Signature · 6 LILA tracts (35.3% of tracts)
Forrest County, MS
Forrest County's signature pressure is desert tracts: 6 LILA tracts (35.3% of the book) alongside 21.7% low-access.
- 21.7%
- low-access pop.
- 6
- food-desert tracts
- 16.6%
- on SNAP
- 78K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County Forrest County, MS
LA-ELEVATED · PHOTO-FINISH · LILA-CLUSTER · SNAP-HEAVY · VEH-OK · DENSITY-DENSE
- LA-ELEVATED 21.7% low-access
- PHOTO-FINISH -0.4 pts vs US
- LILA-CLUSTER 6 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-HEAVY 16.6% SNAP
- VEH-OK 7.1% no vehicle
- DENSITY-DENSE 35% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Perry County (+ 0.1 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, Forrest County ranks #1,547 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #37 of 80 counties in MS (21.7% low-access; 6 food-desert tracts).
- #1,547
- national by low-access %
- #37
- in MS
- 7
- low-access tracts
- 7K
- food-desert residents
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).
Signature read: 6 LILA tracts (35.3% of tracts) .
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.
Forrest County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
17 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 6 LILA.
By USDA urbanicity classification, Forrest County has 13 urban and 4 rural census tracts. The 1-mile (urban) vs 10-mile (rural) distance threshold above applies per tract, so a county's access rate reflects this mix.
Forrest County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in Mississippi, not a full county-board reprint
- Quitman
Quitman 90.1%
90.1 % low-access
- Yalobusha 22.2
Yalobusha 22.2%
22.2 % low-access
- Perry 21.8
Perry 21.8%
21.8 % low-access
- Forrest 21.7
Forrest 21.7%
21.7 % low-access
- Montgomery 21.4
Montgomery 21.4%
21.4 % low-access
- Panola 21.3
Panola 21.3%
21.3 % low-access
- Covington 0
Covington 0%
0 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 17 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 74,934 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 7 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 6 |
| Low-Access Population | 16,244 |
| Low-Access Share | 21.7%near the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 6,761 |
Demographics & Assistance (Census ACS 2024)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 78,272 |
| Median Household Income | $53,640 |
| Poverty Rate | 21.0%above the national average |
| SNAP Households | 5,016 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 16.6%above the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 7.1%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 5.6% |
Thick SNAP store book 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 stores, a live third population, not the 2019 Atlas or ACS 2024 snapshot above).
Other Counties in Mississippi
One of 81 counties in Mississippi, 6 are shown here.
Compare Forrest County vs Adams County → · All Mississippi counties →
Nationwide peers for Forrest County's low-access or SNAP share
Two USDA/ACS-derived peer sets for Forrest County, both outside Mississippi so the neighborhoods are not the same-state county list above.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside MS (21.7% here).
- St. Mary's County, MD · 21.7% low-access
- St. Mary's County, MD · 21.7% low-access
- Allen County, KY · 21.7% low-access
- Allen County, KY · 21.7% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside MS (16.6% here).
- Newaygo County, MI · 16.6% SNAP
- Newaygo County, MI · 16.6% SNAP
- Essex County, MA · 16.6% SNAP
- Essex County, MA · 16.6% SNAP
Source: USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) + Census ACS 2024 SNAP. Peers floor at 10,000 residents so stub counties cannot own the match.
Food access nationally, Mississippi in context
Forrest County sits inside Mississippi (ringed). Each state is colored by population-weighted low-access; click any state to compare.
USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted · Census ACS 2024 context
Read with this county
Sources: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019) · U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2024 5-Year Estimates · methodology · compiled .
PlainFoodAccess renders this county profile directly from the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) and U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (2024 5-year estimates), no number is typed in by an editor. Figures for Forrest County, MS are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 28035. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-06-23. Primary sources: USDA Food Access Research Atlas and Census ACS 5-year estimates.
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.