Forrest County, MS

County

Add Comparison

2023 Population

78,027

0.141% 1-year growth

US Senator

Roger Wicker

Republican Party

US Senator

Cindy Hyde-Smith

Republican Party

2023 Median Age

31.8

0.313% 1-year decrease

2023 Poverty Rate

21.5%

6.02% 1-year decrease

2023 Median Household Income

$52,821

7.06% 1-year growth

2023 Median Property Value

$152,900

6.18% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

36,603

1.65% 1-year growth

About

In 2023, Forrest County, MS had a population of 78k people with a median age of 31.8 and a median household income of $52,821. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Forrest County, MS grew from 77,917 to 78,027, a 0.141% increase and its median household income grew from $49,340 to $52,821, a 7.06% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Forrest County, MS are White (Non-Hispanic) (56%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (35.7%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (2.89%), Two+ (Hispanic) (2.21%), and White (Hispanic) (1.25%).

None of the households in Forrest County, MS reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

98.2% of the residents in Forrest County, MS are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Forrest County, MS are University of Southern Mississippi (3,768 degrees awarded in 2022), William Carey University (1,451 degrees), and Unlimited Cosmetology School (33 degrees).

In 2023, the median property value in Forrest County, MS was $152,900, and the homeownership rate was 57.1%.

Most people in Forrest County, MS drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 21.2 minutes. The average car ownership in Forrest County, MS was 2 cars per household.

Forrest County, MS borders Covington County, MS, Jones County, MS, Lamar County, MS, Pearl River County, MS, Perry County, MS, and Stone County, MS.

United States Mississippi Hattiesburg, MS

Population & Diversity

Forrest County, MS is home to a population of 78k people, from which 98.2% are citizens. As of 2023, 2.41% of Forrest County, MS residents were born outside of the country (1.88k people).

In 2023, there were 1.57 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (43.7k people) in Forrest County, MS than any other race or ethnicity. There were 27.9k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 2.25k Two+ (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

98.2%

2023 Citizenship

98.3%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 98.2% of Forrest County, MS residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Forrest County, MS was 98.3%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Forrest County, MS compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Forrest County, MS

White (Non-Hispanic)
43.7k ± 171
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
27.9k ± 504
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
2.25k ± 470

4.18%

Hispanic Population

3.26k people

4.18% of the people in Forrest County, MS are hispanic (3.26k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Forrest County, MS as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Mississippi.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
16,383 ± 3,134 people
India
5,084 ± 1,749 people
Guatemala
3,926 ± 1,537 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Mississippi was Mexico, the natal country of 16,383 Mississippi residents, followed by India with 5,084 and Guatemala with 3,926.

Foreign-Born Population

2.41%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

1.88k people

2.28%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

1.78k people

As of 2023, 2.41% of Forrest County, MS residents (1.88k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.8%. In 2022, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Forrest County, MS was 2.28%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Forrest County, MS compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
1,420 ± 265
Gulf War (2001-)
967 ± 250
Gulf War (1990s)
795 ± 245

Forrest County, MS has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.47 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Forrest County, MS employs 36.6k people. The largest industries in Forrest County, MS are Health Care & Social Assistance (5,268 people), Retail Trade (4,822 people), and Educational Services (4,441 people), and the highest paying industries are Utilities ($108,345), Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($70,420), and Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($70,080).

Males in Mississippi have an average income that is 1.39 times higher than the average income of females, which is $46,477. The income inequality in Mississippi (measured using the Gini index) is 0.452, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

36.6k

2023 Value

± 1,784

1.65%

1 Year growth

± 6.75%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Forrest County, MS grew at a rate of 1.65%, from 36k employees to 36.6k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Forrest County, MS, are Sales & Related Occupations (4,467 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (4,339 people), and Management Occupations (2,993 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Forrest County, MS.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Mississippi (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

View Full Dashboard

Industries

Employment by Industries

36.6k

2023 Value

± 1,784

1.65%

1 Year growth

± 6.75%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Forrest County, MS grew at a rate of 1.65%, from 36k employees to 36.6k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Forrest County, MS, are Health Care & Social Assistance (5,268 people), Retail Trade (4,822 people), and Educational Services (4,441 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Forrest County, MS, though some of these residents may live in Forrest County, MS and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$39,656

Median earning men ± $2,273

$26,084

Median earning women ± $2,008

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($70,182), Information ($65,170), and Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($57,846).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Wholesale Trade ($43,694), Manufacturing ($35,585), and Public Administration ($32,345).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Mississippi.

Y-Axis

1.38%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 1.17M people employed in Mississippi. This represents a 1.38% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 12.5%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Mississippi.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

119
Retail Trade
107
Retail Trade
94
Other Services (except Public Administration)

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Depending on the option selected, the visualization shows the number of employees or number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$565k
Health Care and Social Assistance
$228k
Manufacturing
$157k
Retail Trade

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Forrest County, MS went to Donald J. Trump with 54.6% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (43.5%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.04%).

Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith are the senators currently representing the state of Mississippi. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Mississippi is currently represented by 4 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

2020 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (54.6%)
Republican Party
Joseph R Biden Jr. (43.5%)
Democratic Party
Jo Jorgensen (1.04%)
Libertarian Party

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Forrest County, MS for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Mississippi

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Mississippi.

Roger Wicker

Senator from Mississippi

Assumed office on December 31, 2007
Appointed to the seat following the resignation of Trent Lott.

Cindy Hyde-Smith

Senator from Mississippi

Assumed office on April 9, 2018
Appointed to the seat following the resignation of Thad Cochran.

Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith are the senators currently representing Mississippi.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Mississippi over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from Mississippi

Mississippi is currently represented by 4 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Mississippi have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2022, universities in Forrest County, MS awarded 5,277 degrees. The student population of Forrest County, MS in 2022 is skewed towards women, with 6,570 male students and 12,685 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Forrest County, MS are White (3,422 and 66.2%), followed by Black or African American (1,286 and 24.9%), Hispanic or Latino (167 and 3.23%), and Asian (133 and 2.57%).

The largest universities in Forrest County, MS by number of degrees awarded are University of Southern Mississippi (3,768 and 71.4%), William Carey University (1,451 and 27.5%), and Unlimited Cosmetology School (33 and 0.625%).

The most popular majors in Forrest County, MS are Elementary Education & Teaching (381 and 7.22%), General Business Administration & Management (315 and 5.97%), and Registered Nursing (307 and 5.82%).

The median tuition costs in Forrest County, MS are $13,500 for private four year colleges, and $9,340 and $11,340 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2022 in Forrest County, MS, the percentage of applicants admitted was 96.4%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 19.5%. The number of students enrolled in 2022 was 19,255 (34.1% men and 65.9% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2022 there were 19,255 students enrolled in Forrest County, MS, 34.1% men and 65.9% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 11,268 records, of which 65% were women and 35% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Elementary Education & Teaching
337 degrees awarded
Registered Nursing
294 degrees awarded
General Business Administration & Management
211 degrees awarded

In 2022, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Forrest County, MS was Elementary Education & Teaching with 337 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Forrest County, MS according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

University of Southern Mississippi
3,768 degrees awarded
William Carey University
1,451 degrees awarded
Unlimited Cosmetology School
33 degrees awarded

In 2022, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was University of Southern Mississippi with 3,768 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2022, 1,664 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Forrest County, MS, which is 0.461 times less than the 3,613 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2022 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 3,422 degrees mean that there were 2.66 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 1,286 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($13,500) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2022.

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($1,185) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2022.

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($1,900) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Mississippi.

Measure

In 2022, 1.04% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.852% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Mississippi.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2022 were High School or Equivalent (690k), Some college (543k), and Secondary Education (397k).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Forrest County, MS was $152,900 in 2023, which is 0.504 times smaller than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $144,000 to $152,900, a 6.18% increase. The homeownership rate in Forrest County, MS is 57.1%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 65%.

People in Forrest County, MS have an average commute time of 21.2 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Forrest County, MS is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Forrest County, MS is $52,821. In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Forrest County, MS was Census Tract 101.01 with a value of $97,949, followed by Census Tract 103 and Census Tract 8, with respective values of $65,000 and $60,341.

In 2023, 17.2% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Forrest County, MS. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 3.1%.

Housing

Property

$152,900

Median Property Value 2023

±$8,726

$16,964

Median Property Taxes

±$1,142

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Forrest County, MS the largest share of households pay taxes in the < $800 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Forrest County, MS compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

57.1%

Homeownership

2023

68.2%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 57.1% of the housing units in Forrest County, MS were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 55.9%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Forrest County, MS compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 101.01
Census Tract 103
Census Tract 8

In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Forrest County, MS was Census Tract 101.01 with a value of $97,949, followed by Census Tract 103 and Census Tract 8, with respective values of $65,000 and $60,341.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Forrest County, MS colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$52,821

Median Household Income

± $3,246

29.7k

Number of Households

± 1,487

In 2023, the median household income of the 29.7k households in Forrest County, MS grew to $52,821 from the previous year's value of $49,340.

The following chart displays the households in Forrest County, MS distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Forrest County, MS is from Mississippi.

0.452

2022 Wage GINI in Mississippi

0.45

2021 Wage GINI in Mississippi

In 2022, the income inequality in Mississippi was 0.452 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.553% growth from 2021 to 2022, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for Mississippi was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Mississippi in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Mississippi across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2023

Drove Alone (82%)
Carpooled (7.31%)
Other (4.62%)

In 2023, 82% of workers in Forrest County, MS drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (7.31%) and those who used some unspecified means to get work (4.62%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

21.2 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Forrest County, MS have a shorter commute time (21.2 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 2.97% of the workforce in Forrest County, MS have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Forrest County, MS compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Forrest County, MS distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Forrest County, MS have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2023, 17.2% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Forrest County, MS. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 3.1%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

21.5% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Forrest County, MS (15.9k out of 73.9k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 18 - 24, followed by Females 25 - 34 and then Females 55 - 64.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Forrest County, MS is Black, followed by White and Hispanic.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2023, 27.6% of the children was living in poverty in Forrest County, MS. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 9.6%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

89% of the population of Forrest County, MS has health coverage, with 42.1% on employee plans, 21.4% on Medicaid, 8.7% on Medicare, 14.3% on non-group plans, and 2.46% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Forrest County, MS see 1172 patients per year on average, which represents a 1.74% increase from the previous year (1152 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 2360 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 229 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 45.4% were men and 54.6% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,172 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Forrest County, MS

Primary care physicians in Forrest County, MS see an average of 1,172 patients per year. This represents a 1.74% increase from the previous year (1,152 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Forrest County, MS in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 24.8% under 18 years, 29.2% between 18 and 34 years, 32.6% between 35 and 64 years, and 13.4% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 45.4% were men and 54.6% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

11%

Uninsured

42.1%

Employer Coverage

21.4%

Medicaid

8.7%

Medicare

14.3%

Non-Group

2.46%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Forrest County, MS declined by 3.47% from 11.4% to 11%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Forrest County, MS changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2023, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 94.9 in Forrest County, MS.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Forrest County, MS.

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2023, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 39% in Forrest County, MS.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Forrest County, MS.