Byram receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Jackson
Byram
Opportunity
35 · Bottom 11%
vs47 · Bottom 31%
Growth
57 · Top 38%
vs43 · Bottom 37%
Climate
73 · Top 38%
vs73 · Top 38%
Physical resilience
36 · Bottom 29%
vs35 · Bottom 27%
Housing affordability
72 · Bottom 37%
vs89 · Top 34%
Access
95 · Top 40%
vs91 · Bottom 49%
Economic stability
29 · Bottom 6%
vs57 · Bottom 44%
Measured values
| Metric | Jackson | Byram | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 146,631 | 12,799 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $42,071 | $70,445 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $26,811 | $34,136 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,313/sq mi | 627/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $111,700 | $206,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,055 | $1,343 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 48.6% | 83.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% | 4.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.9% | -1.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.8% | 32.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 27.9% | 9.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 335 | 44 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.3 | 3.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 781.6% | -6.4% | 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 | 51.3" | 51.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 8 mi | 15 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.6 min | 28.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.5 | 41.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 49 | 2 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.37 | 16.06 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 99.9% | 73.5% | 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
Jackson
Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado, strong wind.
Byram
Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado, strong wind.
Full profiles: Jackson, MS · Byram, MS · How this is calculated: methodology