City profile · Mississippi · Census ACS 2023

Forest, MS

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Forest - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

5,365
Residents
$51,082
Median income
$129,100
Median home
$952
Median rent (state)

Forest - the verdict

Nationally, Forest sits in the 21st percentile for household income and the 43rd percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

21st
percentile, household income
20th
percentile, home value
10th
percentile, median rent
43rd
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Forest, MS

5,365 people live in Forest, Mississippi - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $51,082 per year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 20.6%. Forest's housing stock carries a median value of $129,100, and the median resident age is 38.2 years. 14.7% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 49.2% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 8 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Building Boom), up 167% from five years earlier. Forest reports a comparatively low crime rate: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 1586.4 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, below the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA puts Forest's yearly average temperature at 63.3°F.

Living costs in Mississippi run below the national norm: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Mississippi scores 87.0 (Well Below Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $952 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $223 across Mississippi, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 55.9 out of 100 (Moderate).

Population

5,365 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Mississippi

Median Household Income

$51,082 /yr

Poverty 20.6%

Cost of Living Index (state)

87.0 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Mississippi average

How does Forest compare to other US cities?

Forest measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 21% higher than other cities
Home value 20% pricier than other cities
Median rent 10% pricier than other cities
Safety 43% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

Zoom in to just Mississippi and the picture shifts: Forest ranks #27 of 56 Mississippi cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Forest's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Mississippi, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

21stIncome percentile
43rdSafety percentile

21st percentile nationally for median household income · 43rd percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Forest's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Forest's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 50 Avg. percentile National median
Forest's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Forest's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$129,100 Among the most affordable more affordable than 80% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Forest $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Forest, MS Forest, MS's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Forest, MS-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Forest, MS median $51,082/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Forest, MS's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Forest, MS. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 14.7%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 20.6%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 49.2%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
5,365
Median Income
$51,082
Median Home Value
$129,100
Median Age
38.2
Poverty Rate
20.6%
Labor force participation
49.2%
Bachelor's Degree+
14.7%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1586.4
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
707.2
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
879.2
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
63.3°F
Annual Precipitation
N/A
Annual Snowfall
N/A

Schools

Total Schools
4
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
5,300 residents5,350 residents5,400 residents5,450 residents 202020212022202320242025 5,425 residents 5,433 residents ▲ +0.1%
Forest's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
8
housing units authorized
Single-Family
6
detached homes
Multifamily
2
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1.5
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 3
2020 10
2021 2
2022 3
2023 32
2024 8

Permit volume increased 167% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
74.6%
Carpool
11.7%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
10.4%
Work from Home
0.0%
Other
3.3%

Based on 1,976 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Mississippi - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$135
avg/month
Natural Gas
$50
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$38
avg/month
Total Utilities
$223
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Mississippi state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Mississippi state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Forest sits in

Cost of Living Index
87.0
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$952/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
55.9 / 100
Moderate
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Mississippi

Ripley
5,415 people
Vancleave
5,196 people
Leakesville
5,564 people
Pontotoc
5,717 people
Saltillo
4,962 people
Columbia
5,804 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Forest's 5,365 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Oak Hill, ME
5,365 people
Clarinda, IA
5,366 people
St. Martinville, LA
5,367 people
Glendora, NJ
5,367 people
Balm, FL
5,362 people
Iola, KS
5,368 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Forest's $51,082 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Chouteau, OK
$51,081 median income
Odessa, WA
$51,083 median income
Dinosaur, CO
$51,086 median income
Belmont, NH
$51,086 median income
Orange City, FL
$51,077 median income
Junction City, OH
$51,087 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Forest, MS Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Forest, MS - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 37.8% 42.3% 12.1% 7.8% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 29.2% White 37.8% Black or African American 42.3% Asian 0.0% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 12.1% Two or more races 7.8% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Forest compares to nearby Mississippi cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Forest (this city) 5,365 $51,082
Ripley 5,415 $56,641
Vancleave 5,196 $71,000
Leakesville 5,564 $65,745
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MS FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Forest, MS?

What is the population of Forest, MS? +

Forest, MS counts 5,365 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Forest, MS? +

The median household income in Forest is $51,082 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Forest? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Forest; the closest available measure is the Mississippi state average, a cost of living index of 87.0 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Mississippi vary by metro area.

Is Forest, MS safe? +

Forest has a total crime rate of 1586.4 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Forest, MS? +

A typical home in Forest is worth $129,100, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Forest? +

Forest has an average annual temperature of 63.3°F. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.