Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Forest, Mississippi
A $129,000 home here costs
$1,201per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $663. The real number is $538 higher every month — 81% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Forest against Scott County and Mississippi
| Measure | Forest | Scott County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $129,100 | $89,900 |
| Median property tax | $1,205 | $718 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.933% | 0.799% |
| Median gross rent | $695 | $888 |
| Population | 5,365 | 27,754 |
The weather behind that power bill
Forest sits in Scott County, which averages a high of 89.7°F in its hottest month and a low of 34.3°F in its coldest, with 58.22" of precipitation a year and 30% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,910 cooling and 2,532 heating degree days, which is what sets the $145 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Scott County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Scott County
Full Scott County cost breakdown · Every county in Mississippi
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Forest?
A $129,000 home in Forest, Mississippi costs approximately $1,201 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $663 principal and interest, $100 property tax, $117 homeowners insurance, $213 utilities and $108 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Forest?
Forest has an effective property tax rate of 0.933%, based on a median home value of $129,100 and median real estate taxes of $1,205. That is higher than the Scott County average of 0.799%.
What is the average home price in Forest?
The median owner-occupied home value in Forest, Mississippi is $129,100, against $89,900 across Scott County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Forest?
Median gross rent in Forest is $695 a month, against $1,201 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Forest — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Mississippi.
- Electricity price — EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
- Mortgage rate — Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
- Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.