Madison receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Madison
Pearl
Opportunity
77 · Top 11%
vs64 · Top 34%
Growth
58 · Top 36%
vs73 · Top 12%
Climate
73 · Top 38%
vs76 · Top 26%
Physical resilience
65 · Top 43%
vs52 · Bottom 44%
Housing affordability
99 · Top 11%
vs89 · Top 34%
Schools
93 · Top 2%
vs62 · Top 36%
Access
93 · Top 44%
vs95 · Top 40%
Economic stability
71 · Top 27%
vs63 · Top 44%
Measured values
| Metric | Madison | Pearl | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 27,946 | 27,737 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $119,338 | $61,695 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $59,649 | $35,473 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,107/sq mi | 1,088/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $352,900 | $182,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,853 | $1,175 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 94.3% | 61.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 2.8% | 2.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.9% | -1.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 64.2% | 28.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 4.8% | 12.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 71 | 143 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.5 | 5.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 7.6% | 30.0% | 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 | 12 mi | 3 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.3 min | 24.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.7 | 36.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 12 | 5 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.89 | 14.43 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 69.6% | 45.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 68.7% | 42.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 21.3% | 66.3% | 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
Madison
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Pearl
Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado.
Full profiles: Madison, MS · Pearl, MS · How this is calculated: methodology