Petal receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Hattiesburg
Petal
Opportunity
47 · Bottom 30%
vs53 · Bottom 43%
Growth
39 · Bottom 31%
vs56 · Top 39%
Climate
77 · Top 24%
vs77 · Top 24%
Physical resilience
55 · Bottom 47%
vs48 · Bottom 39%
Housing affordability
75 · Bottom 41%
vs100 · Top 8%
Schools
54 · Top 46%
vs91 · Top 3%
Access
62 · Bottom 7%
vs59 · Bottom 7%
Economic stability
38 · Bottom 15%
vs52 · Bottom 34%
Measured values
| Metric | Hattiesburg | Petal | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 48,619 | 11,294 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $46,342 | $74,750 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $31,585 | $30,999 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 910/sq mi | 668/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $165,900 | $174,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,005 | $1,047 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 37.2% | 70.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.8% | 3.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.0% | -2.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 37.3% | 27.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 28.3% | 11.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 39 | 44 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.8 | 3.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 0.0% | -2.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 92°F | 92°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 38°F | 38°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 58.9" | 58.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 65 mi | 69 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 18.7 min | 22.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 29.4 | 37.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 19 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.28 | 12.94 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 37.0% | 62.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 38.4% | 57.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 76.5% | 59.8% | 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
Hattiesburg
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Petal
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Hattiesburg
56
Your Score
56
Area Score
Petal
67
Your Score
67
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Hattiesburg, MS · Petal, MS · How this is calculated: methodology