Gautier receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Gulfport
Gautier
Opportunity
56 · Top 50%
vs58 · Top 47%
Growth
71 · Top 16%
vs80 · Top 5%
Climate
78 · Top 20%
vs78 · Top 21%
Physical resilience
23 · Bottom 18%
vs29 · Bottom 23%
Housing affordability
76 · Bottom 42%
vs95 · Top 20%
Schools
61 · Top 37%
vs65 · Top 33%
Access
88 · Bottom 38%
vs83 · Bottom 26%
Economic stability
32 · Bottom 9%
vs46 · Bottom 26%
Measured values
| Metric | Gulfport | Gautier | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 73,003 | 19,046 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $49,919 | $61,926 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $30,378 | $34,049 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,312/sq mi | 629/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $174,600 | $166,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,086 | $1,040 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 55.1% | 66.8% | 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 | 23.6% | 22.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 22.8% | 17.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,113 | 241 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 15.2 | 12.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -0.9% | 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 | 23 mi | 32 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.0 min | 25.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.0 | 37.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 26 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.79 | 12.52 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 41.0% | 37.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 43.2% | 43.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 86.5% | 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
Gulfport
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, coastal flooding.
Gautier
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, coastal flooding.
Full profiles: Gulfport, MS · Gautier, MS · How this is calculated: methodology