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Living in Forest

In Forest, the median rent tenants pay is €950 a month (2025).

The population of Forest totalled 58,675 at the end of 2025. At the end of 2024, annual PM2.5 reached 7 µg/m³.

Last checked 2026-09-2619 sources

Population58,675people31 Dec 2025Official source · Statbel (Belgian statistical office)
Median gross salary (region)4,340EUR/month31 Dec 2022Official source · Salaires mensuels bruts moyens des salariés employés à temps plein 2000-2022
Median rent950EUR/month31 Dec 2025Official source · Baux immobiliers – version annuelle / Real Estate Rents Annual; MunicipalityWideRealEstateRentsAnnual; RentP50
Unemployment rate17.35%country median 5.3% — 225% aboveOfficial source · bestat.statbel.fgov.be
Recorded crime13,100incidents per 100,00031 Dec 2024Regional figureOfficial source · Rapport annuel de l’Observatoire : données 2024
PM2.5, annual mean7µg/m³31 Dec 2024Nearest stationOfficial source · European Environment Agency (EEA)

Higher unemployment than 95% of Belgian cities that publish it and more recorded crime than any other Belgian city that publishes it.

Which Belgium-wide rules apply when you move to Forest?

National rules stay on the country page instead of being relabelled as city data.

Visa and entry rulesPassport-specific entry and national residence context.BenefitsCountry-wide eligibility and official application routes.Taxes in BelgiumNational rates and thresholds that apply in Forest.Healthcare eligibilityCountry-wide insurance and residence conditions.

Housing and cost

What recurs every month2 published recurring costs, € per month
Forest recurring monthly costs, € per month

€ / month

Internet, 60 Mbps€60
Mobile plan, 10 GB€50
MetricValuePeriodSource
Internet, 60 Mbps unlimited59.99 EUR/month30 Sept 2026Proximus Internet Go13Official · national market
Mobile plan, 10 GB49.99 EUR/month30 Sept 2026Proximus Mobile Maxi14Official · national market
Median monthly rent950 EUR/month31 Dec 2025Baux immobiliers – version annuelle / Real Estate Rents Annual; MunicipalityWideRealEstateRentsAnnual; RentP501Official

Is Forest a good place to live?

There is no universal answer. The profile scores below show who the available published evidence may suit; they are a decision aid, not a personal recommendation.

Try your profile
Remote worker50%strong on work, weak on safety · range 40–60%
Skilled employee50%strong on work, weak on education · range 41–59%
Student45%strong on cost, weak on education · range 34–56%
Family48%strong on housing, weak on education · range 37–59%
Retirement60%strong on air quality, weak on admin · range 47–73%

Work and income

What is the unemployment rate in Forest?

The unemployment rate is about 17.4 % (2011).

  • Unemployment rate: 17.35 % · bestat.statbel.fgov.be2
Unemployment across cities in BelgiumUnemployment in Forest is 17.4%. Of 509 cities with data, 160 have unemployment of 2 to under 4%.

Unemployment rate (%)

MetricValuePeriodSource
Average gross earnings4,748 EUR/month31 Dec 2022Salaires mensuels bruts moyens des salariés employés à temps plein 2000-202216Official · regional context
Median gross salary (regional)4,340 EUR/month31 Dec 2022Salaires mensuels bruts moyens des salariés employés à temps plein 2000-202217Official · regional context
Unemployment rate17.35 %country median 5.3%31 Dec 2011bestat.statbel.fgov.be2Official

What does a salary buy in Forest?

Take-home pay after tax, minus rent and the everyday bills this city publishes. Each line names its source.

regional median gross pay: €4,340 (Salaires mensuels bruts moyens des salariés employés à temps plein 2000-2022, 2022-12-31).
Left over each month€1,704of €2,763 take-home
  • Rent
  • Internet
  • Mobile
  • Left over
Line-by-line breakdown and sources
Each month€
Take-home payOECD Taxing Wages 2025, single, no children. Includes central and local income tax and employee social contributions.€2,763
Rentmedian rent of a whole dwelling · official · Baux immobiliers – version annuelle / Real Estate Rents Annual; MunicipalityWideRealEstateRentsAnnual; RentP50 · 2025-12-31− €950
Internet€60 · official · Proximus Internet Go · 2026-09-30− €60
Mobile plan€50 · official · Proximus Mobile Maxi · 2026-09-30− €50
Other everyday billsnot published for this city: public transport pass, utilities—
Left overbefore the bills this city does not publish€1,704
Take-home pay for other salaries and households Compare with another city Check a job offer in Forest Salary needed to live in Forest

Public employment service

No exact public employment office is currently linked to Forest. The verified national service may still offer online registration, job search or an official office finder.

