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COUNTY

Forrest County

Mississippi · 79,034 residents (2025 est.) · 466.042 sq mi
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#93Youngest by median ageof 3,14432.0
The short version

Forrest County has notably lower household income than the US average, with a median household income of $53,640. Population has held roughly steady since 2000. Median home value has more than doubled since 2000, reaching $168,000. At a median age of 32.0, residents skew younger than the country as a whole. The poverty rate of 21.0% is well above the national figure.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 32.0
US median: 38.9
Average education
31% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 42%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
78,272
+8%since 2000
from 72,604 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
168 / sq mi
Unchangedsince 2009
from 169 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
32.0
+8%since 2000
from 29.7 in 2000
US average: 38.9

PEP 2025 EST:79,034 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)

Population, 1990 – 2024
67K70K73K77K80K1990201020202024Forrest County
202478K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 56.2%(4,837)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96%(4,669)
US avg: 6%
10 to 146.7%(5,246)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 198.3%(6,510)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 2412.2%(9,521)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3414.2%(11,091)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4411.7%(9,147)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5410.5%(8,197)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6410.6%(8,303)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 747.9%(6,157)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 844.7%(3,663)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over1.2%(931)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$53,640
+7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $27,420 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$31,103
+105%since 2000
from $15,160 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
36.3%
+17.9 ptssince 2009
from 18.3% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
21.0%
−1.5 ptssince 2000
from 22.5% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.505
+5%since 2010
from 0.483 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information13.8%
US avg: 10.8%
Retail trade9%
US avg: 9.9%
Wholesale trade6.8%
US avg: 6.9%
Other services4.8%
US avg: 6.7%
Finance & insurance4.7%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical4%
US avg: 5.1%
Public administration2.8%
US avg: 4.8%
Transportation & warehousing1.9%
US avg: 2.2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing1.5%
US avg: 1.6%
Manufacturing1%
US avg: 0.4%
Arts, entertainment, food0.9%
US avg: 1.9%
Education & health services0.8%
US avg: 0.9%
Construction0.5%
US avg: 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$168,000
+42%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $64,800 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$972
+22%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $438 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
57.2%
−3.0 ptssince 2000
from 60.2% in 2000
42.8% rent
Vacancy rate
10.7%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 10.5% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
17.4%
−8.5 ptssince 2009
from 25.9% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
44.7%
−4.4 ptssince 2009
from 49.1% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
3.1
+6%since 2009
from 2.9 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
40
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Forrest County on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic63.7%(46,225)
Black33.4%(24,225)
Hispanic / Latino1.3%(912)
Asian0.7%(535)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic55.8%(43,656)
Black35.5%(27,783)
Hispanic / Latino4.4%(3,428)
Asian0.9%(691)
Other3.5%(2,714)
Diversity Score
70
+9%since 2009
from 64 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
46
−12%since 2020
from 52 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican2.1%(1,659)
Puerto Rican0.5%(406)
Honduran0.4%(296)
Salvadoran0.2%(184)
Spaniard0.2%(174)
Cuban0.2%(125)
Colombian0.1%(108)
Peruvian0.1%(71)
Guatemalan0.1%(59)
Ecuadorian0.1%(51)
+ 3 more hispanic origin groups with data
Asian origin
Chinese0.5%(356)
Vietnamese0.2%(166)
Korean0.1%(69)
Nepalese0.1%(66)
Filipino0.1%(56)
Japanese0%(31)
Pacific Islander origin
Marshallese0.2%(154)
Samoan0%(21)
Ancestry
American12.2%(9,541)
English10.6%(8,319)
Irish8.5%(6,614)
German7.3%(5,680)
French2.7%(2,129)
Scottish2.3%(1,810)
Italian1.6%(1,283)
Scotch-Irish1.6%(1,237)
British0.7%(525)
Polish0.5%(420)
Norwegian0.3%(212)
+ 28 more ancestry groups with data
Greek0.2%(190)
Welsh0.2%(184)
Dutch0.2%(166)
Swedish0.2%(121)
Nigerian0.1%(95)
Danish0.1%(87)
Arab0.1%(74)
West Indian0.1%(72)
Austrian0.1%(70)
Hungarian0.1%(58)
Croatian0.1%(45)
Iranian0.1%(44)
Portuguese0.1%(44)
Czech0.1%(42)
Brazilian0.1%(41)
Egyptian0.1%(40)
Finnish0.1%(40)
Swiss0.1%(40)
Ghanaian0%(26)
Jamaican0%(26)
Lebanese0%(19)
Belgian0%(19)
Israeli0%(12)
RANKED:Largest American population · Largest English population · Largest Irish population · Largest German population · Largest French population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
30.6%
+7.7 ptssince 2000
from 22.8% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
91.8%
+12.5 ptssince 2000
from 79.3% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
13.3%
+4.7 ptssince 2000
from 8.5% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
21.2 min
+53%since 2000
from 13.9 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
80.6%
−3.2 ptssince 2009
from 83.8% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
8.1%
−1.1 ptssince 2009
from 9.2% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.3%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
4.0%
+1.9 ptssince 2009
from 2.2% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
2.2%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 2.6% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.6%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
7.1%
+0.5 ptssince 2009
from 6.6% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
6.7%
−3.6 ptssince 2011
from 10.3% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
62.6%
−0.1 ptssince 2011
from 62.7% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
14.3%
+0.9 ptssince 2009
from 13.4% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
35.3%
−27.9 ptssince 2009
from 63.2% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
46.8%
−1.3 ptssince 2009
from 48.1% in 2009
Female
53.2%
+1.3 ptssince 2009
from 51.9% in 2009
Foreign born
3.0%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 3.0% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
6.4%
−40.2 ptssince 2009
from 46.6% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
19.2%
+0.2 ptssince 2012
from 19.0% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
11.1%
−71.6 ptssince 2013
from 82.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
86.4%
+16.5 ptssince 2017
from 69.9% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
96.1%
−0.1 ptssince 2016
from 96.2% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
2.3%
Unchangedsince 2016
from 2.3% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married41.3%(12,040)
Married46.5%(13,555)
Widowed2.4%(701)
Divorced9.8%(2,843)
Women 15+
Never married41.1%(14,123)
Married41.2%(14,157)
Widowed6.7%(2,293)
Divorced11.1%(3,808)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Drill deeper

