Forrest County, MS

County

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2021 Population

77,743

3.43% 1-year growth

US Senator

Roger Wicker

Republican Party

US Senator

Cindy Hyde-Smith

Republican Party

2021 Median Age

32.8

0.923% 1-year increase

2021 Poverty Rate

23%

10.3% 1-year decrease

2021 Median Household Income

$45,780

8.23% 1-year growth

2021 Median Property Value

$129,600

9.74% 1-year growth

2021 Employed Population

35,339

5.47% 1-year growth

About

In 2021, Forrest County, MS had a population of 77.7k people with a median age of 32.8 and a median household income of $45,780. Between 2020 and 2021 the population of Forrest County, MS grew from 75,162 to 77,743, a 3.43% increase and its median household income grew from $42,298 to $45,780, a 8.23% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Forrest County, MS are White (Non-Hispanic) (56.8%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (36.6%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (2.32%), White (Hispanic) (1.77%), and Two+ (Hispanic) (0.796%).

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.

98.3% of the residents in Forrest County, MS are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Forrest County, MS are University of Southern Mississippi (3,570 degrees awarded in 2021), William Carey University (1,344 degrees), and Unlimited Cosmetology School (33 degrees).

In 2021, the median property value in Forrest County, MS was $129,600, and the homeownership rate was 57.8%.

Most people in Forrest County, MS drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 21.3 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 77.7k people, from which 98.3% are citizens. As of 2021, 2.35% of Forrest County, MS residents were born outside of the country (1.83k people).

In 2021, there were 1.55 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (44.2k people) in Forrest County, MS than any other race or ethnicity. There were 28.5k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 1.8k Two+ (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

98.3%

2021 Citizenship

98.2%

2020 Citizenship

As of 2021, 98.3% of Forrest County, MS residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2020, the percentage of US citizens in Forrest County, MS was 98.2%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

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)
44.2k ± 46
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
28.5k ± 398
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
1.8k ± 461

3.11%

Hispanic Population

2.42k people

3.11% of the people in Forrest County, MS are hispanic (2.42k 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
17,687 ± 3,255 people
India
5,172 ± 1,764 people
Vietnam
4,317 ± 1,612 people

In 2021, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Mississippi was Mexico, the natal country of 17,687 Mississippi residents, followed by India with 5,172 and Vietnam with 4,317.

Foreign-Born Population

2.35%

2021 Foreign-Born Population

1.83k people

2.49%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

1.87k people

As of 2021, 2.35% of Forrest County, MS residents (1.83k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.6%. In 2020, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Forrest County, MS was 2.49%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

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
1,580 ± 332
Gulf War (2001-)
1,172 ± 301
Gulf War (1990s)
764 ± 256

Forrest County, MS has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.35 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Forrest County, MS employs 35.3k people. The largest industries in Forrest County, MS are Health Care & Social Assistance (4,984 people), Educational Services (4,804 people), and Retail Trade (4,423 people), and the highest paying industries are Management of Companies & Enterprises ($65,714), Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($63,281), and Utilities ($55,463).

Males in Mississippi have an average income that is 1.39 times higher than the average income of females, which is $42,883. The income inequality in Mississippi (measured using the Gini index) is 0.45, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

35.3k

2021 Value

± 1,695

5.47%

1 Year growth

± 6.41%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Forrest County, MS grew at a rate of 5.47%, from 33.5k employees to 35.3k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Forrest County, MS, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (4,674 people), Sales & Related Occupations (3,917 people), and Management Occupations (3,214 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.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

35.3k

2021 Value

± 1,695

5.47%

1 Year growth

± 6.41%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Forrest County, MS grew at a rate of 5.47%, from 33.5k employees to 35.3k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Forrest County, MS, are Health Care & Social Assistance (4,984 people), Educational Services (4,804 people), and Retail Trade (4,423 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

$33,069

Median earning men ± $2,411

$23,514

Median earning women ± $2,467

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2021 are Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($63,177), Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($50,000), and Public Administration ($48,839).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2021 are Wholesale Trade ($38,421), Educational Services, & Health Care & Social Assistance ($31,296), and Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($30,551).

Employment by Industry Sector

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

Y-Axis

2.75%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 155M people employed in Mississippi. This represents a 2.75% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

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

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Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

703
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
616
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing
454
Retail Trade

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

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$1.31M
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
$555k
Manufacturing
$193k
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing

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

Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from Mississippi to other states, or from other states to Mississippi.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

In 2020, the top outbound Mississippi product (by dollars) was Pharmaceuticals with $30.9B, followed by Coal-n.e.c. ($28.9B) and Electronics ($11.2B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound Mississippi products.

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for Mississippi.

$180B

2020 Value in Mississippi

$374B

Projected 2050 Value in Mississippi

108% growth

In 2020, total outbound Mississippi trade was $180B. This is expected to increase 108% to $374B by 2050.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound Mississippi trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from Mississippi to other states, or from other states to Mississippi.

Most Common Trade Partners

Alabama
$24.4B
Louisiana
$10.7B
Tennessee
$10.7B

In 2020, the top outbound Mississippi domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Alabama with $24.4B, followed by Louisiana with $10.7B and Tennessee and $10.7B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that Mississippi shares with each state (excluding itself).