Country-level information

Actiris — Public employment service

Actiris Brussels public employment service

Job Search
Search jobs

Le Forem — Public employment service

Le Forem Walloon public employment and training service

Job SearchRegistration
Register Search jobs
Open the Belgium service overview

Country-level service information is not treated as proof of a physical office in Forest. Sources checked through 10 Aug 2026.

Safety

Recorded crime across major citiesForest highlighted among comparable cities
Recorded crime across major cities with Forest highlighted

recorded incidents per 100k residents

Brussels24,104
Liège17,918
Ixelles14,236
Charleroi14,026
Leuven12,730
Ghent12,110
Anderlecht11,116
Schaerbeek10,141
Molenbeek-Saint-Jean10,075
Hasselt9,031
Namur8,912
Brugge8,780
MetricValuePeriodSource
Recorded incidents per 100,000 residents13,100 incidents per 100,00031 Dec 2024Rapport annuel de l’Observatoire : données 202415Official · regional context

Mobility and administration

Forest's nearest airport was BRU, 14 km away and offered 146 direct destinations.

MetricValuePeriodSource
Direct destinations from the nearest major airport146 count3 Aug 2026OpenFlights10Official
Distance to the nearest major airport14 km3 Aug 2026OurAirports11Official
Nearest major airport (IATA code)BRU3 Aug 2026OurAirports11Official

Climate and air quality

Monthly mean temperatures were 3.7°C in January and 18.7°C in July. Forest's monthly precipitation totalled 75.5 mm in January and 76.9 mm in July. Average monthly sunshine totalled 59.1 hours in January and 203.2 hours in July.

Is the air quality good in Forest?

The annual PM2.5 mean is 7 µg/m³ (2024) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³. Source: European Environment Agency (EEA)3

Annual mean at the measuring site(s) serving the city; current-day readings differ.

Temperature through the yearAverage daytime high and night-time low, °C
Rainfall through the yearAverage monthly precipitation, mm
Sunshine through the yearAverage monthly sunshine, hours
Air quality vs health guidelinesAnnual means against WHO 2021 guidelines and EU legal limits

City values from the published air-quality observations. WHO 2021 guidelines and EU limit values are published constants.

PM2.5 across cities in BelgiumAnnual PM2.5 in Forest is 7.0 µg/m³. Of 442 cities with data, 142 have annual PM2.5 of 8 to under 9 µg/m³.

Annual PM2.5 (µg/m³)

MetricValuePeriodSource
PM2.5 — annual mean7 µg/m³31 Dec 2024European Environment Agency (EEA)3Official · nearest-station reading
Average daytime high by monthJan 6.1 · Feb 7.1 · Mar 10.9 · Apr 15 · May 18.4 · Jun 21.2 · Jul 23.2 · Aug 23 · Sep 19.5 · Oct 14.9 · Nov 9.9 · Dec 6.6 °C31 Dec 1991NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information / WMO5Official · nearest-station reading
Average night-time low by monthJan 1.4 · Feb 1.5 · Mar 3.5 · Apr 6 · May 9.2 · Jun 12 · Jul 14.1 · Aug 13.9 · Sep 11.3 · Oct 8.1 · Nov 4.6 · Dec 2.1 °C31 Dec 1991NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information / WMO6Official · nearest-station reading
Average temperature by monthJan 3.7 · Feb 4.2 · Mar 7.1 · Apr 10.4 · May 13.9 · Jun 16.7 · Jul 18.7 · Aug 18.4 · Sep 15.2 · Oct 11.3 · Nov 7.2 · Dec 4.3 °C31 Dec 1991NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information / WMO7Official · nearest-station reading
Average precipitation by monthJan 75.5 · Feb 65.1 · Mar 59.3 · Apr 46.7 · May 59.7 · Jun 70.8 · Jul 76.9 · Aug 86.5 · Sep 65.3 · Oct 67.8 · Nov 76.2 · Dec 87.4 mm31 Dec 1991NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information / WMO8Official · nearest-station reading
Average sunshine by monthJan 59.1 · Feb 72.9 · Mar 125.8 · Apr 171.3 · May 198.3 · Jun 199.3 · Jul 203.2 · Aug 192.4 · Sep 154.5 · Oct 112.6 · Nov 65.8 · Dec 48.6 hours31 Dec 1991NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information / WMO9Official · nearest-station reading

Similar climate. In Belgium: Ghent ±0.3 °C. Elsewhere: Bochum (Germany) ±0.4 °C, Werl (Germany) ±0.8 °C, Baesweiler (Germany) ±0.3 °C, Geilenkirchen (Germany) ±0.3 °C, Juelich (Germany) ±0.3 °C. Twenty closest, compared month by month

Monthly highs and lows against the 1991–2020 station normals of the nearest station; ± is the average monthly difference.

