Neighborhood · Charleston, WV

Forest Hills Eviction Risk: Lower

1 census tracts · pop 5,370 · pop-weighted Eviction Risk Score 3.5/10 · range 3.5–3.5

Forest Hills is a white (non-hispanic) neighborhood in Charleston with 1 census tract and a population of 5,370 residents. The neighborhood's pop-weighted eviction-risk score of 3.5/10 (Lower tier) blends state law, county-level filing rates, parent-city politics, and tract-specific rent-to-income ratios + poverty. 21% of renters here pay at least 30% of household income on rent, and 10% are severely cost-burdened (≥50% of income). Average gross rent of $1,063/month sits 17% higher than the Charleston citywide average ($908).

Risk score

3.5

Lower

1 tracts · population-weighted

Forest Hills vs Charleston How this neighborhood stacks against the citywide average

% of income on rent

20.7% -27%

Charleston: 28.2%

Average gross rent

$1,063 +17%

Charleston: $908

Average HH income

$80,500 +25%

Charleston: $64,512

Poverty rate

10.2% -38%

Charleston: 16.5%

Renter share

24.9% -32%

Charleston: 36.7%

Peer neighborhoods

Neighborhoods with similar eviction risk

Same county, closest by Eviction Risk Score.

Geographic context

Risk heat across Forest Hills and the region

Click any tract to drill in · 1 tracts span score 3.5–3.5

Why Forest Hills scores 3.5

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

State political climate

legislature & governorship · Range 1.8–1.8 across tracts

1.8

Regional political climate

County-level mix · 2024 presidential margin · Range 4.3–4.3 across tracts

4.3

Local political climate

Parent city governance · Range 3.5–3.5 across tracts

3.5

Rent control risk

21% of income on rent · Range 1.0–1.0 across tracts

1.0

Eviction process difficulty

State notice requirements & court backlog · Range 2.0–2.0 across tracts

2.0

Tenant organizing strength

25% renter households · Range 2.5–2.5 across tracts

2.5

Housing court bias

County bench composition · Range 2.5–2.5 across tracts

2.5

Economic stress

10.2% below poverty line · Range 2.6–2.6 across tracts

2.6

Supply constraint

Rent-to-FMR gap & zoning friction · Range 5.1–5.1 across tracts

5.1

Risk score comparison

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

Eviction Risk Score (0–10 scale).

Census tracts

1 tracts in Forest Hills

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

Tract↕	Score↕	Pop↕	% over 30% on rent↕	Average rent↕
54039002100	3.5	5,370	21%	$1,063

Social Vulnerability Index

CDC SVI percentile: 28

Pop-weighted across 1 tracts. Higher = more vulnerable to disaster, displacement, and rent shocks. Source: CDC/ATSDR SVI 2022.

Socioeconomic status 13%ile

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

Household characteristics 76%ile

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

Racial/ethnic minority 27%ile

Hispanic + non-white share of population

Housing & transport 33%ile

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

CDC PLACES 2023 · pop-weighted

Eviction-adjacent indicators in Forest Hills

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

10.0%Housing insecurity
8.9%Utility shutoff threat
11.1%Food insecurity
10.2%SNAP enrollment
5.2%No health insurance
31.1%Any disability

Frequently asked

About Forest Hills

What is the eviction-risk score for Forest Hills?

Forest Hills scores 3.5/10 (Lower tier) across 1 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 Forest Hills compare to Charleston overall?

Forest Hills scores 0.5 points higher than Charleston overall (3/10). Renters spend 21% of income on rent vs 28% citywide. Average rent: $1,063 vs $908.

What is the average rent in Forest Hills?

Average gross rent in Forest Hills is $1,063/month (pop-weighted across 1 census tracts, ACS 5-year 2023). 21% of renter households are cost-burdened.

What percentage of Forest Hills residents are renters?

25% of Forest Hills households are renter-occupied (vs 37% in Charleston). The neighborhood has 5,370 residents.

Is Forest Hills a high social-vulnerability area?

Forest Hills sits in the 28th 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.

How safe is Forest Hills for landlords?

Forest Hills carries a lower-tier eviction-risk profile for landlords (3.5/10). Pop-weighted across 1 constituent tracts, the score blends parent-city rent-control posture, county eviction-process timelines, and tract-specific rent-to-income / poverty signals. Compared to Charleston as a whole (3/10), this neighborhood is higher-risk.

What is the demographic breakdown of Forest Hills?

Forest Hills has 5,030 residents (White (non-Hispanic) Neighborhood). Top groups: White (non-Hispanic) (75.6%), Other / Multiracial (9%), Black (non-Hispanic) (8.8%). Source: ACS 5-year 2023, table B03002.

Nearby

Other neighborhoods near Forest Hills

4.5 South Hills 2 tracts · pop 3,976 5.2 Vandalia 3 tracts · pop 6,937 3.2 Joplin 2 tracts · pop 7,594 3.8 Loudon Heights 3 tracts · pop 7,940 4.7 Kenna Homes 3 tracts · pop 6,527 2.9 South Park 2 tracts · pop 7,274

Sibling neighborhoods

Other neighborhoods inside Charleston

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

3.5 Loudon Heights 3 tracts · pop 7,940 3.3 Joplin 2 tracts · pop 7,594 3.7 Elk City Historic District 1 tracts · pop 2,017 4 South Hills 2 tracts · pop 3,976 4.1 Kanawha Estates 2 tracts · pop 5,117 2.9 South Park 2 tracts · pop 7,274

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