Brandon receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Brandon
Clinton
Opportunity
72 · Top 19%
vs65 · Top 31%
Growth
83 · Top 3%
vs44 · Bottom 39%
Climate
76 · Top 26%
vs73 · Top 38%
Physical resilience
51 · Bottom 44%
vs35 · Bottom 27%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs100 · Top 9%
Schools
86 · Top 6%
vs78 · Top 17%
Access
90 · Bottom 44%
vs91 · Bottom 47%
Economic stability
65 · Top 40%
vs56 · Bottom 42%
Measured values
| Metric | Brandon | Clinton | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 25,542 | 27,195 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $92,783 | $74,745 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $40,305 | $37,526 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 995/sq mi | 650/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $278,900 | $225,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,382 | $1,118 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 78.3% | 68.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.0% | 3.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.9% | -1.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 41.3% | 47.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.5% | 9.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 262 | 38 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 10.3 | 1.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 227.5% | 46.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 92°F | 92°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 37°F | 38°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 57.3" | 51.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 5 mi | 16 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.0 min | 25.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.6 | 35.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 10 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.42 | 14.94 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 62.1% | 56.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 54.6% | 51.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 38.6% | 48.5% | 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
Brandon
Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado.
Clinton
Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado, strong wind.
Full profiles: Brandon, MS · Clinton, MS · How this is calculated: methodology