Forrest City receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Forrest City
West Memphis
Opportunity
41 · Bottom 19%
vs35 · Bottom 11%
Growth
41 · Bottom 33%
vs38 · Bottom 28%
Climate
68 · Bottom 42%
vs68 · Bottom 42%
Physical resilience
50 · Bottom 43%
vs33 · Bottom 26%
Housing affordability
79 · Bottom 48%
vs85 · Top 42%
Access
84 · Bottom 27%
vs95 · Top 35%
Economic stability
13 · Bottom 1%
vs27 · Bottom 4%
Measured values
| Metric | Forrest City | West Memphis | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,646 | 23,929 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $35,689 | $42,674 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $16,688 | $21,339 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 625/sq mi | 802/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $92,000 | $120,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $805 | $870 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 39.2% | 46.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.3% | 6.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 2.7% | 1.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.8% | 13.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 37.7% | 29.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 10 | 27 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.8 | 1.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 91°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 33°F | 33°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 50.4" | 50.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 34 mi | 15 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 18.2 min | 21.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.9 | 34.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 11 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.95 | 13.38 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 100.0% | 97.9% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Forrest City
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
West Memphis
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Forrest City
54
Your Score
54
Area Score
West Memphis
54
Your Score
51
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Forrest City, AR · West Memphis, AR · How this is calculated: methodology