Cost to Own
United StatesFloridaSeminole CountyForest City Population 14,871 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Forest City, Florida

A $365,000 home here costs

$2,823

per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,876. The real number is $947 higher every month — 50% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Forest City median: $364,900
Under 20% adds PMI
Freddie Mac PMMS
US average household

Where every dollar goes

Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.

Principal & interest30-year fixed, $292,000 borrowed $1,876
Property tax0.715% effective rate for Forest City itself $217
Homeowners insuranceFlorida averages $2,437/yr (NAIC), or 0.725% of home value $221
Electricity15.17¢/kWh — Florida residential average, EIA $136
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $304
Total monthly $2,823

Forest City against Seminole County and Florida

MeasureForest CitySeminole County
Median home value$364,900$357,300
Median property tax$2,610$2,493
Effective tax rate0.715%0.698%
Median gross rent$1,706$1,686
Population14,871474,912

The weather behind that power bill

Forest City sits in Seminole County, which averages a high of 92.7°F in its hottest month and a low of 49.6°F in its coldest, with 49.63" of precipitation a year and 45% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 3,554 cooling and 557 heating degree days, which is what sets the $136 electricity line above.

See the full climate breakdown for Seminole County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.

Other cities in Seminole County

Full Seminole County cost breakdown · Every county in Florida

Common questions

How much does it cost to own a home in Forest City?

A $365,000 home in Forest City, Florida costs approximately $2,823 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,876 principal and interest, $217 property tax, $221 homeowners insurance, $204 utilities and $304 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Forest City?

Forest City has an effective property tax rate of 0.715%, based on a median home value of $364,900 and median real estate taxes of $2,610. That is higher than the Seminole County average of 0.698%.

What is the average home price in Forest City?

The median owner-occupied home value in Forest City, Florida is $364,900, against $357,300 across Seminole County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Forest City?

Median gross rent in Forest City is $1,706 a month, against $2,823 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.

Sources & methodology

  • Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Forest City — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
  • Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Florida.
  • Electricity price — EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
  • Mortgage rate — Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
  • Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.

Full methodology