Ocean Springs receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Bay St. Louis
Ocean Springs
Opportunity
70 · Top 23%
vs67 · Top 27%
Growth
67 · Top 21%
vs68 · Top 20%
Climate
78 · Top 20%
vs78 · Top 21%
Physical resilience
25 · Bottom 21%
vs29 · Bottom 23%
Housing affordability
84 · Top 45%
vs92 · Top 28%
Schools
62 · Top 36%
vs80 · Top 14%
Access
97 · Top 29%
vs79 · Bottom 21%
Economic stability
35 · Bottom 11%
vs65 · Top 40%
Measured values
| Metric | Bay St. Louis | Ocean Springs | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,188 | 18,646 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $67,442 | $79,712 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $55,519 | $45,853 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 693/sq mi | 1,614/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $260,200 | $259,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,179 | $1,358 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 76.7% | 68.7% | 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 | 38.3% | 46.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.5% | 5.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 68 | 93 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 6.7 | 5.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 7.9% | -5.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 42°F | 41°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 62.8" | 61.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 6 mi | 38 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.3 min | 26.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 53.3 | 43.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 11 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.86 | 15.01 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 43.9% | 55.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 43.1% | 55.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 71.0% | 44.5% | 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
Bay St. Louis
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, coastal flooding.
Ocean Springs
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, coastal flooding.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Bay St. Louis
65
Your Score
64
Area Score
Ocean Springs
70
Your Score
68
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Bay St. Louis, MS · Ocean Springs, MS · How this is calculated: methodology