County FMR · HUD FY2026

Forrest County Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Forrest County, MS - 7% below the US average.

$888
1-bedroom FMR
$1,047
2-bedroom FMR
-6.7%
YoY change
-7%
vs US avg

The verdict

Forrest is the 15th most expensive of 82 counties in Mississippi by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #1,478 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has fallen 6.7% since FY 2025, a modest shift relative to most counties.

#1,478
most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
#15
most expensive of 82 in Mississippi (2BR)
+14%
vs the state average
$35,520
income to afford it (30% rule)

General and Operations Managers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (12.1%), while Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary spend the most (48.9%).

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Forrest County, MS. Verify with HUD →

HUD sets the FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent for Forrest County, Mississippi at $888 per month - the federal rental-assistance benchmark for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,047/mo and a studio is $766/mo. This is 7% lower than the national average of $959 and 14% above the Mississippi average of $782.

Rent decreased6.7% from FY 2025 ($952), declining against the trend. Under the 30% rule, affordability starts near $35,520/year for a 1-bedroom.

Observed renter burden: 46.6% of the 12,758 renter households counted by ACS paid at least 30% of income in gross rent. This ACS 2023 household measure is distinct from HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent benchmark above.

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Mississippi. Population: 77,917. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+3.3%, Census ACS). That's faster than Mississippi's statewide growth of -1.2% over the same period.

FMR filing desk

Area FORREST·COUNTY·MS·MS

Forrest County, MS: $888/mo 1BR · #1478 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026

  • FMR-AREA MS
  • 1BR-FMR $888
  • 2BR-FMR $1,047
  • RANK-MID #1,478
  • YOY-DOWN -6.7%
  • VSUS-NEAR -7%
  • VS-ST-HIGH +14% MS
  • INC-MID 20%
  • POP-MID 78K
  • PHOTO-NEAR Hinds County
  • VOUCH-90-110 $799–$977
  • FY-2026 FY2026

Photo-finish peer: Hinds ($209 1BR gap)

Read with: How Fair Market Rent works

Fair Market Rents (2026)

Studio
State avg: $751 · US avg: $893
$766/mo
↓ 10.0% YoY +2% vs state -14% vs US
1 Bedroom
State avg: $782 · US avg: $959
$888/mo
↓ 6.7% YoY +14% vs state -7% vs US
2 Bedroom
State avg: $924 · US avg: $1,175
$1,047/mo
↓ 8.4% YoY +13% vs state -11% vs US
3 Bedroom
State avg: $1,177 · US avg: $1,525
$1,348/mo
↓ 7.4% YoY +15% vs state -12% vs US
4 Bedroom
State avg: $1,295 · US avg: $1,756
$1,386/mo
↓ 8.5% YoY +7% vs state -21% vs US

Year-over-Year Comparison

Bedrooms FY 2025 FY 2026 Change
Studio $851
$766
$-85 (-10.0%)
1 Bedroom $952
$888
$-64 (-6.7%)
2 Bedroom $1,143
$1,047
$-96 (-8.4%)
3 Bedroom $1,456
$1,348
$-108 (-7.4%)
4 Bedroom $1,515
$1,386
$-129 (-8.5%)

Rent Burden Analysis

How much of household income goes to rent in Forrest County. The 30% threshold indicates cost burden.

Studio
17.4%
Affordable
Need $30,640/yr for 30% rule
1 Bedroom
20.2%
Affordable
Need $35,520/yr for 30% rule
2 Bedroom
23.8%
Affordable
Need $41,880/yr for 30% rule
3 Bedroom
30.6%
Burdened
Need $53,920/yr for 30% rule
4 Bedroom
31.5%
Burdened
Need $55,440/yr for 30% rule
How we calculate this

Rent burden = (FMR × 12) ÷ county median household income. Required income = (FMR × 12) ÷ 0.3, the federal 30%-of-gross-income rule HUD uses to define cost burden. Median household income is from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey; FMR is from HUD's FY2026 release. See methodology.