Population and city profile

How many people live in Forest?

The published population was 58,675 people in 2025. Source: Statbel (Belgian statistical office)18

MetricValuePeriodSource
Population58,675 people31 Dec 2025Statbel (Belgian statistical office)18Official

Alternatives for people set on Forest

Three places for the three reasons people leave a city on the shortlist: stay in the region, stay in the country, or keep the budget and change the country. A percentage appears only where both cities publish that metric from the same source, period and grain. Distances are straight lines — travel times are not collected yet.

Mechelen as a Forest alternative in the same region

Better on 1 of 4 metrics measured the same way, worse on 2. Recorded crime, per 100k cannot be compared like for like.

  • Unemployment: 6.7% Mechelen vs 17.4% Forest−62%
  • Median gross pay, region: €3,711 Mechelen vs €4,340 Forest−14%
  • Annual PM2.5: 9.0 µg/m³ Mechelen vs 7.0 µg/m³ Forest+29%
  • Residents: 89,655 Mechelen vs 58,675 Forest+53%
  • Recorded crime, per 100k: 8,720 (2025) Mechelen vs 13,100 (2024) Forestno percentage
Full comparisonMore about Mechelen

Aalst as a Forest alternative in the same country

Better on 1 of 4 metrics measured the same way, worse on 1. Recorded crime, per 100k cannot be compared like for like.

  • Unemployment: 5.7% Aalst vs 17.4% Forest−67%
  • Median gross pay, region: €3,711 Aalst vs €4,340 Forest−14%
  • Residents: 92,131 Aalst vs 58,675 Forest+57%
  • Recorded crime, per 100k: 7,510 (2025) Aalst vs 13,100 (2024) Forestno percentage
  • Annual PM2.5: 7.0 µg/m³ Aalst vs 7.0 µg/m³ Forestsame level
Full comparisonMore about Aalst

Alternative cities in Belgium

Other cities in Belgium to compare with Forest, nearest in population first.

All Belgium cities
Woluwe-Saint-Lambert60,979 residentsVerviers56,182 residentsJette54,330 residentsSeraing64,764 residentsRoeselare66,888 residentsLokeren50,897 residents

How does Forest compare?

Pick a city. The answer appears here and the address bar keeps it, so the comparison can be shared; the page stays Forest's.

Open the full comparison

Forest in rankings

#23 of 30 in Largest cities in Belgium

Yes — migrants can receive medical care in Forest when the national insurance or residence conditions are met.

Healthcare access follows the country-wide insurance rules; local capacity facts remain city data and are not used as proof of eligibility.

Open the official coverage guide
Country rule verified 2026-08-03.

School for children who move here. School is compulsory from age 5 to 18. Newly arrived pupils get support in the school language: OKAN/OKATN (onthaalonderwijs, reception education for foreign-mother-tongue newcomers). How to enrol a child (belgium.be).

A country-wide rule for Belgium; Forest's school authority applies it locally.

Sources: eurydice.eacea.ec.europa.eu · 2025–2026.

Is Forest part of Mechelen?

Forest is in the published commuting zone of Mechelen; this does not mean it is administratively part of the hub. Mechelen city profile

Relationship type: Commuting Zone Of. Source4

Which comparable places record less crime than Forest?

15 places have a lower recorded total crime rate than Forest in this strictly source-matched cohort.

Forest: 8,383.5 offences/100k (2025).

Sint-Genesius-Rode — 4,208.6 offences/100k2025Kapellen — 4,346.6 offences/100k2025Hove — 4,625.9 offences/100k2025Zoutleeuw — 4,734.2 offences/100k2025Hamme — 4,971.6 offences/100k2025Herk-de-Stad — 5,028.2 offences/100k2025Temse — 5,554.7 offences/100k2025Oudenaarde — 6,960.2 offences/100k2025

Only the same source family, offence definition, period, grain and denominator method are compared. This is recorded crime, not a claim about personal safety. Official source12

Put Forest's key facts on your site — a card with this page's figures and a link back, free under CC BY 4.0.

Common questions

Answered from the published values on this page, each with its source and date.

How many people live in Forest?

The published population was 58,675 people in 2025. Source: Statbel (Belgian statistical office).

Is the air quality good in Forest?

