Forrest County, Mississippi
Located in Mississippi, Forrest County has a population of 78,272 residents and a median age of 32.0 years, making it the #739 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 21.0%. The median home value is $168,000, and the median household income is $53,640, which is 29% below the national median.
Demographics
Forrest County has a population of 78,272, making it the #739 most populous county in the US. The median age is 32.0 years, which is 17.7% below the national median.
Population Trend
Rankings →Year-over-Year Population Growth
Age & Sex Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Nativity
Geographic Mobility (Past Year)
Economy
The median household income in Forrest County is $53,640, ranking #2,551 out of 3,222 counties — 28.6% below the national median. The poverty rate is 21.0% and unemployment stands at 6.6%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Forrest County is $168,000 (-40.4% vs national). Renters pay a median of $972/mo and the homeownership rate is 57.2%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Forrest County, 30.6% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 9.3% below the national average, ranking #726 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Forrest County is 71.4 years. 21.7% of adults report poor or fair health and 11.9% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
16.9% of adults in Forrest County smoke , 43.9% are obese , and 16.1% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 21.6 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The homicide rate in Forrest County is 12.8 per 100,000 and the suicide rate is 12.6 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 20.9 per 100,000.
Homicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
20.9% of children in Forrest County live in poverty and the infant mortality rate is 10.6 per 1,000 live births. The teen birth rate is 22.8 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Infant Mortality Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Forrest County is 56.0%. The mean commute time is 22.8 min, which is 17.4% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Forrest County voted Republican with a margin of 17.9%. The vote was 40.3% Dem / 58.2% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 6.8 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Forrest County, Mississippi
Forrest County, Mississippi has a total population of 78,272, making it the 739th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Forrest County is 32.0 years, which is 17.7% below the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Forrest County is $53,640, which ranks #2,551 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 28.6% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 21.0%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 6.6%.
The median home value in Forrest County is $168,000, 40.4% below the national median. Renters in Forrest County pay a median gross rent of $972 per month. The homeownership rate is 57.2%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Forrest County, 30.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 9.3% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 88.9% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 22.8 min.
Forrest County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 55.8% of the population, followed by Black (non-Hispanic) (35.5%) and Hispanic or Latino (4.4%).
All data for Forrest County, Mississippi comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.