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Forrest
Mississippi

78K

Population

$49K

Median Income

$188K

Median Home

R+21

Politics

Economy

Median Household Income$49K

This county

national avg ~$75K

Poverty Rate22.4%

This county

national avg ~11.5%

Unemployment Rate3.8%

This county

national avg ~3.8%

GDP per Capita$59,777

Federal Spending per Capita$1,419

Median Individual Earnings$30K

This county

national avg $45K

Professional/Management Workers32.7%

Average Adjusted Gross Income$67K

Avg Credit Score641

Work From Home %2.4%

This county

national avg 17.0%

Population Under 1822.4%

This county

national avg 22.0%

Single-Person Households30.8%

This county

national avg 28.0%

Banks & Finance Firms74

Income (20th Percentile)$19K

Income (80th Percentile)$98K

Income (95th Percentile)$192K

Bachelor's Degree or Higher23.0%

This county

national avg 35.0%

Less Than High School10.5%

This county

national avg 11.0%

Knowledge Economy GDP %10.3%

Dependency Ratio1.11

Medicare Spending / Person$2,272

SS Benefits / Person$3,460

Education Wage Premium1.68x

Median Earnings (Bachelor's)$43K

Median Earnings (Graduate)$54K

Median Earnings (HS Diploma)$32K

Public Assistance Recipients2.3%

Average Annual Wage$52K

Professional Services Concentration0.63x national

This county

1.0 = national average share

Housing

Median Home Value$188K

This county

$180K state avg

$303K national

Median Sale Price$202K

This county

$303K national

Market Rent (ZORI)$1174/mo

This county

$950/mo state avg

$1400/mo national

Property Tax Rate0.91%

This county

0.64% state avg

1.10% national

Annual tax on median home: $1,315

Affordability & Supply

HUD Fair Market Rent (2BR)$1,047/mo

Home Price Change (1 yr)+4.1%

Home Value to Income Ratio2.3x income

Severely Cost-Burdened Households13.0%

Homeownership Rate55.9%

This county

national avg ~65%

Market Activity

Sale-to-List Ratio— Buyers market — homes selling below list

96.8%

Listings with Price Cuts— Low — market moving fast

24.1%

Sold Above List Price

13.7%

Median Days to Close

31 days

Active Listings

262

New Listings / Month

Source: Zillow Research · Updated monthly

Health

Life Expectancy72.0 yrs

This county

national avg ~78.5 years

Hospital Rating2.0 / 5

This county

national avg 3.0 stars

Food Insecurity18.0%

This county

national avg ~11%

Food Environment Index6.1 / 10

This county

higher = better access

Primary Care Shortage Score22

This county

national avg 5

Mental Health Shortage Score21

Dental Care Shortage Score21

Healthcare Shortage Score21.3

Healthcare Offices139

Obesity Rate (BRFSS)37.6%

This county

national avg 32.0%

Smoking Rate (BRFSS)16.6%

This county

national avg 14.0%

Poor Health Rate (BRFSS)22.7%

This county

national avg 18.0%

Physical Inactivity (BRFSS)30.6%

This county

national avg 24.0%

High Blood Pressure (BRFSS)41.0%

This county

national avg 32.0%

Active Physicians218

Nursing Home Rating4.3 / 5

This county

national avg ~3 stars

ER Visits per 1,000 Medicare Patients739 / 1,000

Medicare Cost per Beneficiary$14,458

Uninsured (under 65)12.0%

This county

national avg ~10%

Adults with Depression20.6%

Education

Math Test Scores3.04 grade level

Reading Test Scores3.08 grade level

HS Diploma Holders10,454

Bachelor's Degree Holders5,463

HS Completion Rate89.5%

This county

national avg ~85%

Private Schools18

Safety

Violent Crime Rate3.7 / 1,000

This county

national avg ~4.0

Firearm Fatality Rate23.5 / 100K

This county

national avg ~13.6/100K

Homicide Rate12.4 / 100K

This county

national avg ~7.5/100K

Drug Overdose Rate19.8 / 100K

This county

national avg ~21/100K

Traffic Fatalities21

Social Vulnerability (CDC SVI)95th pct

Drug Overdose Deaths (2024)15.3 / 100K

Suicide Rate14.7 / 100K

This county

national avg ~14/100K

Climate & Air Quality

Natural Amenity Scale-0.0

January Sunshine0.01

January Temperature1.41

Average Temp68°F

Avg High Temp79°F

Avg Low Temp56°F

Median AQIAQI 53

Good Air Days145 days/yr

Unhealthy Air Days0 days/yr

Annual Precipitation52.5 in/yr

Avg Storm Events22.2 storms/yr

Avg Annual Storm Damage$885K

Ozone Days0 days/yr

This county

national avg 50 days/yr

Drought Index (2022)0.38

Heating Degree Days1,707 HDD/yr

This county

national avg ~4,500 HDD/yr

Cooling Degree Days2,797 CDD/yr

This county

national avg ~1,200 CDD/yr

Heating Degree Days (1901–2000 Baseline)2,069 HDD/yr

