Neighborhood · Lansing, MI

River Forest Eviction Risk: Moderate

3 census tracts · pop 7,605 · pop-weighted Eviction Risk Score 4.2/10 · range 2.9–5.8

River Forest is a white-black neighborhood in Lansing with 3 census tracts and a population of 7,605 residents. The neighborhood's pop-weighted eviction-risk score of 4.2/10 (Moderate tier) blends state law, county-level filing rates, parent-city politics, and tract-specific rent-to-income ratios + poverty. 33% of renters here pay at least 30% of household income on rent, and 20% are severely cost-burdened (≥50% of income). Average gross rent of $932/month sits 6% lower than the Lansing citywide average ($993).

Risk score

4.2

Moderate

3 tracts · population-weighted

River Forest vs Lansing How this neighborhood stacks against the citywide average

% of income on rent

33.3% +11%

Lansing: 30.1%

Average gross rent

$932 -6%

Lansing: $993

Average HH income

$63,358 +21%

Lansing: $52,170

Poverty rate

15.6% -22%

Lansing: 19.9%

Renter share

27.3% -41%

Lansing: 46.2%

Peer neighborhoods

Neighborhoods with similar eviction risk

Same county, closest by Eviction Risk Score.

Geographic context

Risk heat across River Forest and the region

Click any tract to drill in · 3 tracts span score 2.9–5.8

Why River Forest scores 4.2

9 axes · pop-weighted · 1 = landlord-friendly

State political climate

legislature & governorship · Range 3.3–3.3 across tracts

3.3

Regional political climate

County-level mix · 2024 presidential margin · Range 6.6–6.6 across tracts

6.6

Local political climate

Parent city governance · Range 5.2–6.0 across tracts

5.7

Rent control risk

33% of income on rent · Range 2.0–5.6 across tracts

3.2

Eviction process difficulty

State notice requirements & court backlog · Range 3.4–4.5 across tracts

4.1

Tenant organizing strength

27% renter households · Range 5.0–7.3 across tracts

5.7

Housing court bias

County bench composition · Range 4.5–4.9 across tracts

4.6

Economic stress

15.6% below poverty line · Range 1.0–7.4 across tracts

3.9

Supply constraint

Rent-to-FMR gap & zoning friction · Range 1.5–7.8 across tracts

3.3

Risk score comparison

River Forest vs. parent city, state, U.S.

Eviction Risk Score (0–10 scale).

Variance across tracts

How uniformly does eviction risk play out in River Forest?

Left: distribution of constituent tract scores. Right: every tract as a heat square. Click any square to drill in.

Score distribution

0246810

Spread of 2.9 points from 2.9 to 5.8. This neighborhood crosses multiple risk tiers, so block-by-block conditions vary substantially.

Tracts as heat grid

5.8 3.4 2.9

Each square = one census tract. Color tracks the same green→red ramp as the chloropleth map above.

Census tracts

3 tracts in River Forest

Ranked highest-risk first. Click for per-tract detail.

Tract↕	Score↕	Pop↕	% over 30% on rent↕	Average rent↕
26065003301	5.8	3,148	44%	$735
26065003302	3.4	1,979	0%	$1,442
26065003400	2.9	2,478	46%	$776

Social Vulnerability Index

CDC SVI percentile: 45

Pop-weighted across 3 tracts. Higher = more vulnerable to disaster, displacement, and rent shocks. Source: CDC/ATSDR SVI 2022.

Socioeconomic status 49%ile

Poverty, unemployment, no-HS-diploma, housing cost burden

Household characteristics 51%ile

Single-parent HH, disability, language barriers, age 17- / 65+

Racial/ethnic minority 59%ile

Hispanic + non-white share of population

Housing & transport 34%ile

Multi-unit structures, mobile homes, crowding, no vehicle

CDC PLACES 2023 · pop-weighted

Eviction-adjacent indicators in River Forest

Average across all constituent tracts, population-weighted. Source: CDC PLACES (cwsq-ngmh) crude prevalence.

13.7%Housing insecurity
10.3%Utility shutoff threat
17.0%Food insecurity
16.6%SNAP enrollment
7.6%No health insurance
31.8%Any disability

Frequently asked

About River Forest

What is the eviction-risk score for River Forest?

River Forest scores 4.2/10 (Moderate tier) across 3 census tracts. The pop-weighted Eviction Risk Score blends state law, county filing rates, parent-city politics, and tract-specific rent-to-income and poverty signals.

How does River Forest compare to Lansing overall?

River Forest scores 0.5 points higher than Lansing overall (3.7/10). Renters spend 33% of income on rent vs 30% citywide. Average rent: $932 vs $993.

What is the average rent in River Forest?

Average gross rent in River Forest is $932/month (pop-weighted across 3 census tracts, ACS 5-year 2023). 33% of renter households are cost-burdened.

What percentage of River Forest residents are renters?

27% of River Forest households are renter-occupied (vs 46% in Lansing). The neighborhood has 7,605 residents.

Is River Forest a high social-vulnerability area?

River Forest sits in the 45th percentile nationally on the CDC Social Vulnerability Index (less vulnerable). The index combines poverty, unemployment, household composition, racial/ethnic minority share, and housing/transportation factors across all US census tracts.

Which tracts in River Forest have the highest eviction risk?

The highest-risk constituent tract in River Forest is census tract 26065003301 (score 5.8/10). Across the 3 tracts in this neighborhood the score ranges from 2.9 to 5.8, a spread of 2.9 points.

How safe is River Forest for landlords?

River Forest carries a moderate-tier eviction-risk profile for landlords (4.2/10). Pop-weighted across 3 constituent tracts, the score blends parent-city rent-control posture, county eviction-process timelines, and tract-specific rent-to-income / poverty signals. Compared to Lansing as a whole (3.7/10), this neighborhood is higher-risk.

What is the demographic breakdown of River Forest?

River Forest has 7,432 residents (White-Black Neighborhood). Top groups: White (non-Hispanic) (56.2%), Black (non-Hispanic) (26.1%), Hispanic / Latino (8.1%). Source: ACS 5-year 2023, table B03002.

Nearby

Other neighborhoods near River Forest

4.6 Old Oakland 2 tracts · pop 2,523 4.6 Creston 2 tracts · pop 3,772 4.5 Potter-Walsh 2 tracts · pop 2,197 5.8 Churchill Downs 2 tracts · pop 7,501 4.4 Old Everett 2 tracts · pop 5,280 5.5 Red Cedar 2 tracts · pop 2,582

Sibling neighborhoods

Other neighborhoods inside Lansing

Same parent city, ranked by score similarity to River Forest.

4.4 Old Everett 2 tracts · pop 5,280 4.4 Moores River Drive 1 tracts · pop 3,016 4 Lewton-Rich 1 tracts · pop 4,123 4.5 Sycamore Park 1 tracts · pop 1,566 3.9 Sagamore Hills 1 tracts · pop 5,977 4.6 Lansing-Eaton 1 tracts · pop 4,681

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