Hernando receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Horn Lake
Hernando
Opportunity
35 · Bottom 11%
vs58 · Top 45%
Growth
52 · Top 47%
vs63 · Top 27%
Climate
68 · Bottom 40%
vs68 · Bottom 40%
Physical resilience
57 · Bottom 49%
vs57 · Bottom 49%
Housing affordability
66 · Bottom 28%
vs82 · Top 47%
Schools
31 · Bottom 23%
vs87 · Top 6%
Access
98 · Top 19%
vs96 · Top 32%
Economic stability
48 · Bottom 29%
vs64 · Top 41%
Measured values
| Metric | Horn Lake | Hernando | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 26,647 | 17,949 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $53,311 | $76,950 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $26,749 | $39,720 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,663/sq mi | 701/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $171,400 | $315,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,435 | $1,302 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 58.1% | 81.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.8% | 4.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.5% | -1.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.5% | 34.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 19.0% | 8.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 68 | 113 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.6 | 6.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 3.0% | -28.0% | 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 | 7 mi | 13 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.9 min | 28.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.5 | 38.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 7 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.74 | 16.70 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 25.1% | 73.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 24.8% | 61.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 72.8% | 27.5% | 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
Horn Lake
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Hernando
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: Horn Lake, MS · Hernando, MS · How this is calculated: methodology