Forest is a community in Bedford County, Virginia, home to about 13,430 people across 14 square miles. Its ZIP code is 24551.
Homes sold for a median of $187 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a seller’s market.
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Forest. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Forest’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
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| Nearest major airport | Piedmont Triad International Airport (GSO)93 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Lynchburg Regional Airport - Preston Glenn Field (LYH)4 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Greensboro, NC91 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Philadelphia, PA290 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Forest; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
Forest had 11,709 residents in the 2020 census, up 46% since 2000.
It’s the 102nd largest of 669 towns in Virginia by population.
Bedford County grew from 30,356 residents in 1900 to 79,462 in 2020.
Bedford County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 85°F in summer, and winter lows average 25°F. About 43.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 12 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Lynchburg #2, VA weather station (4 miles away).
16,604 jobs at 1,818 businesses in Bedford County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
267 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Forest.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 28 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 11 |
| Dentists | 14 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 39 |
| Mental health providers | 118 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 39 |
| Optometrists | 5 |
| Chiropractors | 13 |
| Pharmacies | 8 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Parks (2 nearby)
Grocery stores (5 nearby)
Pharmacies (4 nearby)
Libraries (1 nearby)
Museums (1 nearby)
Theaters and performance venues
Counts are within about 2.5 miles of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Public schools here are run by Bedford County Public Schools. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forest ElementaryForest | Pre-K–5 | 384 | Public | 3.1 mi |
| New London Academy ElementaryForest | Pre-K–5 | 330 | Public | 2.6 mi |
| Thomas Jefferson ElementaryForest | Pre-K–5 | 567 | Public | 1.4 mi |
| Forest MiddleForest | 6–8 | 854 | Public | 2.7 mi |
| Jefferson Forest HighForest | 9–12 | 1,282 | Public | 2.9 mi |
| School | Grades | Students | Affiliation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Timberlake Christian SchoolForest | Pre-K–12 | 501 | Baptist | 1.1 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools; Private School Universe Survey (2023-2024) for private schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
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Shares ZIP codes with Timberlake.
Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.