Housing Market Overview
The median home price (often called the average home price), rent costs, affordability metrics, and housing stock characteristics for this housing market.
Median Home Price Map: Nearby Counties
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | Forest County | Wisconsin Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $59,614 | $176,921 | $242,182 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 4.8% | 5.3% | 8.2% |
| Median Gross Rent | $584 | $1,045 | $1,342 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 3.2% | 4.1% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in Forest County is about 66% lower than in Wisconsin. Rent is about 44% lower than the Wisconsin average.
Median Home and Rent Price Trends
Median Home Prices, 2015-2023
Median Rent Prices, 2015-2023
Both home prices and rent are rising in Forest County, up about 4.8% and 3.2% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
Median rent in Forest County rose about 26.6% between 2015 and 2023, from $461 to $584. Over the same span, rent in Wisconsin rose about 34.7%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 1.0 yearly household incomes in Forest County.
Buying the median-priced home in Forest County costs roughly 8.5 years of rent at the median monthly rate. That is a relatively low price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor buying over renting in Forest County. The price-to-rent ratio in Wisconsin is about 14.1.
| Metric | Forest County | Wisconsin Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $59,614 | $176,921 | $242,182 |
| Median Household Income | $59,677 | $75,766 | $78,145 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 1.0 | 2.3 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2023, the median home price in Forest County fell about 21.6%, while median household income rose about 62.9% between 2009 and 2023 — income grew faster than the home price.
Income Growth vs Housing Cost Growth (Year-over-Year %)
Compare income and housing cost trends.
Occupancy & Tenure
| Metric | Forest County | Wisconsin Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 37.4% | 60.4% | 58.2% |
| Rental Rate | 8.0% | 28.6% | 31.3% |
| Vacancy Rate | 54.6% | 11.1% | 10.6% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 19.0 | 16.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2007 | 2010 | 2011 |
Forest County has a homeownership rate of 37.4%, lower than the Wisconsin average of 60.4%. Its housing vacancy rate is 54.6%, compared with 11.1% in Wisconsin.
Housing Stock
| Metric | Forest County | Wisconsin Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.29 people | 2.35 people | 2.54 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1977 | 1973 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 5.0 | 5.6 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in Forest County was built around 1977. On average, 2.3 people live in a home with about 5.0 rooms, staying for about 19.0 years on average.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in Forest County, Wisconsin.
What is the median home price in Forest County, Wisconsin?
The median home price in Forest County, Wisconsin is $59,614, lower than the Wisconsin average of $176,921.
What is the average home price in Forest County, Wisconsin?
The typical home price in %s, reported as the median sale price, is %s. The median is used instead of a mathematical average because it is not skewed by a small number of very expensive or very cheap homes, so it better reflects what a typical buyer pays.
What is the median rent in Forest County, Wisconsin?
The median gross rent in Forest County, Wisconsin is $584 per month, lower than the Wisconsin average of $1,045.
What was the median gross rent in Forest County in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in Forest County, Wisconsin was $522 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in Forest County, Wisconsin?
The price-to-rent ratio in Forest County, Wisconsin is about 8.5, meaning it would take roughly 8.5 years of rent payments at the median rent to equal the median home price. That is a relatively low price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor buying over renting in Forest County.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in Forest County, Wisconsin?
Both home prices and rent are rising in Forest County, up about 4.8% and 3.2% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in Forest County, Wisconsin?
37.4% of households in Forest County, Wisconsin own their home, lower than the Wisconsin average of 60.4%.
What is the vacancy rate in Forest County, Wisconsin?
The housing vacancy rate in Forest County, Wisconsin is 54.6%, higher than the Wisconsin average of 11.1%.