The Town FilesRawls Springs, Mississippi
Community in Forrest County · population 1,202 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $88,900
- Household income
- $47,022
- Jan low / Jul high
- 38° / 91°
- Snow a year
- 1 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 48
- Median age
- 38.8
Rawls Springs is a community of 1,202 people in Forrest County, Mississippi. The median home is worth $88,900, below the typical Mississippi town ($124,700). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 97% of Mississippi towns, better for young professionals than 93% of Mississippi towns, more of a college town than 76% of Mississippi towns.
How Rawls Springs ranks
Percentile among Mississippi towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Mississippi towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Rawls Springs is worth $88,900, below the typical Mississippi town ($124,700). Homes cost about 1.9 times the median household income of $47,022, which is more affordable than 90% of Mississippi towns. Median rent is $1,066 a month. 65.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Rawls Springs | Typical Mississippi town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $88,900 | $124,700 |
| Median rent | $1,066 | $820 |
| Median household income | $47,022 | $45,965 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.9× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 65.3% | 65.3% |
| Median year built | 1991 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Rawls Springs
| People | Rawls Springs | Typical Mississippi town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.8 | 37.3 |
| Age 65 and over | 8.6% | 16.6% |
| Under 18 | 21.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 10.2% | 19.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.3% | 22.9% |
| Veterans | 1.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.2% | — |
| Work from home | 10.1% | 4.0% |
| Average commute | 33.8 min | 23.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 97.2% | 83.3% |
Weather in Rawls Springs
July highs average 91.2°F and January lows 37.8°F. About 64.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.7 inches of snow (typical Mississippi town: 0.5 in). Expect about 85 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 32 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
48 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rawls Springs since 1950, compared with 31 for the typical Mississippi town. 14 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF4, struck on February 10, 2013 about 4.8 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 4 deaths and 158 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on March 11, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 77 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on March 18, 1996.
Severe weather in Forrest County since 1996
Forrest County has been included in 32 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| February 6, 2026 | Winter Storm | DR-4899: Severe Winter Storm |
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3640: Severe Winter Storm |
| October 22, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4626: Hurricane Ida |
| August 28, 2021 | Hurricane | EM-3569: Hurricane Ida |
| October 28, 2020 | Hurricane | EM-3550: Hurricane Zeta |
Jobs and pay in Forrest County
Forrest County had 39,390 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $51,547 a year. Unemployment was 3% in 2023; in Rawls Springs itself the ACS puts it at 2.9%.
Towns near Rawls Springs
- Arnold Line, MS3.2 mi · 2,333 people · home $157,900
- Glendale, MS4.7 mi · 1,681 people · home $158,400
- West Hattiesburg, MS5.1 mi · 6,006 people · home $213,700
- Hattiesburg, MS6.7 mi · 48,730 people · home $165,900
- Oak Grove, MS6.9 mi · 1,758 people · home $221,700
- Petal, MS9.3 mi · 11,010 people · home $174,900
- Sumrall, MS9.4 mi · 1,765 people · home $206,800
- Purvis, MS16.4 mi · 1,909 people · home $168,100
Rawls Springs questions
Is Rawls Springs, Mississippi a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Rawls Springs scores better for retirees than 69% of Mississippi towns and quieter than 30%. 8.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.8).
How much does a house cost in Rawls Springs?
The median owner-occupied home in Rawls Springs is valued at $88,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $47,022, so homes cost about 1.9 times income. Median rent is $1,066 a month.
What is the weather like in Rawls Springs?
July highs average 91.2°F and January lows 37.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 64.4 inches of precipitation a year and 0.7 inches of snow.
Does Rawls Springs get tornadoes?
48 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rawls Springs since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF4 on February 10, 2013. The typical Mississippi town has had 31.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)