Small-town market profile · Arkansas
Forrest City, AR area market data
Population, household spending and competition for 56 business types in the Forrest City area, each scored against other small-town markets.
- Population, 2025
- 21,800
- −5.3% since 2020
- Households
- 7,783
- Median household income
- $42,574
- +20.4% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Median home value
- $90,900
- Jobs located here
- 6,530
- Highest market score
- 48
- Real estate, #288 of 536 scored small-town markets
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in the Forrest City area by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of the Forrest City area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
An estimated 21,800 people live in the Forrest City area, in 7,783 households. Population estimates show the Forrest City area declined 5.3% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median household income in the Forrest City area is $42,574 a year, 47% below the U.S. median of $80,734. That rose 20.4% from the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.
Set against the U.S., households in the Forrest City area spend the most on vehicle insurance (an index of 114, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on memberships, classes and admissions (42).
The highest Groundwork market scores in the Forrest City area are for real estate businesses (48), hair salons (47) and pet businesses (45). The Forrest City area ranks #288 of 536 scored small-town markets for real estate businesses.
The Forrest City area is made up of one county, St. Francis County. For its number of households, the Forrest City area has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for gas stations (3.1 times the U.S. rate) and the fewest for real estate businesses (60% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in the Forrest City area
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares the Forrest City area with other small-town markets for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Score | Rank among small-town markets | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Real estate | 48 | #288 of 536 | 12 | 15.4 | Index only | 182 | 3 |
| Hair salons | 47 | #305 of 538 | 5 | 6.4 | $1M | 243 | Under 3 |
| Pet businesses | 45 | #329 of 527 | 5 | 6.4 | $994K | 113 | Under 3 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 38 | #404 of 538 | 18 | 23.1 | $290K | 136 | Under 3 |
| Auto repair and car care | 30 | #453 of 538 | 32 | 41.1 | $187K | 70 | 6 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 29 | #431 of 476 | 5 | 6.4 | $3.3M | 70 | 5 |
| Insurance agencies | 29 | #440 of 537 | 15 | 19.3 | $1.2M | 92 | 10 |
| Auto repair shops | 28 | #473 of 538 | 21 | 27.0 | $285K | 64 | 3 |
| Home repair trades | 26 | #495 of 526 | 9 | 11.6 | $1.9M | 76 | 11 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 26 | #517 of 533 | 11 | 14.1 | Index only | 158 | Under 3 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 25 | #476 of 507 | 5 | 6.4 | $4.3M | 104 | Under 3 |
| Child care and preschools | 23 | #414 of 454 | 5 | 6.4 | $440K | 44 | 3 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 23 | #499 of 526 | 8 | 10.3 | $831K | 84 | 4 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 23 | #505 of 529 | 6 | 7.7 | $3.6M | 97 | Under 3 |
| Spas and skin care | 21 | #480 of 504 | 5 | 6.4 | $1M | 119 | Under 3 |
| Pizza | 19 | #509 of 520 | 7 | 9.0 | $3.1M | 61 | 15 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 19 | #514 of 538 | 54 | 69.4 | $123K | 81 | 18 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 19 | #521 of 538 | 89 | 114.4 | $242K | 65 | 30 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 17 | #531 of 538 | 50 | 64.2 | $432K | 65 | 13 |
| Convenience stores | 16 | #499 of 529 | 9 | 11.6 | $4.4M | 55 | 4 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 16 | #513 of 538 | 23 | 29.6 | $1.7M | 50 | 5 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 16 | #518 of 536 | 18 | 23.1 | $628K | 71 | 6 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 15 | #519 of 536 | 13 | 16.7 | $869K | 68 | 6 |
| Funeral homes | 14 | #355 of 365 | 9 | 11.6 | $131K | 19 | Under 3 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 11 | #527 of 537 | 19 | 24.4 | $1.1M | 37 | 15 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 10 | #451 of 458 | 9 | 11.6 | $738K | 41 | 11 |
| Gas stations | 7 | #532 of 536 | 26 | 33.4 | $781K | 33 | 15 |
| Grocery stores | 2 | #506 of 506 | 10 | 12.8 | $3.9M | 42 | Under 3 |
| Barbershops | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 5.1 | $1.3M | 69 | Under 3 |
| Electricians | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 5.1 | $4.2M | 35 | 6 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 5.1 | $813K | 123 | Under 3 |
| Nail salons | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 5.1 | $1.3M | 78 | Under 3 |
| Car washes and detailing | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 3.9 | $2M | 79 | Under 3 |
| Collision repair and body shops | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 3.9 | $2M | 65 | Under 3 |
| Gyms | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 3.9 | $1.1M | 83 | Under 3 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 3.9 | $2.9M | 175 | 3 |
| Tire shops | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 3.9 | $2M | 80 | Under 3 |
| Dry cleaners | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 2.6 | $5.7M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Laundromats | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 2.6 | $5.7M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Optometrists and eye care | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 2.6 | $3.3M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Pest control | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 2.6 | $4.4M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Chiropractors | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 1.3 | $6.6M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 1.3 | $8.8M | Too few | 3 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 1.3 | $3.3M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 1.3 | Index only | Too few | Under 3 |
| Oil change and quick lube | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 1.3 | $6M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 1.3 | $5M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Pet stores | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 1.3 | $5M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Physical therapy | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 1.3 | $6.6M | Too few | 3 |
| Veterinarians | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 1.3 | $5M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Home inspectors | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| House cleaning | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Property management | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Roofing and gutters | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
Household spending in the Forrest City area
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $6M | $768 | 80 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $20.3M | $2,611 | 101 |
| Food away from home | $21.6M | $2,773 | 68 |
| Groceries | $39.2M | $5,034 | 80 |
| Personal care products and services | $5.2M | $671 | 67 |
| Child care and other personal services | $2.2M | $283 | 49 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $3.3M | $418 | 42 |
| Medical and dental services | $6.6M | $854 | 66 |
| Pets | $5M | $639 | 70 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $11.3M | $1,452 | 71 |
| Vehicle insurance | $17.3M | $2,222 | 114 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $16.7M | $2,142 | 71 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $8.8M | $1,135 | 80 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $94.5M | $12,137 | 73 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in the Forrest City area
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 21,800−5.3% since 2020
- Households
- 7,783
- Median age
- 39.9
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 55%
- Vehicles per household
- 1.7
- Land area
- 635 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 35
- Median household income
- $42,574+20.4% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Average household income
- $58,099
- Median home value
- $90,900
- Jobs located here
- 6,530
- Daytime population
- 21,343Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in the Forrest City area?
These figures cover the whole small-town market. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of the Forrest City area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
Counties in the Forrest City area 1
- St. Francis County, AR22,400 people
Other markets based in Arkansas 12
- Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR metro area758,629 people
- Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR metro area577,726 people
- Fort Smith, AR-OK metro area229,899 people
- Jonesboro, AR metro area135,792 people
- Hot Springs, AR metro area100,035 people
- Russellville, AR area84,265 people
- Searcy, AR area77,838 people
- Pine Bluff, AR area72,255 people
- Paragould, AR area46,432 people
- Harrison, AR area45,250 people
- Mountain Home, AR area42,407 people
- Blytheville, AR area39,126 people
Questions
How fast is the Forrest City, AR area growing?
Population estimates put the Forrest City area at 21,800 people in 2025, down 5.3% since 2020, against +3.1% for the U.S. It has 7,783 households. Against the 2015–2019 survey, median household income rose 20.4%, before inflation.
How much do households in the Forrest City, AR area spend?
Households in the Forrest City area spend about $94.5M a year on rent and homeowner costs, $39.2M on groceries and $21.6M on food away from home. Relative to the U.S., household spending in the Forrest City area runs highest on vehicle insurance (an index of 114, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on memberships, classes and admissions (42).
Which business types have the highest market scores in the Forrest City, AR area?
Of the business types scored in the Forrest City area, real estate businesses (48), hair salons (47) and pet businesses (45) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For real estate businesses, that ranks #288 of 536 scored small-town markets.
How does the Forrest City, AR area compare with the U.S.?
Median household income in the Forrest City area is $42,574, 47% below the U.S. median of $80,734. The population fell 5.3% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $90,900, against $332,700 for the U.S. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for gas stations (3.1 times the U.S. rate) and lowest for real estate businesses (60% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. A small-town market is a town of 10,000 to 50,000 people and the county or counties tied to it by commuting. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. 28 of the 56 business types have a score in the Forrest City area, each ranked against other small-town markets.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in the Forrest City area. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
All markets in Arkansas · Every U.S. market · How we measure
Screening a site or an acquisition in the Forrest City area?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of the Forrest City area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.