The county economy from official statistics, with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Forrest County is a county of Mississippi with 78,272 residents. Its economy produced $4,841 million in 2024 (ranked #8 of 82 counties) and had 39,390 jobs with an average annual pay of $51,547 (#13 for pay). The unemployment rate was 3.0% in 2026M09. It is part of the Hattiesburg, MS metropolitan area (central county).
Forrest County produced about $4,841 million of goods and services in 2024, which is 3.1% of the combined output of the 82 counties of Mississippi that BEA reports (about 2.7% of the state's population lives here), and ranks it 8th of 82 on that measure. Per resident that is $61,855, 15% above the state average; the average for all counties of the state taken together is $53,683. In current dollars output grew 3.6% from 2023 to 2024, before adjusting for inflation.
BLS counts 39,390 jobs located in Forrest County on average in 2024, spread over 1,988 employer sites (about 20 jobs per site). That is 0.50 jobs for every resident, above the 0.29 of the typical county in Mississippi, which tells you whether the county is a place people mostly commute to for work or a place they commute from. The average annual pay per job was $51,547, 4% above the average of all counties in the state ($51,547 against $49,790). Average pay is total wages divided by jobs, so it is pulled up by high earners and counts part-time jobs as whole jobs; it is not the pay of a typical worker. The number of jobs fell 1.0% from 2023 to 2024.
The three largest private industries are health care and social assistance (19.2% of private jobs, $71,880 a year on average), accommodation and food services (15.2% of private jobs, $20,085 a year on average), retail trade (14.1% of private jobs, $37,612 a year on average). Together they hold 48.5% of private-sector jobs. Among industries with at least 3% of jobs, the best paying is management of companies at $82,822 a year, followed by health care and social assistance ($71,880). The county is specialised in an industry: utilities (3.6 times the US share, 536 jobs). A location quotient above 1 means an industry employs a larger share of workers here than in the whole country, so these are the industries where local employers compete hardest for skills. Several of the biggest employers pay well below the county average: accommodation and food services ($20,085), administrative and waste services ($31,870). Jobs there are plentiful but the pay is lower than the headline average suggests.
In 2026M09 the unemployment rate in Forrest County was 3.0%, 9% below the average of the state's counties (3.0% against 3.3%). The labour force (people working or looking for work) numbered 35,659. Over the last 12 months it ranged from 2.7% (2025M12) to 4.0% (2026M02); the latest month is preliminary and BLS revises it. These county rates are not seasonally adjusted, so compare the same month across years.
The median household income was $53,640 (ACS 2020–2024), 5% below the state median ($53,640 against $56,447). The guide covers 2 cities with this as the main county: Hattiesburg, Petal. Open any of them for rent, home values, commuting and climate. Within the county, median rent runs from $1,005 in Hattiesburg to $1,047 in Petal, so where you live matters as much as which county you pick.
Counties close to Forrest County in output are DeSoto County, Lee County, Lauderdale County, Lowndes County. Compare their jobs, pay and unemployment on their own pages.
| Measure ⇅ | Value ⇅ | Rank among the 82 counties of Mississippi ⇅ |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 78,272 | 8 of 82 |
| GDP 2024 | $4,841 million | 8 of 82 |
| GDP per resident | $61,855 | 12 of 82 |
| Jobs (QCEW 2024) | 39,390 | 8 of 82 |
| Average annual pay | $51,547 | 13 of 82 |
| Job change vs 2023 | -1.0% | 57 of 82 |
| Unemployment rate (lower is better) | 3.0% | 15 of 82 |
| Median household income | $53,640 | 24 of 82 |
Federal jobs in Mississippi (241) →All cities of MississippiState guide: Mississippi
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
Cities of this guide whose main county is Forrest County.
| City ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ | Median home value ⇅ | Bachelor's+ ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hattiesburg | 48,619 | $46,342 | $1,005 | $165,900 | 37.3% |
| Petal | 11,294 | $74,750 | $1,047 | $174,900 | 27.8% |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 5,444 | 19.2% | $71,880 | 0.96 |
| Accommodation and food services | 4,319 | 15.2% | $20,085 | 1.21 |
| Retail trade | 4,020 | 14.1% | $37,612 | 1.02 |
| Manufacturing | 3,610 | 12.7% | $57,688 | 1.12 |
| Administrative and waste services | 2,005 | 7.1% | $31,870 | 0.86 |
| Construction | 1,324 | 4.7% | $63,831 | 0.64 |
| Wholesale trade | 1,284 | 4.5% | $60,706 | 0.83 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 1,147 | 4.0% | $50,722 | 0.69 |
| Finance and insurance | 948 | 3.3% | $59,489 | 0.59 |
| Management of companies | 868 | 3.1% | $82,822 | 1.31 |
| Professional and technical services | 704 | 2.5% | $59,887 | 0.26 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 625 | 2.2% | $36,051 | 0.53 |
| Educational services | 591 | 2.1% | $55,356 | 0.73 |
| Utilities | 536 | 1.9% | $103,497 | 3.58 |
| Real estate and rental | 477 | 1.7% | $43,546 | 0.78 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 369 | 1.3% | $14,581 | 0.56 |
| Information | 154 | 0.5% | $58,309 | 0.21 |
A location quotient above 1 means the industry is more concentrated here than in the US. BLS withholds sectors with too few employers.
