Population 78,272 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Forrest County
Household size in Forrest County
| Period | Forrest County | Mississippi | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.54 | 2.66 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.62 | 2.67 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.55 | 2.64 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.50 | 2.57 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.03 | −0.09 | −0.03 |
The average household in Forrest County has 2.50 people, a bit under the U.S. average of 2.65. Since 2006–10, household size has edged down from 2.54, mirroring the country. Households are largest in the northeast and smallest in the northwest.
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 Forrest County
| Period | Forrest County | Mississippi | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.3 | 36.7 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 34.5 | 37.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 36.7 | 38.8 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 35.1 | 39.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.8 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 35.1, Forrest County is far younger than the country as a whole (40.1), a population that tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. The median age has crept up from 34.3 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. Of Mississippi's 82 counties, only three are younger.
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 Forrest County
| Period | Forrest County | Mississippi | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.1% | 15.8% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 16.6% | 15.8% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 15.8% | 14.7% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 15.3% | 14.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.1 pts | −1.1 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are common in Forrest County: 15.3% of all households, against 11.6% nationally. That is in line with the rest of Mississippi.
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 Forrest County
Renters in Forrest County
| Period | Forrest County | Mississippi | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.8% | 29.2% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 44.2% | 31.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 45.5% | 31.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 42.8% | 30.0% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.0 pts | +0.8 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is more common in Forrest County than nationally: 42.8% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% for the U.S. Among owners, 46.0% have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has edged up 1.0 points, as it has nationally. Of Mississippi's 82 counties, only six have a higher share of renters.
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 Forrest County
| Period | Forrest County | Mississippi | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.4% | 13.6% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 14.8% | 14.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 15.0% | 16.1% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 10.9% | 14.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.5 pts | +0.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in Forrest County as nationally: 10.9%, against 9.6%. The rate is lower than in Mississippi overall (14.1%). Vacancy is down 0.5 points from 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally.
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 Forrest County
| Period | Forrest County | Mississippi | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1977 | 1981 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1980 | 1983 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1981 | 1984 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1983 | 1987 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +5 | +6 |
The typical home in Forrest County was built around 1983, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). The median year built has moved up from 1977 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the south, while the center has the oldest housing.
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 Forrest County
| Period | Forrest County | Mississippi | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $682 | $703 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $759 | $758 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $803 | $819 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,001 | $1,018 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$319 | +$315 | +$606 |
Rent in Forrest County runs $1,001 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $319 a month since 2006–10, up 47%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 31.0% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the center; the highest are in the southwest.
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 Forrest County
Bachelor's degrees in Forrest County
| Period | Forrest County | Mississippi | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 26.7% | 20.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 27.8% | 21.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 29.6% | 22.8% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 31.4% | 25.8% | 35.6% |
| Change | +4.7 pts | +5.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are a little less common in Forrest County than nationally: 31.4% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. Even so, the share is higher than in Mississippi as a whole (25.8%). The share with a degree has risen 4.7 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Few Mississippi counties have a higher share of college graduates: only six of 82.
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 Forrest County
| Period | Forrest County | Mississippi | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 85.2% | 80.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 84.7% | 82.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 87.9% | 84.8% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 91.6% | 87.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +6.4 pts | +6.9 pts | +4.3 pts |
About nine in ten adults in Forrest County have finished high school (91.6%), a bit above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 6.4 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Few Mississippi counties have a higher share of high school graduates: only four of 82.
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 Forrest County
| Period | Forrest County | Mississippi | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.2% | 9.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 13.3% | 11.0% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.7% | 7.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.9% | 5.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.2 pts | −3.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment runs high in Forrest County: 6.9% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment has fallen 3.2 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current 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).
Forrest County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forrest County | 2.50 | 35.1 | 15.3% | 42.8% | 10.9% | 1983 | $1,001 | 31.4% | 91.6% | 6.9% |
| Lamar County | 2.64 | 38.6 | 12.1% | 30.5% | 9.0% | 1997 | $1,207 | 35.1% | 92.0% | 5.0% |
| Perry County | 2.55 | 42.1 | 10.3% | 18.5% | 16.3% | 1992 | $745 | 13.6% | 90.9% | 2.1% |
| Marion County | 2.59 | 41.3 | 14.0% | 22.8% | 19.3% | 1980 | $801 | 13.5% | 83.5% | 6.8% |
| Washington County | 2.52 | 44.5 | 12.7% | 14.2% | 21.8% | 1984 | $617 | 17.2% | 89.4% | 3.9% |
| Pike County | 2.69 | 39.1 | 17.4% | 33.2% | 21.1% | 1985 | $886 | 15.9% | 85.5% | 5.7% |
| Franklin County | 2.49 | 43.8 | 21.3% | 18.3% | 29.1% | 1982 | $770 | 18.6% | 86.9% | 3.6% |
| Monroe County | 2.76 | 44.4 | 12.0% | 28.3% | 27.2% | 1984 | $726 | 12.4% | 85.2% | 9.3% |
| Conecuh County | 2.55 | 46.7 | 10.2% | 25.7% | 30.6% | 1983 | $838 | 15.3% | 90.4% | 7.7% |
| Covington County | 2.55 | 44.2 | 11.8% | 23.7% | 21.1% | 1979 | $740 | 17.7% | 85.1% | 5.0% |
| Rapides Parish | 2.61 | 39.3 | 16.2% | 35.2% | 15.8% | 1982 | $1,026 | 22.8% | 87.6% | 5.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Umatilla County, OR · Cheshire County, NH · Clallam County, WA · Franklin County, NC · Grays Harbor County, WA · Greene County, TN · Howard County, IN · Indiana County, PA · Toa Baja Municipio, PR · Tooele County, UT
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 Forrest County. 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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