Cooling Degree Days (1901–2000 Baseline)2,287 CDD/yr

Avg Tornadoes / Year1.6

Avg Flood Events / Year6.2

Avg Hail Events / Year2.6

Avg Hurricane Events / Year0.00

Avg Wildfire Events / Year0.0

Avg Winter Storms / Year0.0

Avg Heat Events / Year0.0

Natural Hazard Risk (FEMA)87 / 100

Community Resilience (FEMA)59 / 100

Federal Disaster Declarations32 since 1953

Fine Particulate Pollution (PM2.5)9.7 µg/m³

This county

EPA standard 9 µg/m³

Outdoor & Recreation

Historic Places (NRHP)22 properties

FAA-Registered Airports4 total

Airports (excl. heliports)2 airports

Brewery Scene

Total Breweries1 breweries

Microbreweries1 microbreweries

Brewpubs0 brewpubs

Internet & Remote Work

Download Speed295 Mbps

This county

national avg ~120 Mbps

Upload Speed159 Mbps

Fixed Internet (Q1 2026)353 Mbps

Mobile Internet (Q1 2026)210 Mbps

Mobile Upload (Q1 2026)19 Mbps

Mobile Latency (Q1 2026)38 ms

Households with 100Mbps+90.5%

This county

national avg 75.0%

Cellular-Only Internet19.0%

This county

national avg 8.0%

Fixed Upload Speed (Q1 2026)189 Mbps

EV Infrastructure

EV Charging Stations8 stations

DC Fast Chargers11 chargers

Level 2 EV Chargers14

Commute & Transit

Remote Workers833 workers

Public Transit Commuters165 workers

Walk to Work574 workers

Extreme Commutes (90+ min)933 workers

Avg Commute Time20.3 min

This county

national avg ~27 min

Bike Commuters0.4%

Walk to Work1.6%

Families & Childcare

Childcare Cost Burden19.7%

This county

national median ~27% of household income

Childcare Centers9.1 per 10K residents

Childcare Facilities22

Civic & Community

Voter Turnout56.0%

This county

national avg ~55%

Volunteering Rate1.0%

Income Inequality (Gini)5.068

Nonprofit Organizations192

Veterans Share6.7%

This county

national avg 7.0%

Married Adults40.8%

Never-Married Adults42.8%

Divorced Adults10.7%

Religious Organizations79

Asian Population0.9%

Native American Population0.1%

Membership Associations13.1 per 10K residents

Lifestyle & Services

Full-Service Restaurants0.68 per 1K residents

Colleges & Universities3

Nursing & Care Facilities15

Grocery Stores22

Hotels & Lodging23

Recreation Businesses21

Professional Services Firms138

Veterinary Practices13

Real Estate Firms71

Debt Burden

Avg Mortgage Balance$46K

Avg Student Loan Balance$15K

Avg Credit Card Balance$3K

Loan Delinquency Rate56.9%

This county

national avg 4.0%

Innovation

Inventor Rate0.04%

Politics

R+21

2024 Presidential · Mississippi was R+17 statewide

vs Mississippi State

Income tax

4.7%Same (state law)

Property tax

0.91%0.64% state avg

Politics

R+21R+17

COL Index

County data82 (state)

Population & Migration

Net Domestic Migration 2023

↓ -92

More people leaving than arriving

IRS Wealth Migration

Lower-income migration pattern (IRS: 0.78x avg income)

Economic Mobility

36%

chance a low-income child reaches the middle class

Source: Opportunity Insights

Real Estate

Find Homes in Forrest County

Median home value: $188K

View on Zillow →View on Realtor.com →

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Local News — Forrest

RTX · 1 week ago

News | RTX's Raytheon completes $50 million expansion of Mississippi manufacturing facility

Expansion toboost production capacity for critical defense systems and create 100 high-skill jobs FO…

Tribute Archive · 1 day ago

Michael Wayne Gilbert Jr. Obituary | Evans Memorial Funeral Home | Forest, MS

May 11, 1990 - April 9, 2015, Michael Wayne Gilbert Jr. passed away on April 9, 2015 in Forest, Miss…

IQAir · Jun 27, 2026

Forest Air Quality Index (AQI) and USA Air Pollution

Forest Air Quality Index (AQI) is now Moderate. Get real-time, historical and forecast PM2.5 and wea…

Ott & Lee Funeral Homes · Apr 10, 2026

Barry Phillips Obituary Apr 10, 2026

Barry passed away peacefully after a brief battle with cancer, surrounded by the love of family. Bor…

WJTV · May 12, 2026

One dead, one arrested in US 49 shooting in Forrest County

FORREST COUNTY, Miss. (WHLT) – One person was killed during a road rage shooting on U.S. 49 in Forre…

Tribute Archive · 1 week ago

Roger Lee Bobbit Jr Obituary | Mapp Funeral Home | Forest, MS

December 6, 1952 - August 26, 2026, Roger Lee Bobbit Jr passed away on August 26, 2026 in Forest, Mi…

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Data: Census ACS, BLS, Zillow, USDA Natural Amenities, OpenElections 2024, CMS, NCES. Vintage 2022–2025. News via Google News.

ForrestMississippi

Forrest
Mississippi