| Measure ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Labour force | 35,659 |
| Employed residents | 34,592 |
| Unemployed residents | 1,067 |
| Unemployment rate | 3.0% |
| Jobs located in the county (QCEW) | 39,390 |
| Employer sites | 1,988 |
Residents employed and jobs located here differ: many residents commute to other counties.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP 2024 ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Unemployment ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hinds County | 218,533 | $15,444 million | $70,672 | 109,172 | $59,413 | 3.5% |
| Harrison County | 210,891 | $12,822 million | $60,800 | 89,013 | $48,164 | 3.1% |
| DeSoto County | 191,301 | $9,783 million | $51,137 | 72,666 | $45,687 | 3.2% |
| Rankin County | 158,854 | $10,248 million | $64,513 | 67,059 | $52,290 | 2.5% |
| Jackson County | 145,249 | $10,873 million | $74,858 | 51,303 | $59,641 | 3.2% |
| Madison County | 111,647 | $9,943 million | $89,054 | 60,205 | $55,426 | 2.7% |
| Lee County | 83,034 | $6,477 million | $78,006 | 52,532 | $51,183 | 3.0% |
| Forrest County | 78,272 | $4,841 million | $61,855 | 39,390 | $51,547 | 3.0% |
| Lauderdale County | 71,504 | $4,841 million | $67,697 | 31,040 | $47,153 | 3.5% |
| Jones County | 66,472 | $3,600 million | $54,155 | 28,390 | $47,614 | 2.5% |
| Lamar County | 65,713 | $2,777 million | $42,258 | 20,129 | $44,276 | 2.9% |
| Lafayette County | 58,327 | $3,160 million | $54,180 | 25,442 | $50,652 | 2.4% |
| Lowndes County | 57,838 | $3,920 million | $67,769 | 25,486 | $56,640 | 3.6% |
| Pearl River County | 57,458 | $1,530 million | $26,627 | 11,629 | $41,138 | 3.2% |
| Oktibbeha County | 51,771 | $2,639 million | $50,974 | 20,428 | $47,613 | 3.2% |
| Hancock County | 46,167 | $2,271 million | $49,194 | 14,399 | $62,168 | 2.9% |
| Warren County | 43,020 | $3,581 million | $83,242 | 18,797 | $56,234 | 3.7% |
| Washington County | 42,765 | $1,776 million | $41,519 | 14,601 | $43,446 | 4.6% |
| Pike County | 39,602 | $1,554 million | $39,243 | 14,377 | $42,337 | 4.0% |
| Lincoln County | 34,877 | $1,635 million | $46,866 | 12,767 | $46,539 | 3.5% |
| Alcorn County | 34,289 | $1,661 million | $48,447 | 13,271 | $46,912 | 3.2% |
| Marshall County | 33,979 | $1,206 million | $35,489 | 11,291 | $48,645 | 3.9% |
| Monroe County | 33,747 | $1,315 million | $38,967 | 9,148 | $50,944 | 4.1% |
| Panola County | 32,808 | $1,416 million | $43,160 | 10,368 | $44,195 | 4.2% |
| Pontotoc County | 31,550 | $1,286 million | $40,752 | 11,759 | $41,725 | 3.4% |
| Bolivar County | 29,534 | $1,386 million | $46,913 | 10,569 | $44,457 | 4.2% |
| Neshoba County | 28,932 | $1,524 million | $52,680 | 12,095 | $47,469 | 2.8% |
| Adams County | 28,803 | $1,249 million | $43,347 | 10,115 | $41,978 | 4.9% |
| Tate County | 28,321 | $807 million | $28,486 | 6,361 | $43,656 | 3.2% |
| Union County | 28,122 | $1,471 million | $52,292 | 12,223 | $52,689 | 2.7% |
| Copiah County | 27,855 | $949 million | $34,051 | 6,434 | $40,976 | 3.7% |
| Scott County | 27,718 | $1,446 million | $52,186 | 13,546 | $45,025 | 2.8% |
| Leflore County | 27,141 | $1,453 million | $53,544 | 12,566 | $43,592 | 5.6% |
| Simpson County | 25,691 | $941 million | $36,631 | 7,683 | $37,183 | 3.1% |
| Prentiss County | 25,184 | $799 million | $31,740 | 7,229 | $41,780 | 3.2% |
| George County | 25,170 | $653 million | $25,928 | 5,243 | $41,438 | 4.2% |
| Yazoo County | 24,835 | $1,091 million | $43,921 | 6,234 | $52,788 | 4.2% |
| Sunflower County | 24,333 | $863 million | $35,453 | 8,222 | $41,018 | 4.4% |
| Marion County | 24,193 | $1,142 million | $47,199 | 8,318 | $49,025 | 3.6% |
