There is one unique ZIP code in Forest City, Missouri and it is 64451. Area code: 660.
1
ZIP codes
56.25
sq mi land
1.07
sq mi water
660
area code
Forest City, MO ZIP code map
About Forest City, MO
Forest City is a small rural community located in Holt County, in the northwestern corner of Missouri. Served by a single ZIP code, 64451, the town embodies the quiet, close-knit character of small-town Midwest life along the Missouri River corridor. With a telephone area code of 660 and deep agricultural roots, Forest City offers residents a peaceful setting far removed from the bustle of major metropolitan areas.
Location & geography
Forest City sits in Holt County in the far northwestern reaches of Missouri, positioned near the Missouri River which forms a natural boundary in the region. Nearby communities include Mound City, approximately 10 miles to the northwest, Craig to the southwest, and Bigelow to the south, while Oregon, the Holt County seat, lies roughly 15 miles to the north. The community encompasses 56.25 square miles of land and 1.07 square miles of water, with the surrounding landscape characterized by flat to gently rolling river bottomlands, agricultural fields, and patches of woodland typical of the Missouri River floodplain.
Community & economy
Forest City has the character of a tight-knit rural agricultural community where neighbors know one another and community ties run deep across generations. The local economy is anchored primarily by farming, with row crops such as corn and soybeans dominating the surrounding countryside, complemented by livestock operations. Daily life in Forest City revolves around the rhythms of the agricultural calendar, with residents often traveling to larger nearby towns like Mound City or Falls City, Nebraska for additional shopping, medical services, and entertainment.
Transportation
Forest City is accessible via Missouri state highways that connect it to the broader Holt County road network, with U.S. Highway 159 running through the region and providing links to Mound City and points beyond. Interstate 29, one of the major north-south corridors in northwestern Missouri, lies within reasonable driving distance to the west, offering convenient access to St. Joseph to the south and Sioux City, Iowa to the north. The nearest commercial airport serving the area is Rosecrans Memorial Airport in St. Joseph, Missouri, located approximately 60 miles to the south.
History
Forest City was established in the nineteenth century during Missouri's period of westward expansion, when communities along the Missouri River corridor grew as agricultural settlement spread across the region. The fertile bottomlands of Holt County made farming a natural cornerstone of the local economy from the earliest days of settlement, and that agricultural identity has remained consistent throughout the community's history. The area's proximity to the Missouri River has shaped both its development and its landscape, as periodic flooding has long been a defining feature of life in this part of northwestern Missouri.
Did you know?
Forest City sits within one of Missouri's most biodiverse river corridor regions, with the nearby Big Lake State Park — Missouri's oldest state park — offering wetlands and wildlife habitat that attract birdwatchers and outdoor enthusiasts from across the region. Despite its small footprint, the Forest City area is part of a landscape that once served as a critical pathway for Native American tribes and early European explorers navigating the Missouri River.
