PlainFoodAccess

County food-access profile · Mississippi

Forrest County, MS

Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of Forrest County residents. This profile covers who qualifies as a food desert here and the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context behind it, from the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) and the Census ACS (2024).

21.7%
low-access pop.
6
food-desert tracts
16.6%
on SNAP
78K
residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA 2019 Census ACS 2024 MS

The food-access picture

21.7% of Forrest County residents live in a low-access area, and 6 of its 17 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts.

7
low-access tracts
7K
food-desert residents
7.1%
households, no vehicle
21.0%
below poverty line

Low access = living more than 1 mile (urban) or 10 miles (rural) from the nearest supermarket. Food deserts add a low-income condition (USDA LILA, 1-and-10-mile measure).

USDA data puts Forrest County's low-access share at 21.7%, above the national share. 7 of the county's 17 census tracts are classified low-access, meaning residents there live far from a supermarket, an area covering about 16,244 people. 6 of those also meet the low-income condition that defines a food desert, home to roughly 6,761 low-income residents.

How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts

The USDA measures food access by distance to the nearest supermarket. A census tract is "low-access" when a meaningful share of residents live more than one mile from a supermarket in urban areas, or more than ten miles in rural areas. A tract becomes a "food desert" only when it is both low-access and low-income, because distance is far harder to overcome for households without a car or a cushion in the budget. Counts on this page are aggregated from the tract level, where the federal data is actually published, so a single county figure can hide neighbourhoods that are much better or much worse served than the average. Distance also does not capture everything that shapes whether a family eats well: the presence of a full-service grocer rather than a convenience store, public transit, food pantries, and the price and quality of what is on the shelf all matter beyond the radius the Atlas can draw.

How Forrest County compares nationally

Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, Forrest County's 21.7% low-access share is elevated, higher than 50% of them and ranked #1,553 most-affected nationwide.

lower low-accesshigher low-access

Forrest County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown

All 17 census tracts in Forrest County, grouped by USDA classification (see "How the USDA defines low-access and food-desert tracts" above for what each tier means).

Food access tier distribution for Forrest County, MS USDA-defined food-access tiers: 10 census tracts adequate (within distance threshold), 1 limited, 6 severe (low-income low-access food desert). Total 17 tracts evaluated. 10 tracts adequate (58.8%) 1 tracts limited (5.9%) 6 tracts severe / food desert (35.3%) Adequate 59% Limited 6% Severe 35% Food-access tier distribution: Forrest County, MS
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas 2019

Forrest County vs. other Mississippi counties

Share of the population living in low-access areas, compared with other counties in Mississippi

% low-access
Source USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas As of 2019 edition

Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)

USDA Food Access Research Atlas 2019 indicators for Forrest County
IndicatorValue
Census Tracts17
Atlas Population (2010 basis)74,934
Low-Access Tracts7
Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access)6
Low-Access Population16,244
Low-Access Share21.7%near the national average
Low-Income & Low-Access Population6,761

Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)

Census ACS 2024 demographic and SNAP data for Forrest County
IndicatorValue
Population78,272
Median Household Income$53,640
Poverty Rate21.0%above the national average
SNAP Households5,016
SNAP Participation Rate16.6%above the national average
Households Without a Vehicle7.1%below the national average
Group-Quarters Population5.6%
SNAP participation in Forrest County 16.6%

About 16.6% of Forrest County households receive SNAP, versus a U.S. county median in the 11–13% range (Census ACS).

What this means

  • 21.7% of residents are low-access, above the national share for U.S. counties.
  • 16.6% of households receive SNAP, the federal program that offsets food costs for 5,016 households here.
  • 7.1% of households have no vehicle, the hidden multiplier that turns distance into a real barrier.
  • 6 tracts meet the USDA food-desert threshold (low-income and low-access).

USDA low-access figures reflect the 2019 Atlas (2010 tract populations); socioeconomic context is the latest Census ACS 5-year (2024).

