43 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 26
- Median age
- 40.9
Forest is a township of 1,330 people in Rice County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $478,100, above the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks more upscale than 92% of Minnesota towns, better for families than 91% of Minnesota towns, better for retirees than 71% of Minnesota towns.
How Forest ranks
Percentile among Minnesota towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Minnesota towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Forest is worth $478,100, above the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 3.8 times the median household income of $125,938, which is more affordable than 30% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $992 a month. 91.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Forest | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $478,100 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $992 | $991 |
| Median household income | $125,938 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.8× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 91.3% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1976 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 20.9% | — |
Who lives in Forest
| People | Forest | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.9 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.7% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 31.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 42.0% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.4% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 10.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.7% | — |
| Work from home | 19.2% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 29.9 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.5% | 90.2% |
Weather in Forest
July highs average 82.0°F and January lows 4.8°F. About 35.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 43.3 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 9 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 168 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
26 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Forest since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on July 27, 1987 about 3.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 19, 2021.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 97 times; the largest was 3.50 inches on May 12, 1962.
Severe weather in Rice County since 1996
Rice County has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 28, 2024 | Flood | DR-4797: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| April 7, 2020 | Biological | DR-4531: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3453: Covid-19 |
| November 2, 2016 | Flood | DR-4290: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| July 21, 2014 | Flood | DR-4182: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Rice County
Rice County had 26,196 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $60,604 a year. Unemployment was 2.6% in 2023; in Forest itself the ACS puts it at 4.2%.
Towns near Forest
- Bridgewater, MN5.4 mi · 1,840 people · home $433,200
- Wells, MN5.5 mi · 1,545 people · home $405,600
- Webster, MN5.9 mi · 1,777 people · home $464,100
- Lonsdale, MN6.1 mi · 4,686 people · home $357,000
- Erin, MN6.5 mi · 836 people · home $423,300
- Dundas, MN6.8 mi · 1,712 people · home $325,800
- Cannon City, MN8.3 mi · 1,226 people · home $378,300
- Faribault, MN8.4 mi · 24,453 people · home $241,500
Forest questions
Is Forest, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Forest scores better for retirees than 71% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 64%. 13.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.9).
How much does a house cost in Forest?
The median owner-occupied home in Forest is valued at $478,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $125,938, so homes cost about 3.8 times income. Median rent is $992 a month.
What is the weather like in Forest?
July highs average 82.0°F and January lows 4.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 35.5 inches of precipitation a year and 43.3 inches of snow.
Does Forest get tornadoes?
26 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Forest since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on July 27, 1987. The typical Minnesota town has had 14.
- 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)