| Itawamba County | 24,036 | $733 million | $30,495 | 6,000 | $42,652 | 3.1% |
| Tippah County | 21,523 | $899 million | $41,768 | 7,028 | $43,336 | 2.8% |
| Leake County | 21,319 | $897 million | $42,084 | 5,416 | $39,257 | 2.9% |
| Grenada County | 21,217 | $1,177 million | $55,457 | 9,340 | $44,437 | 4.0% |
| Newton County | 21,093 | $699 million | $33,157 | 5,127 | $41,490 | 3.4% |
| Coahoma County | 20,540 | $859 million | $41,838 | 6,216 | $44,691 | 6.0% |
| Wayne County | 19,718 | $906 million | $45,947 | 4,723 | $43,388 | 3.6% |
| Stone County | 18,894 | $565 million | $29,912 | 4,801 | $42,655 | 3.5% |
| Tishomingo County | 18,660 | $767 million | $41,112 | 6,121 | $46,591 | 3.3% |
| Clay County | 18,383 | $689 million | $37,455 | 6,531 | $44,617 | 3.9% |
| Covington County | 18,148 | $1,023 million | $56,367 | 5,783 | $44,659 | 3.5% |
| Winston County | 17,536 | $684 million | $38,983 | 5,065 | $49,215 | 3.4% |
| Attala County | 17,526 | $641 million | $36,559 | 4,510 | $42,951 | 3.3% |
| Chickasaw County | 16,915 | $574 million | $33,927 | 4,497 | $38,490 | 4.1% |
| Holmes County | 16,191 | $334 million | $20,640 | 2,999 | $41,381 | 5.6% |
| Jasper County | 16,059 | $656 million | $40,856 | 3,856 | $47,744 | 3.6% |
| Clarke County | 15,314 | $408 million | $26,664 | 2,987 | $42,027 | 3.6% |
| Smith County | 14,132 | $619 million | $43,828 | 2,675 | $48,765 | 3.3% |
| Walthall County | 13,839 | $383 million | $27,697 | 2,270 | $38,595 | 3.5% |
| Greene County | 13,615 | $230 million | $16,862 | 1,889 | $42,415 | 6.0% |
| Calhoun County | 12,922 | $378 million | $29,284 | 2,905 | $38,736 | 2.9% |
| Amite County | 12,565 | $389 million | $30,982 | 2,038 | $44,409 | 3.9% |
| Yalobusha County | 12,419 | $368 million | $29,607 | 2,657 | $42,381 | 3.5% |
| Lawrence County | 11,786 | $526 million | $44,670 | 2,700 | $54,759 | 3.4% |
| Tallahatchie County | 11,764 | $447 million | $37,968 | 2,724 | $46,126 | 2.9% |
| Perry County | 11,449 | $440 million | $38,403 | 2,098 | $47,298 | 3.7% |
| Jefferson Davis County | 11,117 | $264 million | $23,727 | 1,639 | $45,939 | 3.2% |
| Noxubee County | 10,025 | $346 million | $34,469 | 2,160 | $42,493 | 3.9% |
| Webster County | 9,972 | $255 million | $25,528 | 2,037 | $41,232 | 2.7% |
| Carroll County | 9,686 | $148 million | $15,234 | 1,042 | $41,525 | 4.0% |
| Montgomery County | 9,602 | $273 million | $28,391 | 2,432 | $41,697 | 3.5% |
| Tunica County | 9,475 | $731 million | $77,115 | 5,799 | $41,726 | 4.7% |
| Kemper County | 8,729 | $359 million | $41,097 | 1,775 | $43,014 | 4.2% |
| Claiborne County | 8,582 | $861 million | $100,298 | 3,256 | $69,263 | 6.8% |
| Wilkinson County | 8,162 | $201 million | $24,665 | 1,440 | $40,087 | 4.7% |
| Choctaw County | 8,118 | $834 million | $102,674 | 2,250 | $53,153 | 3.5% |
| Franklin County | 7,622 | $252 million | $33,073 | 1,556 | $47,487 | 3.9% |
| Benton County | 7,589 | $400 million | $52,656 | 1,038 | $46,416 | 3.5% |
| Humphreys County | 7,395 | $221 million | $29,870 | 1,922 | $37,163 | 5.4% |
| Jefferson County | 7,068 | $141 million | $20,005 | 953 | $43,225 | 8.3% |
| Quitman County | 5,774 | $119 million | $20,596 | 1,001 | $35,517 | 3.8% |
| Sharkey County | 3,872 | $107 million | $27,537 | 913 | $38,700 | 4.8% |
| Issaquena County | 928 | $23 million | $24,385 | 207 | $34,898 | 8.1% |
78,272 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024).
$4,841 million in 2024 (BEA, current dollars).
3.0% in 2026M09 (BLS, not seasonally adjusted; the latest month may be revised).
39,390 jobs on average in 2024 with an average annual pay of $51,547 (BLS QCEW).