The Town FilesForest Heights, Texas
Community in Orange County · population 1,329 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $119,600
- Household income
- $81,429
- Jan low / Jul high
- 40° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 29
- Median age
- 36.9
Forest Heights is a community of 1,329 people in Orange County, Texas. The median home is worth $119,600, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). It ranks easier by car than 78% of Texas towns, better transit than 70% of Texas towns.
How Forest Heights ranks
Percentile among Texas towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Texas towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Forest Heights is worth $119,600, below the typical Texas town ($184,100). Homes cost about 1.5 times the median household income of $81,429, which is more affordable than 94% of Texas towns. 80.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Forest Heights | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $119,600 | $184,100 |
| Median rent | — | $1,086 |
| Median household income | $81,429 | $65,842 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.5× | 2.9× |
| Homeownership | 80.9% | 72.9% |
| Median year built | 1987 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.8% | — |
Who lives in Forest Heights
| People | Forest Heights | Typical Texas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.9 | 37.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.6% | 15.6% |
| Under 18 | 30.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 7.4% | 18.9% |
| Below the poverty line | 24.0% | 13.1% |
| Veterans | 11.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.6% | — |
| Work from home | 4.7% | 7.8% |
| Average commute | 24.7 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.9% | 89.2% |
Weather in Forest Heights
July highs average 89.9°F and January lows 40.3°F. About 64.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical Texas town: 0.2 in). Expect about 74 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 19 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
29 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Forest Heights since 1950, compared with 21 for the typical Texas town. 7 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on November 7, 1957 about 9.5 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 85 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on January 24, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 32 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on May 31, 2007.
Severe weather in Orange County since 1996
Orange County has been included in 31 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, other.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 9, 2024 | Hurricane | DR-4798: Hurricane Beryl |
| February 19, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-4586: Severe Winter Storms |
| February 14, 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | EM-3554: Severe Winter Storm |
| December 9, 2020 | Hurricane | DR-4572: Hurricane Laura |
| August 24, 2020 | Hurricane | EM-3540: Tropical Storms Marco And Laura |
Jobs and pay in Orange County
Orange County had 24,358 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $64,481 a year. Unemployment was 5.4% in 2023; in Forest Heights itself the ACS puts it at 3.2%.
Towns near Forest Heights
- Little Cypress, TX4.0 mi · 1,968 people · home $183,900
- Deweyville, TX4.5 mi · 571 people · home $137,300
- Mauriceville, TX6.6 mi · 2,983 people · home $179,600
- Starks, LA7.7 mi · 659 people · home $150,000
- Orange, TX7.7 mi · 19,324 people · home $164,900
- Pinehurst, TX8.8 mi · 2,232 people · home $169,700
- West Orange, TX10.8 mi · 3,459 people · home $110,700
- Vinton, LA11.0 mi · 3,400 people · home $106,800
Forest Heights questions
Is Forest Heights, Texas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Forest Heights scores better for retirees than 56% of Texas towns and quieter than 69%. 13.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.9).
How much does a house cost in Forest Heights?
The median owner-occupied home in Forest Heights is valued at $119,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $81,429, so homes cost about 1.5 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Forest Heights?
July highs average 89.9°F and January lows 40.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 64.4 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Forest Heights get tornadoes?
29 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Forest Heights since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on November 7, 1957. The typical Texas town has had 21.
- 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)