Economic Development

Area Information

The Greater Hattiesburg MSA is comprised of Forrest, Lamar and Perry counties with a population base around 150,000. Greater Hattiesburg offers a pro-business environment and a superb quality of life. Greater Hattiesburg has grown in to a major retail, healthcare and education hub for South Mississippi. The City of Hattiesburg second in the state in retail sales.  Our region has over 8,000 employed in the healthcare sector and nearly 28,000 college students in a 30 mile radius of Hattiesburg.

Because of its strategic location, Greater Hattiesburg has historically been referred to as the “Hub City.” This name evolved due to the road and rail network connecting Hattiesburg to Gulfport/Biloxi, Jackson, Mobile and New Orleans. Hattiesburg is also within two hours of three major deepwater ports in New Orleans, Gulfport, and Mobile. Three Class I railroads including Norfolk Southern, Canadian National, and Kansas City Southern (KCS) traverse our region. With Interstate 59 and Highways 49 and 98 intersecting in Hattiesburg there is no mystery as to why Hattiesburg is often referred to as the Hub City.