Forest, MS

Census Place

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2024 Population
5,357
US Senator
Roger Wicker
Republican Party
US Senator
Cindy Hyde-Smith
Republican Party
2024 Median Age
36
5.76% 1-year decrease
2024 Poverty Rate
33.8%
45.5% 1-year increase
2024 Median Household Income
$49,724
2.66% 1-year decline
2024 Median Property Value
$141,100
9.3% 1-year growth
2024 Employed Population
1,660
16% 1-year decline

About

None of the households in Forest, 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.

84.7% of the residents in Forest, MS are U.S. citizens.

In 2024, the median property value in Forest, MS was $141,100, and the homeownership rate was 50.8%.

Most people in Forest, MS drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 19.7 minutes. The average car ownership in Forest, MS was 2 cars per household.

United StatesMississippiScott County, MSEast Central Region--Jasper, Leake, Kemper, Neshoba, Scott & Smith Counties PUMA, MS

Population & Diversity

Forest, MS is home to a population of 5.36k people, from which 84.7% are citizens. As of 2024, 17.7% of Forest, MS residents were born outside of the country (950 people).

In 2024, there were 1.25 times more Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) residents (2k people) in Forest, MS than any other race or ethnicity. There were 1.6k Other (Hispanic) and 1.23k White (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

84.7%
2024 Citizenship
83.4%
2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 84.7% of Forest, MS residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Forest, MS was 83.4%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

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

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Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Forest, MS
  1. Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
    2k ± 389
  2. Other (Hispanic)
    1.6k ± 564
  3. White (Non-Hispanic)
    1.23k ± 297
36%
Hispanic Population
1.93k people

In 2024, there were 1.25 times more Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) residents (2k people) in Forest, MS than any other race or ethnicity. There were 1.6k Other (Hispanic) and 1.23k White (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

36% of the people in Forest, MS are hispanic (1.93k people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Forest, MS as a share of the total population.

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Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the Place level, so we are showing data for Mississippi.
Most Common Origin
  1. Mexico
    17,149 ± 3,206 people
  2. Honduras
    5,066 ± 1,746 people
  3. India
    4,341 ± 1,616 people

In 2023, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Mississippi was Mexico, the natal country of 17,149 Mississippi residents, followed by Honduras with 5,066 and India with 4,341.

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Foreign-Born Population

17.7%
2024 Foreign-Born Population
950 people
16.6%
2023 Foreign-Born Population
891 people

As of 2024, 17.7% of Forest, MS residents (950 people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Forest, MS was 16.6%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

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

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Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period
  1. Gulf War (2001-)
    69 ± 71
  2. Vietnam
    24 ± 37

Forest, MS has a large population of military personnel who served in Gulf War (2001-), 2.88 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Forest, MS.

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Economy

The economy of Forest, MS employs 1.66k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Forest, MS were Manufacturing (371 people), Educational Services (202 people), and Construction (179 people), and the highest paying industries were Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting ($129,010), Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($129,010), and Transportation & Warehousing ($62,276).

Employment

Occupations

1.66k
2024 Value
± 365
−16%
1 Year decline
± 38.2%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Forest, MS declined at a rate of −16%, from 1.98k employees to 1.66k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Forest, MS, are Production Occupations (186 people), Food Preparation & Serving Related Occupations (174 people), and Construction & Extraction Occupations (139 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Forest, MS.

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Unemployment Insurance Claims

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

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.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

1.66k
2024 Value
± 365
−16%
1 Year decline
± 38.2%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Forest, MS declined at a rate of −16%, from 1.98k employees to 1.66k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Forest, MS, are Manufacturing (371 people), Educational Services (202 people), and Construction (179 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Forest, MS, though some of these residents may live in Forest, MS and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

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Median Earnings by Industry

$42,305
Median earning men ± $40,639
$33,250
Median earning women ± $11,599

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($129,010), Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($100,396), and Manufacturing ($84,750).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Retail Trade ($48,589), Educational Services, & Health Care & Social Assistance ($34,781), and Manufacturing ($28,766).

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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.

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Civics

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Mississippi went to Donald J. Trump with 60.9% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (38%), followed by Robert Kennedy (0.439%).

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

Voting results are not available for Forest, MS. Showing the available data for Mississippi.
2024 Election Results
  1. Donald J. Trump (60.9%)
    Republican Party
  2. Kamala Harris (38%)
    Democratic Party
  3. Robert Kennedy (0.439%)
    Independent Party

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Mississippi went to Donald J. Trump with 60.9% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (38%), followed by Robert Kennedy (0.439%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Mississippi for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

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Senator Elections

US Senators from Mississippi

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Mississippi.
Roger Wicker
Senator from Mississippi1
Assumed office on December 31, 2007
Appointed to the seat following the resignation of Trent Lott.
Cindy Hyde-Smith
Senator from Mississippi2
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.

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Housing & Living

The median property value in Forest, MS was $141,100 in 2024, which is 0.424 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $129,100 to $141,100, a 9.3% increase. The homeownership rate in Forest, MS is 50.8%, which is lower than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Forest, MS have an average commute time of 19.7 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Forest, MS is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Housing

Property

$141,100
Median Property Value 2024
±$25,605
$855
Median Property Taxes
±$228

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 Forest, MS the largest share of households pay taxes in the None range.

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

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Rent vs Own

50.8%
Homeownership
2024
66.7%
Homeowners with Mortgage
2024

In 2024, 50.8% of the housing units in Forest, MS were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 50.6%.

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

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Equity

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.
$49,724
Median Household Income
± $3,897
1.68k
Number of Households
± 348

In 2024, the median household income of the 1.68k households in Forest, MS declined from $49,724 from the previous year's value of $51,082.

The following chart displays the households in Forest, 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 < $10k range.

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Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Forest, MS is from Mississippi.
0.45
2023 Wage GINI in Mississippi
0.452
2022 Wage GINI in Mississippi

In 2023, the income inequality in Mississippi was 0.45 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.442% decline from 2022 to 2023, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Mississippi was lower than than the national average of 0.476. 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.

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Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2024
  1. Drove Alone (85.9%)
  2. Carpooled (7.57%)
  3. Walked (3.44%)

In 2024, 85.9% of workers in Forest, MS drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (7.57%) and those who walked to work (3.44%).

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.

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Commute Time

19.7 minutes
Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Forest, MS have a shorter commute time (19.7 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 0.255% of the workforce in Forest, MS have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

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

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Car Ownership

2 cars
Average Number

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

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Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

33.8% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Forest, MS (1.77k out of 5.25k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Males 6 - 11, followed by Females 6 - 11 and then Males 12 - 14.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Forest, MS is Black, followed by Other 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.

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Health

80.9% of the population of Forest, MS has health coverage, with 23.7% on employee plans, 36.7% on Medicaid, 9.23% on Medicare, 11.2% on non-group plans, and 0.019% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Mississippi see 1,875 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,875 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1939 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 436 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 55% were men and 45% were women.

Coverage

Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 33.9% under 18 years, 16.6% between 18 and 34 years, 36.9% between 35 and 64 years, and 12.6% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 55% were men and 45% were women.

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

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Uninsured People

19.1%
Uninsured
23.7%
Employer Coverage
36.7%
Medicaid
9.23%
Medicare
11.2%
Non-Group
0.019%
Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Forest, MS grew by 24.9% from 15.3% to 19.1%.

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

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