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Head to head

Compare Forrest County to nearby counties

FORREST COUNTY VS
Lamar County
Income$70,909+32%
Home value$224,700+34%
Population67,403−15%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
FORREST COUNTY VS
Perry County
Income$49,634−7%
Home value$124,000−26%
Population11,577−85%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
FORREST COUNTY VS
Stone County
Income$61,413+14%
Home value$161,100−4%
Population19,654−75%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
FORREST COUNTY VS
Jones County
Income$52,216−3%
Home value$143,100−15%
Population66,496−16%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Forrest County, Mississippi?

Forrest County, Mississippi has about 78,272 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Forrest County, Mississippi?

The typical household in Forrest County, Mississippi earns about $53,640 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Forrest County, Mississippi expensive?

In Forrest County, Mississippi, the median home is worth about $168,000, and the typical rent is about $972 a month.

How educated are people in Forrest County, Mississippi?

About 30.6% of adults age 25 and over in Forrest County, Mississippi hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Forrest County, Mississippi?

About 21.0% of people in Forrest County, Mississippi live below the federal poverty line.

Has Forrest County, Mississippi grown since 1990?

Yes, Forrest County, Mississippi has grown since 1990. The population has added about 9,958 residents, a change of about 15 percent over that period.

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Explore from here

21 census tracts (top 20 by population)
Census Tract 101.01Census Tract 8Census Tract 105Census Tract 9Census Tract 106.02Census Tract 104Census Tract 10Census Tract 106.01Census Tract 11Census Tract 101.04Census Tract 6.02Census Tract 103Census Tract 102.01Census Tract 7Census Tract 102.02Census Tract 3Census Tract 101.03Census Tract 2Census Tract 6.01Census Tract 5
3 ZIP codes
ZIP 39401ZIP 39465ZIP 39406
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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →