Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Forest, Ohio
A $107,000 home here costs
$1,012per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $550. The real number is $462 higher every month — 84% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Forest against Hardin County and Ohio
| Measure | Forest | Hardin County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $106,800 | $134,800 |
| Median property tax | $1,077 | $1,513 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.008% | 1.122% |
| Median gross rent | $749 | $733 |
| Population | 1,401 | 30,527 |
The weather behind that power bill
Forest sits in Hardin County, which averages a high of 84.0°F in its hottest month and a low of 18.3°F in its coldest, with 37.64" of precipitation a year and 30% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 888 cooling and 6,027 heating degree days, which is what sets the $175 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Hardin County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Hardin County
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Forest?
A $107,000 home in Forest, Ohio costs approximately $1,012 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $550 principal and interest, $90 property tax, $40 homeowners insurance, $243 utilities and $89 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Forest?
Forest has an effective property tax rate of 1.008%, based on a median home value of $106,800 and median real estate taxes of $1,077. That is lower than the Hardin County average of 1.122%.
What is the average home price in Forest?
The median owner-occupied home value in Forest, Ohio is $106,800, against $134,800 across Hardin County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Forest?
Median gross rent in Forest is $749 a month, against $1,012 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 — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Ohio.
- 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.