39560 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
39520
39560
Opportunity
65 · Top 29%
vs65 · Top 29%
Growth
67 · Top 20%
vs70 · Top 16%
Climate
78 · Top 22%
vs78 · Top 20%
Physical resilience
25 · Bottom 21%
vs23 · Bottom 18%
Housing affordability
84 · Top 43%
vs92 · Top 27%
Schools
64 · Top 34%
vs73 · Top 22%
Access
97 · Top 32%
vs92 · Bottom 49%
Economic stability
32 · Bottom 11%
vs46 · Bottom 28%
Measured values
| Metric | 39520 | 39560 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 15,561 | 18,702 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $62,176 | $69,769 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $45,585 | $35,368 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 161/sq mi | 923/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $225,600 | $219,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,127 | $1,201 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 75.0% | 66.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.4% | 3.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.9% | -0.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30.8% | 34.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.5% | 12.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 68 | 135 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 6.7 | 7.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 7.9% | 37.8% | 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 | 17 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.0 min | 25.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 50.2 | 39.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 5 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.86 | 14.23 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 43.9% | 48.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 43.1% | 52.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 71.0% | 56.4% | 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.
39560
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, coastal flooding.
Full profiles: 39520 — Bay St. Louis, MS · 39560 — Long Beach, MS · How this is calculated: methodology