Forest is a village in West Carroll Parish in northeastern Louisiana, United States. As of the 2020 census, Forest had a population of 304. Forest Police Chief James Robert "Bob" Smith (Independent; born June 1931), with service since 1998 is the oldest elected official in the State of Louisiana, as of 2017. After thirty years as a mechanic for the United States Air Force, Smith began a civilian career with International Oil Company, based in Saudi Arabia. A North Carolina native, he retired to Forest, where his wife had formerly resided.

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Town numbers

ZIP code71242

Area code318

Living in Forest

Work & commute in Forest

Full picture →

Most working residents leave Forest for work: only 1% work in town. The top destinations are Oak Grove (30%), Baton Rouge (7%) and Monroe (5%). Half commute less than 28 miles.

Oak Grove

30%

Baton Rouge

Monroe

West Monroe

1%Work in townlive and work in Forest 28 miWhere do people commute?the commute map 30Jobs based herea commuter town

Census LEHD 2023 · ACSWork & commute in Forest →

Health in Forest

Compared with Louisiana

3better than LA·4worse

of 32 measures CDC estimates. The other 25 are too close to call.

Conditions 4▼ 8 close Habits all close Care all close Mind all close Everyday needs 3▲ 1 close

BetterToo close to callWorse

What stands out

9.3%Fewer adults facing a utility shut-offLA 12.4% · better 13.2%Fewer adults facing housing insecurityLA 16.8% · better 9.7%More adults who have had cancerLA 7.5% · worse

Care nearby

West Carroll Memorial HospitalOak Grove · 5.5 mi · ER · rural critical access

Family Medical Clinic-Behavioral HealthLake Providence · 14 mi · sliding-scale fees

Primary careNo shortage

DentalShortage · county-wide

Mental healthShortage · county-wide

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CDC's estimate for Forest · CMS · HRSAHealth in Forest →

Natural hazards in Forest

Low

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 31% of U.S. communities.

🌵 Drought🌊 Inland flooding🌪️ Tornadoes

0Does Forest flood?no paid flood claims on record 1Disasters that paid out herefederal disaster sent FEMA money to Forest

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025 · OpenFEMANatural hazards in Forest →

Climate in Forest

Full climate →

Forest has mild winters and hot summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 92°, a January night drops to 36°, and snow is almost unheard of.

58° / 38°Winter

76° / 54°Spring

92° / 71°Summer

78° / 54°Fall

How much snow does Forest get?Almost none.Rain & snow →When is the first frost?Around Nov 24, with the last in spring around Mar 5.Frost dates →Is it warmer than it used to be?+1.0° vs. the 20th century.Then & now →

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Climate in Forest →

Schools in Forest

All Forest schools →

B⁺

School Grade B+

The public schools Forest’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 72% of Louisiana’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they sit near the middle.

DistrictWest Carroll ParishSchools1

Forest School C+Other · Grades PK–12 · 460 students

School data from the U.S. Department of Education (NCES, EDFacts). The School Grade is our own summary of state test results and graduation rates, graded within LA. Ratings are from neighbors.