Can I use Forrest County's school score to choose a house?

No. Use the Forrest County school score as a first-pass county screen, then verify the exact district, attendance boundary, transfer rules, and grade pathway for any address you are considering.

Does SchoolsByCounty confirm school attendance boundaries in Forrest County?

No. SchoolsByCounty publishes NCES and Census-backed public-school records. Attendance zones, magnet eligibility, charter lotteries, transportation, and transfer rules must be confirmed with local districts.

How should parents compare public schools in Forrest County?

Start with the 21 listed public schools and 4 district entries, then compare similar grade bands and confirm the address-level rules locally.

Forrest County Schools & Education

Name: Forrest County, Mississippi Education Data
Creator: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

Forrest County, Mississippi

NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance data

School Score

28/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Lower Signal

Graduation Rate

87.7%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

87.7%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 87.1%

Per-Pupil Spending

$6,169

National avg $13,239

State avg $5,954

School Score

28/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 27/100

State Score Position

#35

of 81 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Forrest County

Measured School Summary

Forrest County faces educational challenges with a school score of 28/100 and a graduation rate of 87.7%, falling below typical benchmarks.

Funding Context

At $6,169 per pupil, Forrest County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 3% above the Mississippi average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 0.6 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 4% higher than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Forrest County before comparing districts

County-level education data is best used as a screening layer. It summarizes the local school environment, then points you toward the district and school records that matter for local review.

Local context that changes the interpretation

21 public schools and 4 districts are represented below. Use those school and district records to confirm whether the county-level context fits the neighborhoods you are actually considering.

Overall screen

28/100

Lower measured signal. Ranks #35 of 81 Mississippi counties with school score data.

Completion

87.7%

0.6 pts above the state average

Funding context

$6,169

$215 above the state average

School coverage

4 districts represented in the county school list.

Start with measured county context

The county-level signal is lower, so review individual schools and local records before interpreting the score. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.

Check the local school mix

Forrest County has 21 public schools across 4 districts, so school-level fit can vary inside the county.

Verify local rules

Use this page as county-level context, then confirm attendance zones, transportation, special programs, and current school boundaries with local districts.

View Public Schools Compare Counties

Parent decision brief

What Forrest County school data means before you move

County averages are useful for screening, but parents choose addresses, grade pathways, and district rules. This brief turns the public data into the checks that matter before you sign a lease or mortgage.

Review-carefully county

Forrest County has a lower measured county-level school signal. Use the school table to look for specific districts or grade bands that may differ from the county average.

State position

#35

of 81 Mississippi counties with school score data. The county score is roughly in line with the state average.

Data confidence

Usable

3 of 5 county signals are present, and 100% of listed schools report enrollment. Compare schools, then verify missing fields locally.

K-12 continuity check

These are the largest visible district slices in the county data. They show whether elementary, middle, and high school records appear together or whether a family needs to investigate transition points.

PETAL SCHOOL DIST

Elementary to high school visible

4,392 students

Elementary 2Middle 2High 1Other 0

5 listed schools in this county slice.

HATTIESBURG PUBLIC SCHOOL DIST

Elementary to high school visible

3,667 students

Elementary 5Middle 2High 1Other 1

9 listed schools in this county slice.

FORREST COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT

Elementary and high visible

2,129 students

Elementary 5Middle 0High 1Other 0

6 listed schools in this county slice.

FORREST COUNTY AG HIGH SCHOOL

High school only in this slice

611 students

Elementary 0Middle 0High 1Other 0

1 listed school in this county slice.

District reality check

HATTIESBURG PUBLIC SCHOOL DIST is the largest listed district slice, with 9 schools. County pages do not prove address assignment, so verify boundaries with local district tools.

What the data cannot tell you

NCES records do not confirm current attendance zones, private-school options, transfer approvals, program capacity, transportation, or whether a listed school is available to a specific address.

Questions to ask before choosing an address

Which district actually serves the addresses we are considering in Forrest County?

Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Forrest County district systems?

What changes at the elementary-to-middle and middle-to-high transitions in the district pathway we would likely use?

If we need a program not visible in the NCES flags, which district office can confirm current offerings?

Are the largest listed schools the ones our address can actually attend, or are they only county-level context?

Data Story

Four School Districts Serve 21 Schools in Forrest County

Education data brief for Forrest County, Mississippi.

By Evan Brooks, Data EditorPublished Jul 7, 2026Reviewed by Evan Brooks, Data Editor

Lead metric:District structure

Forrest County is characterized by a fragmented district structure, with four separate school districts managing 21 public schools. This includes the Hattiesburg Public School District with nine schools and the Petal School District with five schools. The total enrollment for the county stands at 10,799 students, with Petal High School serving as the largest institution with 1,288 students. The county maintains a graduation rate of 87.7%, which is slightly higher than the state average of 87.1% and the national average of 87.0%. Per-pupil expenditure is $6,169, which is more than $200 above the state average of $5,954 but significantly lower than the national average of $13,000. The composite school score of 27.8 is nearly aligned with the state average of 26.9 but trails the national median of 50.0. Schools are distributed across city, suburban, and rural locales. Consult the NCES Common Core of Data for school-level records.

