Forest, VA: Population, ZIP Codes & Nearby Cities

Forest is an unincorporated community or census-designated place in Bedford County, Virginia. In the dataset behind this page it has an estimated population of 10,836, sits at 37.373°N, 79.283°W, and observes Eastern time. Below you will find how it ranks inside Virginia, which ZIP codes it uses, the closest places around it, and how far it is from major US cities.

What are the key facts about Forest, VA?

What is the population of Forest, VA?

Forest has an estimated population of 10,836. That makes it the 117th largest of the 586 places we list in Virginia, and the largest place in its county. The typical place in Virginia has about 1,532 residents, so Forest is roughly 7.1 times the size of a typical neighbor in the state.

Estimates for places of this size carry wider margins of error than those for big cities, so treat the figure as a guide to scale. Our guide to understanding city population numbers explains why sources disagree.

Places in Virginia with a similar population include Manchester (10,919), Lake Monticello (10,862), Lowes Island (10,860), Smithfield (10,702), Wyndham (10,578). Comparing these pages is a quick way to see how Forest differs from communities of the same scale.

How dense is Forest?

Forest has about 795 people per square mile (307 per square kilometer), which we classify as small-town or exurban. Within Virginia, it is denser than about 53% of the listed places. Homes at this level are spread out with larger lots, and most daily trips involve a car, though a small central area may still be walkable. Read how to interpret population density to see how we draw these lines.

What ZIP codes does Forest use?

The postal data lists a single ZIP code for Forest: 24551. A single code usually means a compact delivery area, but the same code may also serve addresses just outside the town line. Codes beginning with 2 are assigned to the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast coast (D.C., Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and the Carolinas). Learn more in our guide to how ZIP codes work or check any code with the ZIP code lookup.

What time zone is Forest in?

Forest is in the Eastern time zone, which is UTC−5 from Coordinated Universal Time in standard time (IANA zone America/New_York). The area observes daylight saving time, so clocks move forward in March and back in November. The nearest listed place in a different time zone is Fairfield Glade, TN, about 324 miles away, which gives a sense of how far the nearest zone boundary may be. Current local time: see the Eastern time hub. For the rules behind these zones, read US time zones explained.

Where is Forest located in Virginia?

Forest lies in the southern part of Virginia, at 37.373° north latitude and 79.283° west longitude. The state capital, Richmond, is about 100 miles to the east. The closest listed place in another state is Eden, NC, roughly 65 miles to the southwest, which shows how near Forest is to a state line. For big-city services, the nearest place with more than 100,000 people is Lynchburg, VA, 5 miles to the east.

Which cities are near Forest, VA?

The closest listed place to Forest is Timberlake, VA, 4.3 miles to the southeast. Of the eight nearest places below, 1 is in the same county. Distances are straight-line (great-circle) miles measured between place centers; see how distance is calculated.

Which county is Forest in?

Forest is in Bedford County, which has the Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) code 51019. The county contains 4 places in our data, 2 of which have their own page here and 2 smaller communities that appear only in county and state lists. Other places in the county include Bedford (7,240), Montvale (608), Big Island (203). Codes like this one help separate places that share a name; see the guide to counties and FIPS codes.

How far is Forest from major US cities?

Among six major hubs, Forest is closest to New York, NY at about 368 miles and farthest from Los Angeles, CA at about 2,190 miles in a straight line. Road distances are usually 10 to 30 percent longer. Try the distance calculator for any other pair.

Are there other places called Forest?

Yes. Our data lists 3 other places named Forest: Forest, MS (5,536), Forest, OH (1,431), Forest, LA (337). When you search for Forest, add the state or county so you land on the right one. This page covers the Forest in Bedford County, Virginia.

Planning a move to Forest?

If you are weighing Forest, start with the practical numbers: how far it is from where you live, whether it changes your time zone, and how its size and density compare with your current city. Use the distance calculator to measure the trip from where you live. The radius search tool lists every place within any distance of it. Our checklist for comparing cities explains what to check next.

Where to go next

Population and density come from a compiled dataset and are estimates. They may differ from official Census Bureau counts. Verify important figures at census.gov.