United States › Mississippi › Forest CITY
Forest Mississippi · 5,433 residents (2025 est.) · 13.1 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
Forest is a city of 5,357 people in Mississippi. 33.8% of people here live below the federal poverty line. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 20% of adults. Owners hold 51% of the housing stock. The typical home is worth $141,100, having roughly tripled since 2000. The median household earns $49,724, about 40% below the national median.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 36.0
US median: 38.9
Less educated
20% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 56%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 5,987 in 2000
5,433 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
410 / sq mi
−11%since 2009
from 461 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 32.5 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
5K 5K 6K 6K 6K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Forest Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $49,724
+6%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $25,638 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $16,484 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 11.3% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 23.5% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.536 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 7%
Public administration 5.2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 2.7%
Transportation & warehousing 1.3%
Education & health services 0%
Arts, entertainment, food 0%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$141,100
+56%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $49,800 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$900
+37%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $360 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 63.3% in 2000
49.2% rent
from 11.2% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.99 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 33.8% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 39.7% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 3.4 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 35.7%(2,136)
Hispanic / Latino 12.7%(761)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 23%(1,232)
Hispanic / Latino 36%(1,927)
from 78 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry from 13.1% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 62.9% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 5.7% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 13.8 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 78.0% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 20.4% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 1.0% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 14.8% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 4.7% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 58.6% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 63.6% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 15.4% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 20.7% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 18.2% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 4.9% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 20.2% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 24.1% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 51.7% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 79.4% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 94.0% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 76.4% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 19.8% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 24.1% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 34.4% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 11.6% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 19.4% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 24.5% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 1.5% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 42.8% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 37.9% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 51.9%(69)
Gulf War (1990s) 14.3%(19)
Share of the 133 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper
Places similar to Forest Head to head
Compare Forest to nearby cities FOREST VS
Brandon
Income $92,783 +87%
Home value $278,900 +98%
Population 26,122 +381%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
FOREST VS
Flowood
Income $83,880 +69%
Home value $342,200 +143%
Population 11,003 +103%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
FOREST VS
Canton
Income $38,337 −23%
Home value $112,000 −21%
Population 10,873 +100%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
FOREST VS
Pearl
Income $61,695 +24%
Home value $182,500 +29%
Population 28,864 +431%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Forest, Mississippi? Forest, Mississippi has about 5,357 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Forest, Mississippi? The typical household in Forest, Mississippi earns about $49,724 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Forest, Mississippi expensive? In Forest, Mississippi, the median home is worth about $141,100, and the typical rent is about $900 a month.
How educated are people in Forest, Mississippi? About 19.9% of adults age 25 and over in Forest, Mississippi hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Forest, Mississippi? About 33.8% of people in Forest, Mississippi live below the federal poverty line.
Has Forest, Mississippi grown since 1990? Yes, Forest, Mississippi has grown since 1990. The population has added about 297 residents, a change of about 6 percent over that period.
Keep going
Explore from here 