39520 and 39503 receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
39520
39503
Opportunity
65 · Top 29%
vs60 · Top 39%
Growth
67 · Top 20%
vs71 · Top 14%
Climate
78 · Top 22%
vs78 · Top 20%
Physical resilience
25 · Bottom 21%
vs23 · Bottom 18%
Housing affordability
84 · Top 43%
vs88 · Top 35%
Schools
64 · Top 34%
vs55 · Top 46%
Access
97 · Top 32%
vs91 · Bottom 43%
Economic stability
32 · Bottom 11%
vs46 · Bottom 28%
Measured values
| Metric | 39520 | 39503 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 15,561 | 55,059 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $62,176 | $62,641 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $45,585 | $33,645 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 161/sq mi | 482/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $225,600 | $203,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,127 | $1,140 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 75.0% | 70.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.4% | 3.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.9% | -0.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30.8% | 26.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.5% | 14.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 68 | 1,113 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 6.7 | 15.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 7.9% | -0.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 91°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 41°F | 42°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 61.9" | 62.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 7 mi | 20 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.0 min | 27.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 50.2 | 38.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 13 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.86 | 16.44 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 43.9% | 39.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 43.1% | 41.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 71.0% | 84.4% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
39520
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, coastal flooding.
39503
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, coastal flooding.
Full profiles: 39520 — Bay St. Louis, MS · 39503 — Gulfport, MS · How this is calculated: methodology