PlainZIP

Forest, OH · standard

ZIP Code 45843

Hardin County, Ohio - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

3,701
14/sq mi
$71,541
Median income
$176,200
Median home value
15.5%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Forest pairs a below-median household income with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

49th pct
household income, US ZIPs
37th pct
home value, US ZIPs
14
people per sq mi
76%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 45843 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 45843 covers 258.8 square miles in Forest, Hardin County, Ohio (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 3,701 residents on file, a density of 14 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 45843 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $71,541 (2% below the Ohio average), while per-capita income is $34,166. 13.3% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 5.6%. Housing costs here run $176,200 for a typical home value (11% below the state average), with rent averaging $920 a month; 75.8% of homes are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 15.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 40.4, and the average commute is 24 minutes. We also surface 7 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Hardin County, so you can benchmark 45843 against its immediate geography rather than a national average alone.

Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →

Top industries in ZIP 45843

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Forest, OH

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 45843.

establishments

What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 45843, Forest, OH · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

3,701

Population

258.8

Area (sq mi)

14

People / sq mi

New York

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 45843?

40.4

Median Age

47.8%

Male

52.2%

Female

0.8%

Foreign-Born

White 95.0%
African American 2.8%
Asian 0.5%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.1%
Two or More Ethnicities 1.3%
Hispanic or Latino 0.7%

Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How much do residents earn?

$71,541

Median Household Income

-2% vs state

$34,166

Per Capita Income

13.3%

Poverty Rate

5.6%

Unemployment Rate

23.7 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 45843 ranks nationally

Forest, OH household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$71,541 49th percentile higher than 49% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). This entry sits in this band. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What is the education profile here?

High School Graduate or Higher 67.6%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 15.5%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

1,756

Total Housing Units

1,613

Occupied Units

143

Vacant Units

2.59

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 75.8%
Renter 24.2%

$176,200

Median Home Value

-11% vs state

$920

Median Rent

1970

Median Year Built

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How have home values changed over time?

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+9.2%

YoY Change (2024)

206

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+106%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 45843 have increased 9.2% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +106% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +9.0% 151
2021 -8.5% 138
2022 +31.9% 182
2023 +3.8% 189
2024 +9.2% 206

Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 37 business establishments in ZIP 45843, employing approximately 583 people with a combined annual payroll of $32,426,000.

37

Businesses

583

Employees

$32.4M

Annual Payroll

6

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Other services (except public administration) 6 16.2%
Construction 5 13.5%
Manufacturing 5 13.5%
Retail trade 3 8.1%
Real estate and rental and leasing 3 8.1%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 3 8.1%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.

Nearby ZIP Codes

Want a side-by-side? Compare 45843 vs 45836 →

ZIP 45843 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 45843 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 45843 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 45843 ranks #3 of 8 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
45836 Dunkirk, OH 1,479 5.5 mi
45867 Mount Blanchard, OH 1,189 8.1 mi
43330 Kirby, OH 118 6.4 mi
43359 Wharton, OH 819 7.6 mi
45897 Williamstown, OH 101 7.3 mi
45814 Arlington, OH 2,620 9.3 mi
43326 Kenton, OH 13,611 10.7 mi

More ZIP Codes in Hardin County

43326 standard
Kenton, OH
Pop: 13,611
45810 standard
Ada, OH
Pop: 8,460
45812 standard
Alger, OH
Pop: 1,943
43340 standard
Mount Victory, OH
Pop: 1,721
45836 standard
Dunkirk, OH
Pop: 1,479
43345 standard
Ridgeway, OH
Pop: 920

Related Areas

Hardin County Forest, OH Ohio

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 45843 in? ▼
ZIP code 45843 (Forest) is located in Hardin County, Ohio. Hardin County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/hardin-oh.
What is the population of ZIP code 45843? ▼
ZIP code 45843 in Forest, OH has a population of 3,701 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 45843? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 45843 is $71,541, which is 6% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 45843? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 45843 is $176,200, which is 37% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 45843? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 45843 is White at 95.0%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 0.7% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 45843? ▼
ZIP code 45843 has 37 business establishments employing approximately 583 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 45843? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 45843 are: Other services (except public administration) (6), Construction (5), Manufacturing (5). There are 6 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 45843? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 45843 increased by 9.2% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 106%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 45843? ▼
In ZIP code 45843, 67.6% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 15.5% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 45843? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 45843 is 23.7 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 45843? ▼
In ZIP code 45843, approximately 75.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 24.2% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 45843? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 45843 is 13.3% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.