Gautier receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Gautier
Gulfport
Opportunity
58 · Top 47%
vs56 · Top 50%
Growth
80 · Top 5%
vs71 · Top 16%
Climate
78 · Top 21%
vs78 · Top 20%
Physical resilience
29 · Bottom 23%
vs23 · Bottom 18%
Housing affordability
95 · Top 20%
vs76 · Bottom 42%
Schools
65 · Top 33%
vs61 · Top 37%
Access
83 · Bottom 26%
vs88 · Bottom 38%
Economic stability
46 · Bottom 26%
vs32 · Bottom 9%
Measured values
| Metric | Gautier | Gulfport | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 19,046 | 73,003 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $61,926 | $49,919 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $34,049 | $30,378 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 629/sq mi | 1,312/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $166,400 | $174,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,040 | $1,086 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 66.8% | 55.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9% | 3.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.9% | -0.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.0% | 23.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 17.5% | 22.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 241 | 1,113 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 12.7 | 15.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 234.7% | -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 | 61.7" | 62.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 32 mi | 23 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.0 min | 23.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.9 | 38.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 26 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.52 | 14.79 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 37.6% | 41.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 43.4% | 43.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 73.8% | 86.5% | 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
Gautier
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, coastal flooding.
Gulfport
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, coastal flooding.
Full profiles: Gautier, MS · Gulfport, MS · How this is calculated: methodology