Forrest County, Mississippi

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 470 sqmi, of which 466 sqmi is land and 3.9 sqmi (0.8%) is water.

Major highways

• [[Image:I-59.svg|20px]] Interstate 59
• [[Image:US 11.svg|20px]] U.S. Highway 11
• [[Image:US 49.svg|20px]] U.S. Highway 49
• [[Image:US 98.svg|20px]] U.S. Highway 98
• [[Image:Circle sign 13.svg|20px]] Mississippi Highway 13
• [[Image:Circle sign 42.svg|20px]] Mississippi Highway 42

Adjacent counties

• Jones County (northeast)
• Perry County (east)
• Stone County (south)
• Pearl River County (southwest)
• Lamar County (west)
• Covington County (northwest)

National protected area

• De Soto National Forest (part)

Demographics

|align-fn=center 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2013

Racial and ethnic composition

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 78,158. The median age was 33.4 years. 21.7% of residents were under the age of 18 and 14.7% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 90.7 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 86.8 males age 18 and over.

The racial makeup of the county was 55.8% White, 36.2% Black or African American, 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% Asian,

65.4% of residents lived in urban areas, while 34.6% lived in rural areas.

There were 29,997 households in the county, of which 30.5% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 36.9% were married-couple households, 21.4% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 34.6% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 31.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 33,490 housing units, of which 10.4% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 55.9% were owner-occupied and 44.1% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.7% and the rental vacancy rate was 8.6%.

Communities

Cities

• Hattiesburg (county seat; small portion in Lamar County)
• Petal

Census-designated places

• Eastabuchie (located mostly in Jones County)
• Glendale
• Rawls Springs

Other unincorporated communities

• Brooklyn
• Carnes
• Eatonville
• Fruitland Park
• Maxie
• Maybank
• McLaurin
• Wallis

Ghost towns

• Riverside

Politics

Forrest County has not supported the National Democratic ticket for president since 1944, when it voted overwhelmingly for Franklin Roosevelt in his landslide record fourth term victory. That is the longest such streak of any county in the state. Only twice since then has it not voted Republican, in 1948 when it backed the States Rights ticket of Strom Thurmond and then-Mississippi Governor Fielding Wright, and in 1968 when it voted for George Wallace and Curtis LeMay.

Education

There are three school districts in the county: Forrest County Schools, Hattiesburg Public School District, and Petal School District.

Forrest County Agricultural High School is in the county.

The county is in the zone of Pearl River Community College.

References

References

1. "History". Forrest County, Mississippi.
2. "Census - Geography Profile: Forrest County, Mississippi". [[United States Census Bureau]].
3. "Find a County". National Association of Counties.
4. (August 22, 2012). "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau.
5. "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2024". United States Census Bureau.
6. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau.
7. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library.
8. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau.
9. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000". United States Census Bureau.
10. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau.
11. "Explore Census Data".
12. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)".
13. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)".
14. (2023). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)".
15. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".
16. "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Forrest County, MS". [[U.S. Census Bureau]].
17. "2014-2016 Catalog". Pearl River Community College.