Forest City, North Carolina · ZIP 28043

Forest City — ZIP 28043

Forest City (28043) scores 47/100 — Below Average for North Carolina. Safety: Higher reported-crime rate under the available data tier. Schools: Higher reported proficiency and grade-band coverage. A mid-range price profile for the state. The typical home value here is $194K.

Overall NeighborScore

DBelow Average

Tap a tab to compare 28043 against its city, state, or the nation.

Higher reported-crime rate under the available data tier.

Safety index25/100

Violent crime share6%

Property crime share94%

Higher reported proficiency and grade-band coverage.

School index71/100

Avg math proficiency58%

Avg reading proficiency52%

Schools nearby6

A mid-range price profile for the state.

Affordability index65/100

Typical home value$194K

How this score is calculated: the NeighborScore composite weights crime 53% and schools 47%, each normalized to the local area. Home affordability is shown for context and is not factored into the overall score. Sources & methodology →

Last refreshed — Schools: Aug 2026 · Real estate: Aug 2026 · Demographics: Jun 2026

Nearby Neighborhoods

Not the right fit? See how adjacent ZIPs score — tap to jump over.

Ellenboro, North CarolinaEllenboroZIP 28040

57▲10 vs here

Spindale, North CarolinaSpindaleZIP 28160

60▲13 vs here

Rutherfordton, North CarolinaRutherfordtonZIP 28139

57▲10 vs here

Mooresboro, North CarolinaMooresboroZIP 28114

70▲23 vs here

Real Estate Snapshot

Typical Home Value

$194K

Median Rent

—

Days on Market

—

Sale-to-List

—

Typical Home Value — 23 Months

Crime Overview

Total Incidents

1,043

Violent Crime

114

Property Crime

929

Crime statistics for this area are estimated from FBI-reported county-level data for Rutherford County, North Carolina (2025). This ZIP does not yet have city-specific monthly crime data, so figures reflect the entire county rather than this ZIP alone.

Full Crime Report →

Nearby Schools

	Grades
Forrest W. Hunt Elementary School	PK–05	460	67%	52%
Forest City-Dunbar Elementary School	PK–05	459	66%	48%
Chase High School	09–12	596	62%	57%
Harris Elementary School	PK–05	434	60%	56%
Mt. Vernon-Ruth Elementary School	PK–05	231	52%	47%
Chase Middle School	06–08	484	41%	53%

Directory and latest enrollment: NCES Common Core of Data (SY 2024–25 where reported). Proficiency: U.S. Department of Education EDFacts SY 2021–22; state standards are not directly comparable.

Full School Report →

Demographics

Population

20,896

Median Income

$42K

Homeownership

64%

Median Age

40.1 yrs

Source: US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2024).

Map

Frequently Asked Questions

ZIP 28043 has a reported-crime score of 25/100. A higher score represents a lower reported-crime rate under the best available data tier for this ZIP; it is not a guarantee of safety. Review the crime report and current local police data before making a decision.

ZIP 28043 has a school score of 71/100. The index combines reported SY 2021–22 math and reading proficiency with grade-band coverage. Nearby or county-level estimates may be used where ZIP-level reporting is sparse, and state assessment standards are not directly comparable.

The latest home value or sale-price figure available for ZIP 28043 is approximately $194K. The profile identifies the underlying source; Zillow ZHVI is a typical home value measure, while Redfin data is a median sale-price measure. These are different metrics and may lag current listings.

ZIP 28043 in Forest City has an overall NeighborScore of 47/100. It combines the crime score (53%) and school score (47%); affordability is context only. Use the component data and its coverage notes rather than treating the composite as a complete measure of livability.