What the food-access data shows for Forrest County

above the national share

6 of Forrest County's 17 census tracts are USDA-designated food deserts, low-income areas where many residents also live far from a supermarket, about 35.3% of all its tracts.

A further 1 tract is low-access but not low-income, bringing the total low-access tract count to 7.

An estimated 16,244 residents, roughly 21.7% of the county's 2010 population, live in one of these low-access areas.

Of those, 6,761 are also low-income, the group most exposed to genuine food hardship, since limited transportation compounds a limited budget.

The remaining 10 tracts (58.8%) meet the USDA's adequate-access threshold.

SNAP retailers in Forrest County

Forrest County has 91 stores currently authorized to accept SNAP (EBT) benefits, across 8 store categories. Convenience Store lead with 35 locations (38% of the total), followed by combination grocery/other.

Convenience Store · 35

  • aaa ms llc, hattiesburg
  • b-kwik #15, hattiesburg
  • bonhomie grocery store, hattiesburg
  • brake time 405, hattiesburg
  • brake time 406, hattiesburg
  • circle k 2723385, hattiesburg
  • circle k 2723386, brooklyn
  • circle k 2723395, hattiesburg
  • clarks 50, hattiesburg
  • corner fuel center llc, hattiesburg
  • county line store and deli llc, lumberton
  • crossroad's grocery, petal
  • dabbs street center, hattiesburg
  • danny grocery & deli, hattiesburg
  • fat boys of main street, hattiesburg
  • franklin quick stop llc, hattiesburg
  • fuel express and food, hattiesburg
  • fuel time 12, hattiesburg
  • h k express mart, hattiesburg
  • hardy express food mart, hattiesburg
  • jr food mart 116, petal
  • los compadres meat market, hattiesburg
  • love's travel stop 565, hattiesburg
  • minit mart 17223, hattiesburg
  • minit mart 17233, petal
  • murphy express 8503, petal
  • petal food mart, petal
  • petal valero food mart, petal
  • plaza fiesta, hattiesburg
  • quick save, hattiesburg
  • qwick e mart inc, hattiesburg
  • racetrac 2653, hattiesburg
  • south pointe express mart 1, hattiesburg
  • sunny's express mart 4, hattiesburg
  • victoria's grocery, hattiesburg

Combination Grocery/Other · 31

  • cvs pharmacy 3124, hattiesburg
  • cvs pharmacy 5744, hattiesburg
  • dollar general 0884, petal
  • dollar general 1039, hattiesburg
  • dollar general 1717, hattiesburg
  • dollar general 18833, petal
  • dollar general 4111, hattiesburg
  • dollar general 6372, petal
  • dollar general 6986, hattiesburg
  • dollar general 9204, petal
  • dollartree 9827, hattiesburg
  • dollar general 12651, brooklyn
  • dollar general 13491, hattiesburg
  • dollar general 16015, hattiesburg
  • dollar general 18752, hattiesburg
  • dollar general 21324, petal
  • dollar general 22029, hattiesburg
  • dollar general 30182, hattiesburg
  • dollar general 8538, hattiesburg
  • dollar general store 17971, hattiesburg
  • dollar general store 17972, petal
  • dollar tree 2203, hattiesburg
  • dollar tree 345, hattiesburg
  • dollar tree 6992, petal
  • family dollar 10318, hattiesburg
  • family dollar store 1119, hattiesburg
  • family dollar store 3708, hattiesburg
  • family dollar store 5360, hattiesburg
  • strick's specialty meats, llc., hattiesburg
  • walgreen 10430, petal
  • walgreens 05307, hattiesburg

Supermarket · 9

  • aldi 82089, hattiesburg
  • corner market 6053, hattiesburg
  • corner market 6056, petal
  • corner market 6074, hattiesburg
  • corner market 6077, hattiesburg
  • corner market 6089, hattiesburg
  • lil' butcher shoppe, hattiesburg
  • sullivan's grocery 7, hattiesburg
  • winn dixie 2626, hattiesburg

