Forrest County, Mississippi
Among the top 18% of US counties for getting around.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade D, better than 16% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade B+, better than 81% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade F, better than 1% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B+, better than 82% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade D, better than 22% of US counties
- bottom 4% for property crime
Forrest County is a county in Mississippi with about 78,000 residents. It grades B+ for getting around and F for safety & wellbeing. Standout strengths include annual snowfall, walkability, and comfortable days. It rates lower on violent crime and property crime.
- The median home value in Forrest County is $144k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median household income in Forrest County is $49k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median gross rent in Forrest County is $911 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Forrest County has a violent crime rate of 2165/100k, per the FBI Uniform Crime Reports.
- The average one-way commute in Forrest County is 21 min, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
Climate
Hot, humid summers · Cool winters · Wet
cool
comf.
warm
hot
warm
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81%57%clearovercast
Precipitation 5.4 in3.9 in
oppressive 96%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$49k20th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$46kbetter than 41% of US counties
Home Value$144k41st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$911better than 33% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$16kbetter than 28% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.91%better than 45% of US counties
Income Tax5.00%better than 46% of US counties
Sales Tax7.06%better than 54% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden9.99%better than 39% of US counties
Unemployment7.4%better than 14% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)49°F88th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)82°F79th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation59.5 in95th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall0.8 inbetter than 79% of US counties
Sunny Days254 daysbetter than 70% of US counties
Summer Humidity72°Fbetter than 12% of US counties
Comfortable Days89 daysbetter than 76% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk78.1better than 21% of US counties
Air Quality53 AQIbetter than 7% of US counties
School Quality41.6better than 19% of US counties
Violent Crime2165/100kbetter than 5% of US counties
Property Crime2924/100kbetter than 4% of US counties
Community
Population77,91777th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age31.93rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.5385th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.893rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+1123rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)56.9%21st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)36.1%93rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)3.2%34th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.9%64th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)3.0%39th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time21 minbetter than 76% of US counties
Walkability7.1/20better than 76% of US counties
Airport Distance100 mibetter than 49% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access82.1%better than 42% of US counties
Amenities Nearby0.51better than 30% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 32% of US counties
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)
Frequently asked questions
- Is Forrest County an affordable place to live?
- Forrest County is about average in cost. Its cost-of-living index is $46k, better than 41% of comparable areas. Median rent is $911.
- Is Forrest County safe?
- Forrest County is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 2165/100k (better than 5%). Property crime is 2924/100k.
- What is the weather like in Forrest County?
- Forrest County averages 82°F in July and 49°F in January, with 59.5 in of annual precipitation and about 254 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Forrest County?
- Public-school quality in Forrest County is below average, scoring better than 19% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Forrest County?
- The average one-way commute in Forrest County is 21 min.