The Town FilesForestville, New York
Community in Chautauqua County · population 704 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $97,000
- Jan low / Jul high
- 19° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 76 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 8
- Median age
- 39.4
Forestville is a community of 704 people in Chautauqua County, New York. The median home is worth $97,000, below the typical New York town ($217,700). It ranks easier by car than 100% of New York towns.
How Forestville 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 Forestville is worth $97,000, below the typical New York town ($217,700). Median rent is $1,070 a month. 58.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Forestville | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $97,000 | $217,700 |
| Median rent | $1,070 | $1,080 |
| Median household income | — | $80,740 |
| Home value ÷ income | —× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 58.6% | 79.5% |
| Median year built | 1938 | 1965 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Forestville
| People | Forestville | Typical New York town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.4 | 43.5 |
| Age 65 and over | 8.3% | 20.4% |
| Under 18 | 32.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 12.3% | 30.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.7% | 9.3% |
| Veterans | 3.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.9% | — |
| Work from home | 0.0% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 24.0 min | 26.0 min |
| Homes with broadband | 100.0% | 91.1% |
Weather in Forestville
July highs average 80.0°F and January lows 19.4°F. About 33.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 75.6 inches of snow (typical New York town: 62.9 in). Expect about 3 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 123 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Forestville since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New York town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on November 14, 2011 about 8.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 10, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 12 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on May 28, 2017.
Severe weather in Chautauqua County since 1996
Chautauqua County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| November 20, 2022 | Winter Storm | EM-3589: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| March 20, 2020 | Biological | DR-4480: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3434: Covid-19 |
| December 19, 2019 | Severe Storm | DR-4472: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| December 22, 2014 | Snowstorm | DR-4204: Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Chautauqua County
Chautauqua County had 46,319 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $52,960 a year. Unemployment was 4.3% in 2023; in Forestville itself the ACS puts it at 11.4%.
Public schools in Forestville
2 public schools with 413 students, about 8.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| FORESTVILLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-6 | 221 | 8.5 |
| FORESTVILLE CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL | 7-12 | 192 | 8.0 |
Towns near Forestville
- Sheridan, NY2.9 mi · 2,564 people · home $192,900
- Hanover, NY3.4 mi · 6,972 people · home $141,500
- Silver Creek, NY5.0 mi · 2,617 people · home $125,400
- Villenova, NY6.1 mi · 1,057 people · home $129,300
- Arkwright, NY6.7 mi · 1,008 people · home $170,900
- Dunkirk, NY7.4 mi · 1,240 people · home $167,100
- Dunkirk, NY8.1 mi · 12,743 people · home $94,700
- Perrysburg, NY8.1 mi · 1,518 people · home $143,800
Forestville questions
Is Forestville, New York a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Forestville scores better for retirees than 44% of New York towns and quieter than 68%. 8.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.4).
How much does a house cost in Forestville?
The median owner-occupied home in Forestville is valued at $97,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of —. Median rent is $1,070 a month.
What is the weather like in Forestville?
July highs average 80.0°F and January lows 19.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 33.0 inches of precipitation a year and 75.6 inches of snow.
Does Forestville get tornadoes?
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Forestville since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on November 14, 2011. 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)