Sources

NCES Common Core of Data
U.S. Census Bureau ACS

School Overview

Total Schools

in Forrest County

Reported Enrollment

10,799

21 schools reporting

School Districts

districts

Charter Schools

0% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary12

Middle4

High4

Other1

4 School Districts in Forrest County

PETAL SCHOOL DIST

HATTIESBURG PUBLIC SCHOOL DIST

FORREST COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT

6 schools

2,129 students

FORREST COUNTY AG HIGH SCHOOL

1 school

611 students

21 Public Schools in Forrest County

Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 3 high-enrollment schools; every NCES public school remains listed here.

NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance data

Search schools

Level

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Showing 20 of 21 matching schools

Public schools in Forrest County, including district, location, profile availability, grades, type, and enrollment.
School Name	Profile	District	Location	Grades	Type / Flags	Reported Enrollment
PETAL HIGH SCHOOL	Profile	PETAL SCHOOL DIST	PETAL, 39465Suburb: Small	9–12	High	1,288
PETAL PRIMARY SCHOOL	Profile	PETAL SCHOOL DIST	Petal, 39465Suburb: Small	PK–2	Primary	1,096
HATTIESBURG HIGH SCHOOL	Profile	HATTIESBURG PUBLIC SCHOOL DIST	HATTIESBURG, 39401City: Small	9–12	High	964
PETAL MIDDLE SCHOOL	Record	PETAL SCHOOL DIST	PETAL, 39465Suburb: Small	7–8	Middle	745
PETAL ELEMENTARY	Record	PETAL SCHOOL DIST	Petal, 39465Suburb: Small	3–4	Primary	634
PETAL UPPER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL	Record	PETAL SCHOOL DIST	PETAL, 39465Suburb: Small	5–6	Middle	629
FORREST COUNTY AGRICULTURAL HI SCH	Record	FORREST COUNTY AG HIGH SCHOOL	Brooklyn, 39425Rural: Distant	9–12	High	611
SOUTH FORREST ATTENDANCE CENTER	Record	FORREST COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT	Brooklyn, 39425Rural: Distant	PK–8	Primary	583
THAMES ELEMENTARY SCHOOL	Record	HATTIESBURG PUBLIC SCHOOL DIST	HATTIESBURG, 39402City: Small	PK–5	Primary	532
N R BURGER MIDDLE SCHOOL	Record	HATTIESBURG PUBLIC SCHOOL DIST	HATTIESBURG, 39401City: Small	7–8	Middle	529
DIXIE ATTENDANCE CENTER	Record	FORREST COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT	Hattiesburg, 39401Rural: Fringe	PK–8	Primary	498
WOODLEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL	Record	HATTIESBURG PUBLIC SCHOOL DIST	HATTIESBURG, 39401City: Small	PK–5	Primary	402
ROWAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL	Record	HATTIESBURG PUBLIC SCHOOL DIST	HATTIESBURG, 39401City: Small	PK–5	Primary	349
NORTH FORREST HIGH SCHOOL	Record	FORREST COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT	Hattiesburg, 39401Rural: Fringe	7–12	High	342
GRACE CHRISTIAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL	Record	HATTIESBURG PUBLIC SCHOOL DIST	HATTIESBURG, 39401City: Small	PK–5	Primary	318
HAWKINS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL	Record	HATTIESBURG PUBLIC SCHOOL DIST	HATTIESBURG, 39401City: Small	PK–5	Primary	298
HATTIESBURG STEAM ACADEMY	Record	HATTIESBURG PUBLIC SCHOOL DIST	Hattiesburg, 39401City: Small	6	Middle	275
EARL TRAVILLION ATTENDANCE CENTER	Record	FORREST COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT	Hattiesburg, 39401City: Small	KG–8	Primary	263
NORTH FORREST ATTENDANCE CENTER	Record	FORREST COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT	Hattiesburg, 39401Rural: Fringe	KG–6	Primary	225
RAWLS SPRINGS ATTENDANCE CENTER	Record	FORREST COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT	Hattiesburg, 39402Suburb: Small	PK–6	Primary	218

