The Town FilesForest Home, New York
Community in Tompkins County · population 1,168 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $499,300
- Household income
- $59,018
- Jan low / Jul high
- 15° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 63 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 7
- Median age
- 29.5
Forest Home is a community of 1,168 people in Tompkins County, New York. The median home is worth $499,300, above the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks more of a college town than 100% of New York towns, better for young professionals than 99% of New York towns, better for cycling than 98% of New York towns.
How Forest Home ranks
Percentile among New York towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of New York towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Forest Home is worth $499,300, above the typical New York town ($217,700). Homes cost about 8.5 times the median household income of $59,018, which is more affordable than 2% of New York towns. Median rent is $1,379 a month. 35.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Forest Home | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $499,300 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $1,379 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | $59,018 | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | 8.5× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 35.2% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1967 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Forest Home
| People | Forest Home | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 29.5 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 7.8% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 25.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 96.7% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.8% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 0.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 56.0% | — |
| Work from home | 19.9% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 19.5 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 74.4% | 91.1% |
Weather in Forest Home
July highs average 79.9°F and January lows 14.6°F. About 38.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 62.9 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 5 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 148 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Forest Home since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on June 21, 2021 about 6.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 21, 2021.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 52 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on May 3, 2012.
Severe weather in Tompkins County since 1996
Tompkins County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 20, 2020 | Biological | DR-4480: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3434: Covid-19 |
| July 12, 2017 | Snowstorm | DR-4322: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| October 28, 2012 | Hurricane | EM-3351: Hurricane Sandy |
| September 13, 2011 | Severe Storm | DR-4031: Remnants Of Tropical Storm Lee |
Jobs and pay in Tompkins County
Tompkins County had 48,051 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $69,770 a year. Unemployment was 3.1% in 2023; in Forest Home itself the ACS puts it at 5.4%.
Towns near Forest Home
- Northeast Ithaca, NY1.2 mi · 2,701 people · home $402,000
- Cayuga Heights, NY1.5 mi · 4,114 people · home $433,000
- Varna, NY1.5 mi · 767 people · home —
- Ithaca, NY1.8 mi · 32,108 people · home $342,700
- East Ithaca, NY2.0 mi · 3,175 people · home $332,700
- Lansing, NY2.8 mi · 3,648 people · home $516,900
- South Hill, NY3.1 mi · 7,245 people · home $353,800
- Northwest Ithaca, NY3.4 mi · 2,231 people · home $312,900
Forest Home questions
Is Forest Home, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Forest Home scores better for retirees than 3% of New York towns and quieter than 4%. 7.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 29.5).
How much does a house cost in Forest Home?
The median owner-occupied home in Forest Home is valued at $499,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $59,018, so homes cost about 8.5 times income. Median rent is $1,379 a month.
What is the weather like in Forest Home?
July highs average 79.9°F and January lows 14.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 38.3 inches of precipitation a year and 62.9 inches of snow.
Does Forest Home get tornadoes?
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Forest Home since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on June 21, 2021. The typical New York town has had 5.
- 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)