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 2021, universities in Forrest County, MS awarded 4,967 degrees. The student population of Forrest County, MS in 2021 is skewed towards women, with 6,796 male students and 13,183 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Forrest County, MS are White (3,195 and 66%), followed by Black or African American (1,223 and 25.3%), Hispanic or Latino (164 and 3.39%), and Asian (115 and 2.38%).

The largest universities in Forrest County, MS by number of degrees awarded are University of Southern Mississippi (3,570 and 71.9%), William Carey University (1,344 and 27.1%), and Unlimited Cosmetology School (33 and 0.664%).

The most popular majors in Forrest County, MS are Registered Nursing (362 and 7.29%), General Business Administration & Management (302 and 6.08%), and Elementary Education & Teaching (275 and 5.54%).

The median tuition costs in Forrest County, MS are $13,500 for private four year colleges, and $9,094 and $11,094 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2021 in Forrest County, MS, the percentage of applicants admitted was 93.9%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 18.9%. The number of students enrolled in 2021 was 19,979 (34% men and 66% 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 2021 there were 19,979 students enrolled in Forrest County, MS, 34% men and 66% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 11,965 records, of which 64.4% were women and 35.6% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Registered Nursing
348 degrees awarded
General Business Administration & Management
224 degrees awarded
General Psychology
218 degrees awarded

In 2021, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Forrest County, MS was Registered Nursing with 348 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
3,570 degrees awarded
William Carey University
1,344 degrees awarded
Unlimited Cosmetology School
33 degrees awarded

In 2021, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was University of Southern Mississippi with 3,570 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2021, 1,591 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Forrest County, MS, which is 0.471 times less than the 3,376 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2021 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 3,195 degrees mean that there were 2.61 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 1,223 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 2021.

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($1,050) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2021.

Public, 4-year or above ($1,400) 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 2021, 0.976% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.743% 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 2021 were High School or Equivalent (683k), Some college (549k), and Secondary Education (407k).

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 $129,600 in 2021, which is 0.529 times smaller than the national average of $244,900. Between 2020 and 2021 the median property value increased from $118,100 to $129,600, a 9.74% increase. The homeownership rate in Forrest County, MS is 57.8%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.6%.

People in Forrest County, MS have an average commute time of 21.3 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 $45,780. In 2021, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Forrest County, MS was Census Tract 101.01 with a value of $86,611, followed by Census Tract 5 and Census Tract 3, with respective values of $52,628 and $50,482.

In 2022, 17.8% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Forrest County, MS. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 2.48%.

Housing

Property

$129,600

Median Property Value 2021

±$7,461

$16,698

Median Property Taxes

±$1,125

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

57.8%

Homeownership

2021

68.2%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2021

In 2021, 57.8% of the housing units in Forrest County, MS were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 57.9%.

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 5
Census Tract 3

In 2021, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Forrest County, MS was Census Tract 101.01 with a value of $86,611, followed by Census Tract 5 and Census Tract 3, with respective values of $52,628 and $50,482.

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.

$45,780

Median Household Income

± $2,808

28.9k

Number of Households

± 1,419

In 2021, the median household income of the 28.9k households in Forrest County, MS grew to $45,780 from the previous year's value of $42,298.

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 < $10k range.

Wage Distribution

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

0.45

2021 Wage GINI in Mississippi

0.45

2020 Wage GINI in Mississippi

In 2021, the income inequality in Mississippi was 0.45 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.159% decline from 2020 to 2021, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more 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 2021

Drove Alone (81.4%)
Carpooled (6.93%)
Other (6.62%)

In 2021, 81.4% of workers in Forrest County, MS drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (6.93%) and those who used some unspecified means to get work (6.62%).

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

21.3 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Forrest County, MS have a shorter commute time (21.3 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.8 minutes). Additionally, 3.24% 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 2022, 17.8% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Forrest County, MS. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 2.48%.

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

Poverty & Diversity

23% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Forrest County, MS (17.2k out of 74.6k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.6%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 18 - 24 and then Males 25 - 34.

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 2022, 32.8% of the children was living in poverty in Forrest County, MS. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 4.4%.

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.

Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 196 in Forrest County, MS. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator grew 8.47 per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

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Health

87.4% of the population of Forrest County, MS has health coverage, with 40.3% on employee plans, 22% on Medicaid, 8.96% on Medicare, 14.1% on non-group plans, and 2.18% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Forrest County, MS see 1152 patients per year on average, which represents a 11% decrease from the previous year (1294 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 2344 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 243 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 46.2% were men and 53.8% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,152 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Forrest County, MS

Primary care physicians in Forrest County, MS see an average of 1,152 patients per year. This represents a 11% decrease from the previous year (1,294 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 2021, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 24.9% under 18 years, 27.6% between 18 and 34 years, 34.1% between 35 and 64 years, and 13.4% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 46.2% were men and 53.8% were women.

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

Uninsured People

12.6%

Uninsured

40.3%

Employer Coverage

22%

Medicaid

8.96%

Medicare

14.1%

Non-Group

2.18%

Military or VA

Between 2020 and 2021, the percent of uninsured citizens in Forrest County, MS declined by 7.12% from 13.5% to 12.6%.

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 2022, 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.

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Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2022, 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 44.1% in Forrest County, MS.

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

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