Home Insurance in Forrest County, Mississippi
With a median home value of $168,000, Forrest County is close to the Mississippi median.
The typical home in Forrest County was built around 1982. Older homes can cost more to insure or rebuild because of aging wiring, roofing and plumbing. About 21% of homes were built before 1960, about 6 points above Mississippi's 14%.
The housing stock in Forrest County is 64% single-family homes, 18% apartments in buildings with 5+ units and 10% mobile or manufactured homes. Mobile and manufactured homes typically need a manufactured-home (HO-7) policy rather than a standard homeowners policy.
About 54% of owner-occupied homes in Forrest County have a mortgage. Lenders require hazard (homeowners) insurance on any home carrying a mortgage.
The vacancy rate is 11%; vacant or unoccupied homes typically need a different coverage form than an owner-occupied policy. About 57% of occupied homes in Forrest County are owner-occupied.
Most homes in Forrest County - 68% - are primarily heated with electricity.
FEMA's National Risk Index lists tornado (Relatively High), strong wind (Relatively High) and hurricane (Relatively Moderate) as the leading hazards for Forrest County.
Standard homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage, so flood coverage needs a separate NFIP or private flood policy. As of September 2026, Forrest County has 588 active NFIP flood policies on file.
According to the NAIC homeowners insurance report (2023 data), a standard HO-3 homeowners policy in Mississippi carries a statewide average premium of $2,029 per year.
Key figures
| Median home value | $168,000 |
|---|---|
| Median year built | 1982 |
| Owner-occupied share | 57% |
| Share of owner-occupied homes with a mortgage | 54% |
| Top hazards (FEMA National Risk Index) | Tornado (Relatively High), Strong Wind (Relatively High), Hurricane (Relatively Moderate) |
| Active NFIP flood policies (county) | 588 |
| Home insurance premium | $2,029 - statewide average (NAIC, 2023 data) |
Towns and cities
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau Gazetteer Files (2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates (2024)
- FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025)
- FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Policies v3 (2026)
- NAIC Dwelling Fire, Homeowners Owner-Occupied, and Homeowners Tenant and Condominium/Cooperative Unit Owners Insurance: Data for 2023 (published 2026) (2023)