Forest City, Iowa
Forest City is a city of 4,290 people in Hancock County, Iowa, founded in 1855.
Why visit Forest City
Townapedia lists 6 museums and landmarks, 18 parks and trails, 8 places to eat, 3 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include Forest Theatre, Charles J. Thompson House and Forest City Public Library.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 81°F; January lows average 6°F.
Weather in Forest City
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Forest City
Forest City is a city in Hancock County and Winnebago County in the U.S. state of Iowa, and the county seat of Winnebago County. The population was 4,285 in the 2020 census, a decline from the 4,362 population in 2000. Forest City is the home of Waldorf University, a private university, and the primary manufacturing center for Winnebago Industries.
From the Wikipedia article Forest City, Iowa (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks6
Charles J. Thompson House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Historic building located in Forest City, Iowa, United States
Forest City Public Library
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Former library building in Iowa, USA
Winnebago County Courthouse
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Courthouse in Iowa, United States
Parks, trails and playgrounds18
6 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes8
History
Forest City was officially founded in 1855. Formerly known as “Puckerbrush”, Robert Clark the official founder/surveyor deemed it “Forest City” because it was cut right out of the trees. It was then platted in 1856, and later incorporated on June 14, 1878. The population started to grow when immigrants from Sweden and Norway settled in the Forest City area because of the similar topography. Its growth continued as city leaders convinced the Minneapolis and St. Louis Railroad to come through Forest City. Although the Civil War stunted the area's growth, many immigrants found the city attractive. Later on churches, banks, a college (Waldorf University), electricity, and the telephone turned Forest City into an ideal country town. In 1960, investors took over a failing travel trailer factory and created Winnebago Industries, creating what would become one of the largest employers in the region and causing the population to grow. Winnebago's corporate headquarters were later relocated to Eden Prairie, Minnesota causing the population to decline. Today, Forest City's population is around 4,200.
From the History section of Forest City, Iowa on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay3
Churches and places of worship7
Shopping3
Gas and EV charging3
Schools, colleges and libraries7
Map of Forest City
56 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 23°F | 6°F | 1.1 in |
| Feb | 27°F | 10°F | 1.3 in |
| Mar | 40°F | 22°F | 1.9 in |
| Apr | 56°F | 34°F | 3.9 in |
| May | 68°F | 47°F | 4.8 in |
| Jun | 78°F | 58°F | 5.5 in |
| Jul | 81°F | 62°F | 4.6 in |
| Aug | 79°F | 59°F | 3.8 in |
| Sep | 73°F | 50°F | 3.5 in |
| Oct | 60°F | 37°F | 2.6 in |
| Nov | 42°F | 24°F | 1.6 in |
| Dec | 28°F | 13°F | 1.2 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Forest City 2 Nne Hcn (2 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Hancock County has had 11 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2024-05-24: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2022-02-23: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes (Severe Storm)
- 2020-03-23: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2019-03-23: Severe Storms And Flooding (Flood)
- 2018-08-20: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Forest City Municipal Airport (FXY) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 2 miles away.
- Clear Lake 16 mi southeast, about 25 min by car
- Mason City 23 mi east, about 37 min by car
- Belmond 28 mi south, about 46 min by car
- Albert Lea 31 mi northeast, about 49 min by car
- Algona 33 mi west, about 52 min by car
- Clarion 37 mi south, about 59 min by car
- Austin 44 mi northeast, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Fairmont 49 mi northwest, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Greene 49 mi southeast, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Charles City 50 mi east, about 1 h 15 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
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Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Charles J. Thompson House, Forest City, Iowa, Chuckmor, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Winnebago County Courthouse, Forest City, Iowa, Chuckmor, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Waldorf college campuscenter postcard, Unknown author Unknown author, Public domain
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