Population 11,350 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Forest
Household size in Forest
| Period | Forest | Jackson area | Mississippi | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.83 | 2.70 | 2.66 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.88 | 2.71 | 2.67 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.78 | 2.68 | 2.64 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.92 | 2.56 | 2.57 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.09 | −0.14 | −0.09 | −0.03 |
Forest is a place of big households: 2.92 people per home on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. Numbers like that usually point to plenty of families with kids. Household size has climbed from 2.83 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell. Only five of the 108 Mississippi cities with 5,000+ people have larger households.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Forest
| Period | Forest | Jackson area | Mississippi | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.8 | 35.9 | 36.7 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 34.6 | 36.9 | 37.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 37.2 | 37.9 | 38.8 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 38.8 | 39.1 | 39.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.9 | +3.2 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
At 38.8, the median age in Forest is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. The median age has climbed from 36.8 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. Residents skew youngest in the south and oldest in the northwest.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Forest
| Period | Forest | Jackson area | Mississippi | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.3% | 17.1% | 15.8% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 22.7% | 16.8% | 15.8% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 20.0% | 15.7% | 14.7% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 24.7% | 14.7% | 14.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | +5.4 pts | −2.5 pts | −1.1 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about a quarter of households in Forest (24.7%), well above the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is up 5.4 points from 2006–10, even as the national share fell. Only three of the 108 Mississippi cities with 5,000+ people have a higher share of single-parent households.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Forest
Renters in Forest
| Period | Forest | Jackson area | Mississippi | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 23.9% | 31.3% | 29.2% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 32.1% | 32.4% | 31.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 30.1% | 32.4% | 31.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 32.6% | 32.5% | 30.0% | 34.8% |
| Change | +8.7 pts | +1.2 pts | +0.8 pts | +1.5 pts |
About a third of households in Forest rent their homes (32.6%), close to the national share of 34.8%. About two-thirds of owners (66.4%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the south; owners are most common in the north. The renter share is up 8.7 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Forest
| Period | Forest | Jackson area | Mississippi | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.8% | 11.3% | 13.6% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 12.9% | 12.7% | 14.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 16.9% | 13.3% | 16.1% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 16.3% | 12.0% | 14.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | +2.5 pts | +0.7 pts | +0.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 16.3% of the housing in Forest, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Since 2006–10, vacancy has risen 2.5 points, even as the national rate fell.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Forest
| Period | Forest | Jackson area | Mississippi | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1978 | 1982 | 1981 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1979 | 1983 | 1983 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1983 | 1984 | 1984 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1987 | 1987 | 1987 | 1980 |
| Change | +9 | +4 | +5 | +6 |
Homes in Forest are newer than the national norm: the median home was built in 1987, versus 1980 across the U.S. The median year built has moved up from 1978 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the north, the oldest in the southeast.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Forest
| Period | Forest | Jackson area | Mississippi | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $612 | $796 | $703 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $604 | $862 | $758 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $640 | $940 | $819 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $820 | $1,161 | $1,018 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$208 | +$364 | +$315 | +$606 |
Rent in Forest runs $820 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $208 a month from 2006–10, a 34% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 32.2% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the west; the most affordable are in the northeast.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Forest
Bachelor's degrees in Forest
| Period | Forest | Jackson area | Mississippi | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.5% | 28.1% | 20.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 11.3% | 28.8% | 21.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 8.0% | 29.7% | 22.8% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 13.2% | 33.0% | 25.8% | 35.6% |
| Change | +2.7 pts | +4.8 pts | +5.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Forest: 13.2% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 2.7 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Only three of the 108 Mississippi cities with 5,000+ people have a lower share of college graduates.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Forest
| Period | Forest | Jackson area | Mississippi | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 68.3% | 83.3% | 80.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 70.3% | 85.3% | 82.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 70.4% | 86.9% | 84.8% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 71.9% | 88.8% | 87.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.6 pts | +5.5 pts | +6.9 pts | +4.3 pts |
Nearly three in ten adults in Forest never finished high school, well above the national share: only 71.9% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 3.6 points, as it has nationally. No other Mississippi city with 5,000+ people has a lower share of high school graduates.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Forest
| Period | Forest | Jackson area | Mississippi | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.2% | 8.0% | 9.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 11.3% | 9.6% | 11.0% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.4% | 7.2% | 7.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.7% | 5.7% | 5.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | +0.4 pts | −2.3 pts | −3.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 5.7%, unemployment in Forest is close to the national rate of 5.4%. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Forest compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forest | 2.92 | 38.8 | 24.7% | 32.6% | 16.3% | 1987 | $820 | 13.2% | 71.9% | 5.7% |
| Hillsboro | 2.64 | 35.2 | 40.6% | 14.4% | 22.1% | 1989 | $914 | 19.5% | 74.7% | 8.9% |
| Gum Springs | 2.65 | 37.2 | 30.8% | 28.2% | 13.4% | 1993 | $694 | 8.3% | 78.7% | 2.8% |
| Norris | 3.05 | 39.3 | 12.4% | 25.0% | 17.9% | 1987 | $702 | 16.7% | 84.6% | 5.3% |
| Raworth | 3.12 | 31.4 | 29.4% | 20.2% | 15.1% | 1993 | $982 | 19.2% | 87.2% | 0.7% |
| Usrytown | 2.07 | 40.6 | 11.8% | 32.6% | 11.4% | 1993 | $682 | 10.2% | 89.0% | 2.9% |
| Harperville | 3.01 | 32.8 | 20.4% | 16.1% | 21.4% | 2000 | $770 | 7.2% | 71.6% | 4.2% |
| Kalem | 3.77 | 25.5 | 22.4% | 24.8% | 12.0% | 2000 | $1,169 | 14.9% | 89.3% | 0.0% |
| Lake | 2.86 | 37.5 | 13.0% | 22.2% | 18.4% | 1985 | $687 | 13.6% | 89.1% | 6.2% |
| Hays | 2.14 | 43.4 | 50.4% | 1.1% | 11.7% | 1994 | $700 | 12.7% | 90.3% | 0.5% |
| Forkville | 3.06 | 40.5 | 9.5% | 20.2% | 14.6% | 1990 | $1,217 | 12.2% | 88.7% | 9.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Oakland, TN · Montoursville, PA · Morro Bay, CA · Moscow, PA · Moseley, VA · Mount Olive, NC · Mount Pleasant, IA · Munford, TN · Munhall, PA · North Haledon, NJ
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Forest. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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