Forest Hill, TX Crime Map
Explore crime rates, safest neighborhoods, and detailed crime statistics
Forest Hill, TX Crime Overview (2026)
Forest Hill, Texas carries an overall crime grade of D in 2026, placing it below average in safety compared to both Texas cities of similar size and national benchmarks. With a population of roughly 12,964 spread across a modest 1,199 residents per square mile, the city's economic pressures — a 9.9% unemployment rate and a 19.4% poverty rate — contribute meaningfully to its crime profile. Median household income sits at $47,308, and the median home value of $109,769 reflects an affordable but economically strained community.
What the Crime Grade Means for Residents
A D grade signals that Forest Hill experiences crime rates noticeably higher than average. This doesn't mean every block carries equal risk — crime in Forest Hill, as in most cities, clusters in specific corridors and commercial zones rather than spreading uniformly. Property crime is the dominant concern, accounting for the majority of reported incidents, while violent crime — though present — represents a smaller but serious share of the overall picture.
Residents near higher-traffic commercial strips and areas bordering major thoroughfares tend to see more property-related incidents, including vehicle break-ins and theft. Neighborhoods with stronger community ties and active neighborhood watch participation generally report fewer incidents per capita.
Incident Type Breakdown: What's Actually Happening
Breaking down Forest Hill's crime picture by incident type reveals where the real risks lie:
- Property Crime (dominant share): Theft — including shoplifting, motor vehicle theft, and burglary — makes up the largest portion of reported incidents in Forest Hill. Vehicle-related theft in particular has been a persistent issue, especially in areas with limited off-street parking and lower lighting levels.
- Violent Crime (significant minority): Assault accounts for the largest slice of violent incidents, followed by robbery. While violent crime is a smaller percentage of the overall total than property crime, its presence reinforces the city's D-grade standing and warrants situational awareness, particularly after dark.
- Drug-Related Offenses: Substance-related incidents intersect with both property and violent crime categories, often acting as a driver of theft and disorderly conduct calls across several residential pockets.
- Vandalism and Disorderly Conduct: These quality-of-life offenses, while not the most dangerous, contribute to the overall crime count and signal areas where community investment and lighting improvements could have outsized impact.
Neighborhood Safety Patterns
Forest Hill's geography — bordered by Fort Worth to the north and Everman to the south — means residents experience crime patterns influenced by adjacent urban areas. The Forest Hill Estates subdivision and neighborhoods near Forest Hill Park have historically benefited from more active community engagement, which correlates with lower reported incident rates. By contrast, corridors along major commercial roads see higher concentrations of property crime incidents, consistent with the pattern seen across similar Tarrant County communities.
Using the interactive crime map above, you can filter incidents by type and timeframe to see exactly where specific crimes have occurred — giving you a far more granular picture than city-wide averages alone can provide.
How Forest Hill's Grade Compares
A D overall crime grade puts Forest Hill in the lower quartile of Texas communities by safety. Cities with comparable population sizes but stronger economic indicators — lower unemployment, higher median incomes — typically score in the B or C range. Forest Hill's 9.9% unemployment rate is nearly double the Texas state average, and research consistently links economic stress to elevated property crime rates. Understanding this context helps explain the grade without excusing the conditions it reflects.
Practical Safety Tips for Forest Hill Residents
- Lock vehicles every time: Motor vehicle theft and break-ins are among the most common incident types. Never leave valuables visible inside parked cars.
- Use the crime map actively: Filter by your specific neighborhood and the past 30 days to stay current on local incident patterns rather than relying solely on city-wide summaries.
- Engage with neighborhood associations: Areas like Forest Hill Estates with active resident networks tend to have faster incident reporting and stronger deterrence.
- Report promptly: Unreported incidents don't appear on crime maps, which can create a false sense of security in some blocks. Contact the Forest Hill Police Department for non-emergency reports.
- Advocate for lighting improvements: Poor street lighting is a documented factor in after-dark property and violent crime. Community pressure on the city for infrastructure upgrades in high-incident corridors can produce measurable results.
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions: Forest Hill, TX Crime & Safety
Is Forest Hill, TX safe?
Forest Hill receives an overall crime grade of D in 2026, which means it is below average in safety compared to Texas cities of similar size. That said, safety in Forest Hill varies significantly by neighborhood. Areas like Forest Hill Estates and blocks near Forest Hill Park tend to see lower incident concentrations, while commercial corridors and areas with higher foot traffic report more property crime. No part of the city is uniformly dangerous, but residents should use the crime map to understand the specific risk profile of their block rather than relying on city-wide averages.
What is the crime rate in Forest Hill, TX?
Forest Hill's crime rate earns a D grade overall in 2026, reflecting rates above the Texas and national averages. Property crime — including vehicle theft, burglary, and general theft — is the most prevalent category, making up the majority of reported incidents. Violent crime, led by assault and robbery, represents a smaller but meaningful share. The city's 9.9% unemployment rate and 19.4% poverty rate are key contextual factors: economic stress is one of the strongest predictors of property crime rates, and Forest Hill's numbers reflect that relationship clearly.
Which parts of Forest Hill have the most crime?
Crime in Forest Hill is not evenly distributed. Higher incident concentrations tend to cluster around major commercial thoroughfares and areas with higher transient traffic, consistent with the property-crime-heavy profile the city carries. Residential neighborhoods with active community associations — including parts of Forest Hill Estates — report fewer incidents per capita. The interactive crime map on this page lets you filter by incident type and date range to identify current hotspots at the street level, which is far more useful than neighborhood generalizations.
Is Forest Hill a good place to live?
Forest Hill offers genuine affordability — a median home value of $109,769 and median rent of $1,135 make it accessible for families and individuals priced out of surrounding Tarrant County markets. The trade-off is a D crime grade and economic challenges including a 9.9% unemployment rate and 19.4% poverty rate. For buyers and renters weighing the decision, the calculus depends heavily on which specific neighborhood they're considering. Some blocks in Forest Hill offer a quiet suburban feel with manageable risk; others require more caution. Using this crime map alongside a visit to the neighborhood at different times of day is the best way to make an informed decision.
How does Forest Hill's crime compare to the rest of the Dallas-Fort Worth area?
Within the broader DFW metro, Forest Hill's D overall grade places it below average. Many suburban Tarrant County cities with similar or larger populations score in the C or B range, typically correlating with lower unemployment and higher median incomes. Forest Hill's economic profile — median household income of $47,308 against a poverty rate of 19.4% — is a significant differentiator. Cities with stronger economic foundations consistently outperform Forest Hill on crime metrics, which underscores that the city's safety challenges are as much an economic issue as a law enforcement one.
What types of crime are most common in Forest Hill?
Property crime dominates Forest Hill's incident profile. Motor vehicle theft, residential and commercial burglary, and general theft collectively account for the largest share of reported incidents. Among violent crimes, assault is the most frequently reported offense, followed by robbery. Drug-related offenses appear across the data as well, often intersecting with property crime incidents. Vandalism and disorderly conduct round out the picture as quality-of-life offenses that, while less serious individually, contribute to the city's overall D grade and signal areas where community investment could make a measurable difference.