Petal, MS: Population, ZIP Codes & Nearby Cities

Petal is a small incorporated city in Forrest County, Mississippi. In the dataset behind this page it has an estimated population of 10,632, sits at 31.348°N, 89.236°W, and observes Central time. Below you will find how it ranks inside Mississippi, which ZIP codes it uses, the closest places around it, and how far it is from major US cities.

What are the key facts about Petal, MS?

What is the population of Petal, MS?

Petal has an estimated population of 10,632. That makes it the 41st largest of the 361 places we list in Mississippi, and the 2nd largest of 4 places in Forrest County. The typical place in Mississippi has about 1,164 residents, so Petal is roughly 9.1 times the size of a typical neighbor in the state.

Estimates for places of this size carry wider margins of error than those for big cities, so treat the figure as a guide to scale. Our guide to understanding city population numbers explains why sources disagree.

Places in Mississippi with a similar population include Grenada (12,219), Brookhaven (11,947), Byram (11,428), West Point (10,404), Flowood (9,380). Comparing these pages is a quick way to see how Petal differs from communities of the same scale.

How dense is Petal?

Petal has about 632 people per square mile (244 per square kilometer), which we classify as small-town or exurban. Within Mississippi, it is denser than about 69% of the listed places. Homes at this level are spread out with larger lots, and most daily trips involve a car, though a small central area may still be walkable. Read how to interpret population density to see how we draw these lines.

What ZIP codes does Petal use?

The postal data lists a single ZIP code for Petal: 39465. A single code usually means a compact delivery area, but the same code may also serve addresses just outside the town line. Codes beginning with 3 are assigned to the Southeast (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi and Tennessee). Learn more in our guide to how ZIP codes work or check any code with the ZIP code lookup.

What time zone is Petal in?

Petal is in the Central time zone, which is UTC−6 from Coordinated Universal Time in standard time (IANA zone America/Chicago). The area observes daylight saving time, so clocks move forward in March and back in November. The nearest listed place in a different time zone is Columbus, GA, about 268 miles away, which gives a sense of how far the nearest zone boundary may be. Current local time: see the Central time hub. For the rules behind these zones, read US time zones explained.

Where is Petal located in Mississippi?

Petal lies in the southeastern part of Mississippi, at 31.348° north latitude and 89.236° west longitude. The state capital, Jackson, is about 88 miles to the northwest. The closest listed place in another state is Bogalusa, LA, roughly 54 miles to the southwest, which shows how near Petal is to a state line. For big-city services, the nearest place with more than 100,000 people is Gulfport, MS, 64 miles to the south.

Which cities are near Petal, MS?

The closest listed place to Petal is Hattiesburg, MS, 5.5 miles to the southwest. Of the eight nearest places below, 1 is in the same county. Distances are straight-line (great-circle) miles measured between place centers; see how distance is calculated.

Which county is Petal in?

Petal is in Forrest County, which has the Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) code 28035. The county contains 4 places in our data, 2 of which have their own page here and 2 smaller communities that appear only in county and state lists. Other places in the county include Hattiesburg (80,138), Glendale (2,155), Rawls Springs (1,047). Codes like this one help separate places that share a name; see the guide to counties and FIPS codes.

How far is Petal from major US cities?

Among six major hubs, Petal is closest to Atlanta, GA at about 326 miles and farthest from Los Angeles, CA at about 1,700 miles in a straight line. Road distances are usually 10 to 30 percent longer. Try the distance calculator for any other pair.

Are there other places called Petal?

No. In our data, Petal in Forrest County, Mississippi is the only place with this name, so the name alone is enough to identify it, though adding the state is still good practice in addresses and forms.

Planning a move to Petal?

If you are weighing Petal, start with the practical numbers: how far it is from where you live, whether it changes your time zone, and how its size and density compare with your current city. Use the distance calculator to measure the trip from where you live. The radius search tool lists every place within any distance of it. Our checklist for comparing cities explains what to check next.

Where to go next

Population and density come from a compiled dataset and are estimates. They may differ from official Census Bureau counts. Verify important figures at census.gov.