Gautier receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Biloxi
Gautier
Opportunity
60 · Top 42%
vs58 · Top 47%
Growth
63 · Top 28%
vs80 · Top 5%
Climate
78 · Top 20%
vs78 · Top 21%
Physical resilience
23 · Bottom 18%
vs29 · Bottom 23%
Housing affordability
78 · Bottom 46%
vs95 · Top 20%
Schools
77 · Top 17%
vs65 · Top 33%
Access
83 · Bottom 27%
vs83 · Bottom 26%
Economic stability
46 · Bottom 25%
vs46 · Bottom 26%
Measured values
| Metric | Biloxi | Gautier | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 48,861 | 19,046 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $57,204 | $61,926 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $33,883 | $34,049 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,138/sq mi | 629/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $225,100 | $166,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,089 | $1,040 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 50.1% | 66.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 3.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.9% | -0.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30.6% | 22.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.4% | 17.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 394 | 241 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 8.1 | 12.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 10.4% | 234.7% | 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 | 31 mi | 32 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.1 min | 25.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.6 | 37.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 14 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.77 | 12.52 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 59.0% | 37.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 54.4% | 43.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 61.5% | 73.8% | 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
Biloxi
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, coastal flooding.
Gautier
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, coastal flooding.
Full profiles: Biloxi, MS · Gautier, MS · How this is calculated: methodology