PETAL HIGH SCHOOL

PETAL SCHOOL DIST

PETAL, 39465 / Suburb: Small

Profile9–12High1,288 students

PETAL PRIMARY SCHOOL

PETAL SCHOOL DIST

Petal, 39465 / Suburb: Small

ProfilePK–2Primary1,096 students

HATTIESBURG HIGH SCHOOL

HATTIESBURG PUBLIC SCHOOL DIST

HATTIESBURG, 39401 / City: Small

Profile9–12High964 students

PETAL MIDDLE SCHOOL

PETAL SCHOOL DIST

PETAL, 39465 / Suburb: Small

Record7–8Middle745 students

PETAL ELEMENTARY

PETAL SCHOOL DIST

Petal, 39465 / Suburb: Small

Record3–4Primary634 students

PETAL UPPER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

PETAL SCHOOL DIST

PETAL, 39465 / Suburb: Small

Record5–6Middle629 students

FORREST COUNTY AGRICULTURAL HI SCH

FORREST COUNTY AG HIGH SCHOOL

Brooklyn, 39425 / Rural: Distant

Record9–12High611 students

SOUTH FORREST ATTENDANCE CENTER

FORREST COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT

Brooklyn, 39425 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–8Primary583 students

THAMES ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

HATTIESBURG PUBLIC SCHOOL DIST

HATTIESBURG, 39402 / City: Small

RecordPK–5Primary532 students

N R BURGER MIDDLE SCHOOL

HATTIESBURG PUBLIC SCHOOL DIST

HATTIESBURG, 39401 / City: Small

Record7–8Middle529 students

DIXIE ATTENDANCE CENTER

FORREST COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT

Hattiesburg, 39401 / Rural: Fringe

RecordPK–8Primary498 students

WOODLEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

HATTIESBURG PUBLIC SCHOOL DIST

HATTIESBURG, 39401 / City: Small

RecordPK–5Primary402 students

ROWAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

HATTIESBURG PUBLIC SCHOOL DIST

HATTIESBURG, 39401 / City: Small

RecordPK–5Primary349 students

NORTH FORREST HIGH SCHOOL

FORREST COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT

Hattiesburg, 39401 / Rural: Fringe

Record7–12High342 students

GRACE CHRISTIAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

HATTIESBURG PUBLIC SCHOOL DIST

HATTIESBURG, 39401 / City: Small

RecordPK–5Primary318 students

HAWKINS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

HATTIESBURG PUBLIC SCHOOL DIST

HATTIESBURG, 39401 / City: Small

RecordPK–5Primary298 students

HATTIESBURG STEAM ACADEMY

HATTIESBURG PUBLIC SCHOOL DIST

Hattiesburg, 39401 / City: Small

Record6Middle275 students

EARL TRAVILLION ATTENDANCE CENTER

FORREST COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT

Hattiesburg, 39401 / City: Small

RecordKG–8Primary263 students

NORTH FORREST ATTENDANCE CENTER

FORREST COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT

Hattiesburg, 39401 / Rural: Fringe

RecordKG–6Primary225 students

RAWLS SPRINGS ATTENDANCE CENTER

FORREST COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT

Hattiesburg, 39402 / Suburb: Small

RecordPK–6Primary218 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$6,169

State avg $5,954

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Forrest County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.

Open Compare

Browse Public Schools

See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.

View Schools

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Mississippi counties have the highest graduation rates?

Holmes County (97.0%), Montgomery County (97.0%), and Quitman County (97.0%) currently lead Mississippi among counties with available NCES four-year adjusted cohort graduation-rate data. This answer is generated from the same dataset used in the county table and can change when federal data refreshes.

What is per-pupil spending like in Mississippi?

Across Mississippi counties with available NCES district-finance data, average per-pupil spending is $5,954. The highest current county values are Choctaw County ($8,216), Kemper County ($7,706), and Franklin County ($7,289). Compare counties in the table before treating the statewide average as representative of a local district.

How should I read the school score in Forrest County?

Forrest County has a school score of 28/100, which is a lower measured signal in this county-level index. This score is calculated from available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance data, with school-level records shown separately below.

What is the graduation rate in Forrest County?

The high school graduation rate in Forrest County is 87.7%, which is above the national average of 87.5%. This figure is based on NCES district-level data for public high schools in the county.

How much does Forrest County spend per student?

Forrest County spends $6,169 per pupil annually on public education, based on NCES district finance data. Current operating spending per fall enrollment, including instruction, support services, administration, transportation, and operations. It excludes capital outlays and debt service in the SchoolsByCounty methodology.

Counties with Similar School Profile

Clarke County

Mississippi

0 pts

28/100

School score

Tunica County

Mississippi

+0 pts

28/100

School score

Claiborne County

Mississippi

+0 pts

28/100

School score

By Evan Brooks, Data EditorUpdated Jul 7, 2026Reviewed by Evan Brooks, Data Editor

Data Sources

Education data sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey. School scores are derived composite metrics based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance signals.

Data is informational only. Coverage varies by county and reporting year. Not for use as the sole basis for educational decisions.

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