The annual PM2.5 mean is 7 µg/m³ (2024) — above the WHO 2021 guideline of 5 µg/m³ but within the EU limit of 25 µg/m³. Source: European Environment Agency (EEA).

What is the unemployment rate in Forest?

The unemployment rate is about 17.4 % (2011). Source: bestat.statbel.fgov.be.

What is the typical salary around Forest?

The median gross salary is 4,340 EUR/month. Source: Salaires mensuels bruts moyens des salariés employés à temps plein 2000-2022.

Is Forest a good place to live?

Forest may suit different people for different reasons. The page's profile scores compare published cost, work, housing, safety, healthcare and other available factors; they are a decision aid, not a universal recommendation.

Is Forest part of Mechelen?

Forest is in the published commuting zone of Mechelen; this does not mean it is administratively part of the hub.

Which comparable places record less crime than Forest?

15 places have a lower recorded total crime rate than Forest in this strictly source-matched cohort. The comparison uses Police fédérale SPC municipal PDF 2025 + Statbel TF_SOC_POP_STRUCT_2025, period 2025, and does not compare across incompatible police definitions.

Cite this page

Open a format to select or copy this ImmigrationDB compilation citation. The native disclosure and text fallback work without JavaScript.

APA citation
ImmigrationDB. (2026, October 16). Forest, Belgium: population, rent, salary, cost of living [ImmigrationDB compilation; version 467e58329909f4ae7f5f5e6ab78cd62a]. ImmigrationDB. https://immigrationdb.com/cities/be/forest/ Retrieved 2026-10-16. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
BibTeX citation
@misc{immigrationdb_immigrationdb_forest-belgium-population-rent-salary-cost-of-living_70d0b6e0d24d,
  author = {ImmigrationDB},
  title = {Forest, Belgium: population, rent, salary, cost of living},
  publisher = {ImmigrationDB},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-10-16},
  version = {467e58329909f4ae7f5f5e6ab78cd62a},
  url = {https://immigrationdb.com/cities/be/forest/},
  note = {Retrieved 2026-10-16. ImmigrationDB compilation. Compilation license: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/},
}
Markdown citation
[Forest, Belgium: population, rent, salary, cost of living](https://immigrationdb.com/cities/be/forest/) — ImmigrationDB; ImmigrationDB; version 467e58329909f4ae7f5f5e6ab78cd62a; retrieved 2026-10-16; built 2026-10-16.

This citation identifies the ImmigrationDB compilation/page. Underlying source publishers and datasets retain their own terms; inspect the Sources section and cite those records separately. View the underlying source records.

Sources

JSON Markdown
  1. Baux immobiliers – version annuelle / Real Estate Rents Annual; MunicipalityWideRealEstateRentsAnnual; RentP50 opendata.fin.belgium.be · checked 2026-09-23
  2. bestat.statbel.fgov.be bestat.statbel.fgov.be · checked 2026-08-26
  3. European Environment Agency (EEA) air.discomap.eea.europa.eu · checked 2026-08-06
  4. GISCO Urban Audit 2021 — Functional Urban Areas (URAU_RG_100K_2021_4326_FUA) GISCO Urban Audit 2021 · gisco-services.ec.europa.eu · checked 2026-09-19
  5. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information / WMO nodc.noaa.gov · checked 2026-08-06
  6. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information / WMO nodc.noaa.gov · checked 2026-08-06
  7. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information / WMO nodc.noaa.gov · checked 2026-08-06
  8. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information / WMO nodc.noaa.gov · checked 2026-08-06
  9. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information / WMO nodc.noaa.gov · checked 2026-08-06
  10. OpenFlights raw.githubusercontent.com · checked 2026-08-03
Show 9 more sources
  1. OurAirports davidmegginson.github.io · checked 2026-08-03
  2. police.be recorded crime data police.be · checked 2026-08-28
  3. Proximus Internet Go proximus.be · checked 2026-09-15
  4. Proximus Mobile Maxi proximus.be · checked 2026-09-15
  5. Rapport annuel de l’Observatoire : données 2024 safe.brussels · checked 2026-09-25
  6. Salaires mensuels bruts moyens des salariés employés à temps plein 2000-2022 bestat.statbel.fgov.be · checked 2026-09-23
  7. Salaires mensuels bruts moyens des salariés employés à temps plein 2000-2022 bestat.statbel.fgov.be · checked 2026-09-23
  8. Statbel (Belgian statistical office) statbel.fgov.be · checked 2026-08-04
  9. statbel.fgov.be recorded crime data statbel.fgov.be · checked 2026-08-28

Spotted a number that looks wrong? Every value here carries its source and date — tell us what you found and we will re-check it against the source.