0%100%National avg22%23.8%
Forrest County 2-bedroom rent burden
County median income: $52,821 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View Mississippi rent burden →

Where Forrest sits among every US county

2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties

$1,047 higher than 53% of 3,145 counties

$600–$800: 23 counties (1%). Below this entry. $800–$1,000: 1,406 counties (45%). Below this entry. $1,000–$1,200: 723 counties (23%). This entry sits in this band. $1,200–$1,400: 417 counties (13%). Above this entry. $1,400–$1,600: 181 counties (6%). Above this entry. $1,600–$1,800: 172 counties (5%). Above this entry. $1,800–$2,000: 108 counties (3%). Above this entry. $2,000–$2,200: 29 counties (1%). Above this entry. $2,200–$2,400: 40 counties (1%). Above this entry. $2,400–$2,600: 13 counties (0%). Above this entry. $2,600–$2,800: 9 counties (0%). Above this entry. $2,800–$3,000: 15 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,000–$3,200: 3 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,200–$3,400: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,400–$3,600: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,600–$3,800: 3 counties (0%). Above this entry. $3,800–$4,000: 0 counties (0%). Above this entry. $4,000–$4,200: 0 counties (0%). Above this entry. $4,200–$4,400: 1 counties (0%). Above this entry. This county $600 $4,400 every US county, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $0.2K-wide band; taller bars hold more counties. 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. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rents · FY2026

How Forrest compares on 1-bedroom rent

1-bedroom FMR vs other Mississippi counties

1BR FMR / mo

What this shows Forrest is highlighted. Nearby Mississippi counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: DeSoto County ($1,154), Hinds County ($1,097), Rankin County ($1,097), Madison County ($1,097), Jackson County ($951), Harrison County ($923), Forrest County (this county) ($888).

Source U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) As of FY2026

Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?

How a 1-bedroom at $888/mo compares to Mississippi salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).

Occupation MS Salary Rent Burden Verdict
General & Operations Managers $88,290 12.1% Affordable
Software Developers $86,460 12.3% Affordable
Registered Nurses $74,470 14.3% Affordable
Accountants & Auditors $64,170 16.6% Affordable
Electricians $57,300 18.6% Affordable
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $50,700 21% Affordable
Elementary School Teachers $48,440 22% Affordable
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers $45,610 23.4% Affordable
Paralegals & Legal Assistants $39,120 27.2% Affordable
Pharmacy Technicians $38,210 27.9% Affordable
Customer Service Representatives $35,580 29.9% Affordable
Retail Salespersons $27,810 38.3% Stretched
Janitors & Cleaners $27,610 38.6% Stretched
Fast Food & Counter Workers $22,280 47.8% Stretched
Teaching Assistants $21,790 48.9% Stretched
Salaries: BLS OES (Mississippi) median · 30% = affordable threshold · Try the salary calculator →

Rent Trends (2020–2026)

7-year Fair Market Rent history for Forrest County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.

Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Forrest (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 30.6% overall, from $680 to $888. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +15.4% in FY 2024, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.

$600$700$800$900$1,000 FY2020FY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025FY2026 $888
Forrest County 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026
Year Studio 1 BR 2 BR
FY 2026 ↓6.7% $766 $888 $1,047
FY 2025 ↑5.1% $851 $952 $1,143
FY 2024 ↑15.4% $766 $906 $1,101
FY 2023 ↑8.6% $660 $785 $949
FY 2022 ↑1.0% $577 $723 $868
FY 2021 ↑5.3% $564 $716 $855
FY 2020 $538 $680 $825
Total change (6yr): +30.6%
Annualized: +4.5%/yr
1 BR: $680 → $888

Part of the Hattiesburg, MS Metro Area

Forrest County is a central county of the Hattiesburg, MS metropolitan statistical area, alongside 2 other metro-area counties.

