Forest County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 6,973, making it the third-least populous county in Pennsylvania. Its county seat is Tionesta. The county was created in 1848 and later organized in 1857. The county is part of the North Central region of the commonwealth.

History Forest County was created on April 11, 1848, from part of Jefferson County. The county was enlarged on October 31, 1866, when part of Venango County was incorporated into the county. Forest County was named for the forests contained within its limits.

Geography According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.8%) is water. It has a warm-summer humid continental climate (Dfb) and average monthly temperatures in Tionesta range from 25.3 °F in January to 69.8 °F in July.

Adjacent counties Warren County (north) McKean County (northeast) Elk County (east) Jefferson County (south) Clarion County (south) Venango County (west)

National protected area Part of Allegheny National Forest covers Forest County. Part of Allegheny Islands Wilderness is in Forest County.

State protected area Part of Cook Forest State Park is in Forest County. Part of Cornplanter State Forest is in Forest County.

Major highways

Demographics

Racial and ethnic composition +Forest County, Pennsylvania – Racial and ethnic compositionRace / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)Pop 1980Pop 1990Pop 2000Pop 2010 Pop 2020% 1980% 1990% 2000% 2010% 2020White alone (NH)5,0244,7224,7195,8505,27899.05%98.33%95.41%75.82%75.69%Black or African American alone (NH)11431101,3741,2350.22%0.90%2.22%17.81%17.71%Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)1311191180.26%0.23%0.38%0.14%0.11%Asian alone (NH)73612170.14%0.06%0.12%0.16%0.24%Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)x included in the Asian category in the 1980 Censusx included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census010xx0.00%0.01%0.00%Other race alone (NH)204540.04%0.00%0.08%0.06%0.06%Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)x not an option in the 1980 Censusx not an option in the 1990 Census2845108xx0.57%0.58%1.55%Hispanic or Latino (any race)1523604183230.30%0.48%1.21%5.42%4.63%Total5,0724,8024,9467,7166,973 100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 6,973. The median age was 45.4 years. 9.3% of residents were under the age of 18 and 21.6% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 236.4 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 252.6 males age 18 and over.

The racial makeup of the county was 76.0% White, 17.7% Black or African American, 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 4.0% from some other race, and 1.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 4.6% of the population.

<0.1% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.

There were 2,034 households in the county, of which 17.2% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 47.4% were married-couple households, 25.0% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 22.1% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 36.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 19.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 6,949 housing units, of which 70.7% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 83.1% were owner-occupied and 16.9% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.2% and the rental vacancy rate was 9.7%.

2000 census

As of the 2000 census, there were 4,946 people, 2,000 households, and 1,328 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 8,701 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county, largely a result of the SCI Forest State Penitentiary, was 77.4% White, 21.1% Black or African American, 0.40% Native American, 0.14% Asian, 0.69% from other races, and 0.61% from two or more races. 1.21% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 19.9% were of German, 9.0% Irish, 6.2% English ancestry.

There were 2,000 households, out of which 23.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.70% were married couples living together, 6.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.60% were non-families. 29.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.81.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 22.70% under the age of 18, 5.90% from 18 to 24, 22.60% from 25 to 44, 28.90% from 45 to 64, and 19.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 111.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.30 males. According to a 2025 Census Bureau survey, Forest County had the highest percentage of unmarried adults of any county in the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States.

Law and government

Law enforcement all areas in the county use the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) in a law enforcement capacity, either with part-time police departments or with no other police departments.

Voter registration As of February 5, 2024, there are 3,159 registered voters in Forest County.

Republican: 1,944 (61.86%) Democratic: 847 (26.81%) Independent: 230 (7.28%) Third Party: 128 (4.05%)

State Senate

Source:

Scott E. Hutchinson, Republican, Pennsylvania's 21st Senatorial District

State House of Representatives

Source:

Donna Oberlander, Republican, Pennsylvania's 63rd Representative District Kathy L. Rapp, Republican, Pennsylvania's 65th Representative District

United States House of Representatives Glenn Thompson, Republican, Pennsylvania's 15th congressional district

United States Senate Dave McCormick, Republican John Fetterman, Democrat

Education The Forest Area School District serves the entire Forest County. - Text list

Private schools: Cornell Abraxas I Arlene Lissner (9th-12th) Marienville

Libraries: Marienville Area Library - Marienville Sarah Stewart Bovard Memorial Library - Tionesta

Communities

Under Pennsylvania law, there are four types of incorporated municipalities: cities, boroughs, townships, and, in at most two cases, towns. The following boroughs and townships are located in Forest County:

Borough Tionesta (county seat)

Townships

Barnett Green Harmony Hickory Howe Jenks Kingsley Tionesta

Census-designated place

Marienville

Unincorporated communities

Brookston Clarington Cooksburg‡ East Hickory Endeavor Porkey West Hickory

Population ranking The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2010 census of Forest County. The jump in census figures between the 2000 and 2010 census, is due in a large part to the opening of the State Correctional Institution - Forest (SCI - Forest) in October 2004. SCI Forest houses approximately 2,200 inmates at their facility in Marienville, PA.

† county seat

RankCity/Town/etc.Population (2010 Census)Municipal typeIncorporated 1 Marienville 3,137 CDP 2 † Tionesta 483 Borough 1805

See also National Register of Historic Places listings in Forest County, Pennsylvania

References