Brandon receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Jackson
Brandon
Opportunity
35 · Bottom 11%
vs72 · Top 19%
Growth
57 · Top 38%
vs83 · Top 3%
Climate
73 · Top 38%
vs76 · Top 26%
Physical resilience
36 · Bottom 29%
vs51 · Bottom 44%
Housing affordability
72 · Bottom 37%
vs100 · Top 8%
Schools
24 · Bottom 15%
vs86 · Top 6%
Access
95 · Top 40%
vs90 · Bottom 44%
Economic stability
29 · Bottom 6%
vs65 · Top 40%
Measured values
| Metric | Jackson | Brandon | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 146,631 | 25,542 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $42,071 | $92,783 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $26,811 | $40,305 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,313/sq mi | 995/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $111,700 | $278,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,055 | $1,382 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 48.6% | 78.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% | 3.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.9% | -1.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.8% | 41.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 27.9% | 8.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 335 | 262 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.3 | 10.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 781.6% | 227.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 92°F | 92°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 38°F | 37°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 51.3" | 57.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 8 mi | 5 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.6 min | 28.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.5 | 40.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 49 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.37 | 14.42 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 9.0% | 62.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 20.2% | 54.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 99.9% | 38.6% | 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
Jackson
Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado, strong wind.
Brandon
Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado.
Full profiles: Jackson, MS · Brandon, MS · How this is calculated: methodology