Forrest County ranks #3 of 3 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Lamar County ($888), Perry County ($888), Forrest County (this county) ($888).

Lamar County
1 BR: $888/mo
Perry County
1 BR: $888/mo
Forrest County (this county)
1 BR: $888/mo

Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden

Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Forrest County, both outside Mississippi so the link neighborhoods are not the same-state geography lattice above. Axes stay disjoint: burden peers exclude the FMR peer set.

Similar 2-bedroom FMR

Nearest HUD 2BR Fair Market Rents outside MS (FY2026).

Cameron County
TX · 2 BR $1,047/mo
Baker County
OR · 2 BR $1,047/mo
Garfield County
WA · 2 BR $1,047/mo
Champaign County
OH · 2 BR $1,046/mo

Similar rent burden

Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside MS).

Hidalgo County
NM · 23.8% of income · 2 BR $973/mo
Fluvanna County
VA · 23.8% of income · 2 BR $1,824/mo
El Paso County
CO · 23.8% of income · 2 BR $1,735/mo
Nolan County
TX · 23.8% of income · 2 BR $995/mo

Nearby Counties in Mississippi

Largest counties by population in Mississippi

Showing the 8 largest of 81 other counties in Mississippi.

Hinds County
1 BR: $1,097/mo Pop: 226,541
Harrison County
1 BR: $923/mo Pop: 208,748
DeSoto County
1 BR: $1,154/mo Pop: 186,214
Rankin County
1 BR: $1,097/mo Pop: 157,185
Jackson County
1 BR: $951/mo Pop: 143,721
Madison County
1 BR: $1,097/mo Pop: 109,257
Lee County
1 BR: $852/mo Pop: 83,343
Lauderdale County
1 BR: $812/mo Pop: 72,741
View all counties in Mississippi →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average rent in Forrest County? ▼
The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Forrest County is $888 per month. A 2-bedroom is $1,047 and a studio is $766.
How does Forrest County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Rent in Forrest County is 7% below the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $888 compared to $959 nationally.
Where does Forrest County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
According to HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent schedule, Forrest County's 2-bedroom FMR of $1,047 ranks #1,478 most expensive among 3,145 HUD counties, placing it in the middle half of HUD counties.
What income do I need to afford rent in Forrest County? ▼
Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $35,520 ($2,960/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Forrest County.
Is rent going up or down in Forrest County? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Forrest County decreased by 6.7% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $952 to $888.
Which jobs can afford rent in Forrest County? ▼
Based on Mississippi BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like General and Operations Managers, Software Developers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $888/mo. 11 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.
How much has rent changed in Forrest County over time? ▼
The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Forrest County went from $680 in FY 2020 to $888 in FY 2026, a total change of +30.6% over 6 years.
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Forrest County? ▼
In Forrest County, the FY 2026 FMR of $888/mo for a 1-bedroom sets the baseline that local housing authorities use for Section 8 payment standards.
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Forrest County? ▼
For Forrest County, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($888/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).

Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau and HUD Fair Market Rents. Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.

All federal data sources used on this page
  • HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR) - county-level fair-market rent estimates by bedroom count. huduser.gov/datasets/fmr
  • HUD Income Limits - area median income for affordability calculations. huduser.gov/datasets/il
  • HUD Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS) - rent burden and housing-cost distribution. huduser.gov/datasets/cp
  • U.S. Census Bureau ACS - county and metro housing characteristics + median rent. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
  • BLS Consumer Price Index, Rent of Primary Residence - rent inflation by metro. bls.gov/cpi
  • IRS Migration Data (SOI) - interstate migration aggregates affecting county demand. irs.gov/statistics/migration
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics - state-level median wages by occupation, used for job affordability analysis. bls.gov/oes

Every figure on PlainRent is rendered directly from HUD's published Fair Market Rent records, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of FY 2026.