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Neighborhood report

Petal, MS

Forrest CountyElev. 48 m
Population
11,195
Median home
$161,400
Disaster risk
Relatively Low
Public schools
6
Sex offenders
1

Overview

About Petal

With about 11,195 residents, Petal is one of Mississippi's notable places. Petal sits in Forrest County. The median age is 37.2 and the median household income is $72,845. Homes carry a median value of $161,400, and about 72% of residents own where they live. White residents make up the largest share of the population (76.8%). Around 29% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the typical commute runs about 22 minutes.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (5-year).

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Who lives here

Demographics

Population
11,195
Median age
37.2
Median household income
$72,845
Per-capita income
$29,979
Poverty rate
13.3%
High-school grad or higher
90%
Bachelor's degree or higher
29.1%
Unemployment
5.7%
Avg. commute
21.6 min
Work from home
3.4%
Residents by race & ethnicity
White76.8%
Hispanic or Latino3.5%
Black16.6%
Asian0.2%
Workforce by occupation
Management, business, science & arts38.7%
Sales & office22.3%
Production, transportation & material moving16.6%
Service15.2%
Natural resources, construction & maintenance7.2%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (5-year).

Housing

Property report

Median home value
$161,400
Median gross rent
$958/mo
Owner-occupied
72.3%
Median year built
1975
Households
3,778
Avg. household size
2.94

Area-level figures. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS (5-year). Parcel-level records coming next.

Education

Schools

Schools: Below average

Petal has 6 public schools3 elementary, 2 middle, 1 high.

Student proficiency · grade 8, 5 schools
Reading11%
Math14%

% of students at or above proficient on state assessments.

PETAL HIGH SCHOOLHighGrades 912
PETAL MIDDLE SCHOOLMiddleGrades 78
PETAL UPPER ELEMENTARY SCHOOLMiddleGrades 56
PETAL ELEMENTARYElementaryGrades 34
PETAL PRIMARY SCHOOLElementaryGrades -12
RUNNELSTOWN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLElementary

Public schools + grade-8 proficiency. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education (NCES directory + EDFacts assessments), via Urban Institute.

Safety

Crime

violent crime86% below national
Petal53
Mississippi213
United States386
89% higher than 2019
20192023
property crime81% below national
Petal379
Mississippi1,667
United States1,952
34% lower than 2019
20192023

Rate per 100,000 residents/year, Petal Police Department, 2023. Source: FBI UCR/NIBRS (Crime Data Explorer).

Environment

Environmental hazards

Toxic-release sites and regulated facilities in and around Petal.

Data source being added: U.S. EPA — Toxics Release Inventory (public). We show real, sourced figures only — never estimates.

Risk

Natural disaster risk

Relatively Low
Top hazards · Forrest County
LightningRelatively High
Strong windRelatively High
TornadoRelatively High
HailRelatively Moderate
Heat waveRelatively Moderate
HurricaneRelatively Moderate

County-level natural-hazard risk. Source: FEMA National Risk Index.

Context

Neighborhood info

Petal is in Forrest County — see county-wide risk, demographics, and registry.

Petal sits in Forrest County. Elevation ~48 m.

Map of Petal
Petal, MS
Where Petal is
JacksonGulfportSouthavenHattiesburgBiloxiOlive BranchPetal
Notable people from Petal
Ray PerkinsNate RolisonDemarcus EvansTom WaltersJavon PattersonThomas F. Gibson
People searches in Petal
Michael Smith (2)John Smith (2)James SmithDavid SmithRobert SmithMichael JohnsonJohn JohnsonJames JohnsonMichael WilliamsWilliam SmithDavid JohnsonRobert JohnsonJohn WilliamsMichael BrownMichael JonesJames WilliamsDavid WilliamsJohn BrownRobert WilliamsJohn JonesWilliam JohnsonMary SmithJames BrownJames Jones
Nearby cities
Hattiesburg (6 mi)Laurel (25 mi)Picayune (62 mi)Gulfport (65 mi)Biloxi (66 mi)D'Iberville (66 mi)

Registered sex offenders in Petal, MS (1)

Public sex-offender registry records for Petal, Mississippi.

William E Moore Jr, 80
Petal · Forrest County · 39465
AKA Billy Moore

Source: Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Public Website (NSOPW) and state registries. Public record. This information is provided for public awareness. Using it to harass, threaten, or discriminate against any registrant, or for any purpose prohibited by law, is illegal. Verify against the official registry record before relying on it.

Common questions

Petal — frequently asked

What is the population of Petal, Mississippi?
Petal has a population of about 11,195, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (5-year).
What is the average home value in Petal?
The median home value in Petal is $161,400, and the median gross rent is $958/month (U.S. Census ACS).
Is Petal safe? What is the crime rate?
Petal Police Department reported a violent-crime rate of about 53 per 100,000 residents in 2023 — lower than the U.S. rate of 386. Source: FBI UCR/NIBRS.
What natural-disaster risks does Petal face?
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Forrest County as "Relatively Low" overall, with top hazards including lightning, strong wind, tornado.
How many schools are in Petal?
Petal has 6 public schools (3 elementary, 2 middle, 1 high). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education, NCES.
How many registered sex offenders are in Petal?
Public registry data lists 1 registered sex offenders in or near Petal. This is neighborhood-safety information from the public state registry.
Look up a person in Petal