Hernando receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Hernando
Horn Lake
Opportunity
58 · Top 45%
vs35 · Bottom 11%
Growth
63 · Top 27%
vs52 · Top 47%
Climate
68 · Bottom 40%
vs68 · Bottom 40%
Physical resilience
57 · Bottom 49%
vs57 · Bottom 49%
Housing affordability
82 · Top 47%
vs66 · Bottom 28%
Schools
87 · Top 6%
vs31 · Bottom 23%
Access
96 · Top 32%
vs98 · Top 19%
Economic stability
64 · Top 41%
vs48 · Bottom 29%
Measured values
| Metric | Hernando | Horn Lake | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 17,949 | 26,647 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $76,950 | $53,311 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $39,720 | $26,749 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 701/sq mi | 1,663/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $315,900 | $171,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,302 | $1,435 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 81.2% | 58.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.0% | 4.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.5% | -1.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 34.5% | 16.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.8% | 19.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 113 | 68 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 6.3 | 2.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -28.0% | 3.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 92°F | 92°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 33°F | 33°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 54.9" | 54.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 13 mi | 7 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.4 min | 27.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.6 | 33.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.70 | 15.74 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 73.3% | 25.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 61.1% | 24.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 27.5% | 72.8% | 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
Hernando
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Horn Lake
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: Hernando, MS · Horn Lake, MS · How this is calculated: methodology