Small Grocery Store · 6

  • 601 meats and more, hattiesburg
  • country tyme fruitstand 1, hattiesburg
  • eastside grocery, hattiesburg
  • golden eagle express #1, hattiesburg
  • mercadito real market 1, hattiesburg
  • tienda la bendicion#2 1, hattiesburg

Super Store · 5

  • sam's club 6503, hattiesburg
  • target store t-2055, hattiesburg
  • walmart 2717, hattiesburg
  • walmart 916, hattiesburg
  • walmart supercenter 887, petal

Medium Grocery Store · 3

  • compadres main st market #3, hattiesburg
  • los tres amigos 1, hattiesburg
  • tienda la fortuna, petal

Large Grocery Store · 1

  • e & b discount grocery, hattiesburg

Seafood Specialty · 1

  • triangle seafood & po boys, hattiesburg

Source: USDA SNAP Retailer Locator, currently authorized retailers.

Other Counties in Mississippi

Adams County
28.3% low-access · 16.5% SNAP
Alcorn County
18.9% low-access · 16.1% SNAP
Amite County
13.9% low-access · 15.2% SNAP
Attala County
27.1% low-access · 15.6% SNAP
Benton County
35.7% low-access · 17.2% SNAP
Bolivar County
50.9% low-access · 26.0% SNAP

Compare Forrest County vs Adams County → · All Mississippi counties →

Food access nationally, Mississippi in context

Forrest County sits inside Mississippi (ringed). Each state is colored by its population-weighted low-access share; click any state to compare.

AK 31 ME 13 VT 11 NH 28 WA 23 ID 26 MT 22 ND 29 MN 27 IL 20 WI 21 MI 23 NY 12 RI 24 MA 28 OR 17 NV 23 WY 30 SD 29 IA 20 IN 29 OH 25 PA 21 NJ 24 CT - CA 13 UT 24 CO 22 NE 22 MO 25 KY 20 WV 21 VA 20 MD 23 DE 27 AZ 27 NM 32 KS 26 AR 25 TN 27 NC 23 SC 29 DC 5 OK 25 LA 26 MS 26 AL 25 GA 31 HI 27 TX 25 FL 25

USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted · Census ACS 2024 context

Understand the Data

Frequently Asked Questions

What share of Forrest County has low food access? ▼
21.7% of residents in Forrest County, MS live in low-access areas, more than 1 mile (urban) or 10 miles (rural) from the nearest supermarket, per the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019).
What is the SNAP participation rate in Forrest County? ▼
16.6% of households in Forrest County receive SNAP, covering 5,016 households (Census ACS 2024 5-year estimates).
What is the poverty rate in Forrest County? ▼
The poverty rate in Forrest County, MS is 21.0%, with a median household income of $53,640 (Census ACS 2024).
Is Forrest County a food desert? ▼
6 of Forrest County's 17 census tracts meet the USDA food-desert threshold (low-income and low-access). Food deserts are designated at the tract level, so conditions can vary within the county.
What share of Forrest County households lack a vehicle? ▼
7.1% of households in Forrest County have no vehicle available (Census ACS 2024), which compounds any distance to a supermarket.
Data Sources & Methodology

USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019): low-access and food-desert tract classifications, low-access population, and low-income low-access counts. ers.usda.gov/food-access-research-atlas

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2024 5-Year Estimates: population, median income, poverty, SNAP participation, vehicle access, and group quarters. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs

Low access is defined as living more than 1 mile (urban) or 10 miles (rural) from the nearest supermarket; a food desert adds a low-income condition. Read the full methodology →

Data current as of (most recent source-data vintage; figures reflect the 2019 USDA Atlas and 2024 Census ACS).

Note: This page presents public USDA and Census data for informational purposes and is not professional advice. Figures reflect the cited dataset vintages and may differ from the most recent local conditions. How this data is sourced & verified.