Meridian receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Meridian
Natchez
Opportunity
29 · Bottom 6%
vs18 · Bottom 1%
Growth
27 · Bottom 14%
vs20 · Bottom 8%
Climate
75 · Top 29%
vs79 · Top 18%
Physical resilience
67 · Top 41%
vs48 · Bottom 40%
Housing affordability
73 · Bottom 38%
vs78 · Bottom 46%
Schools
38 · Bottom 32%
vs25 · Bottom 17%
Access
54 · Bottom 5%
vs59 · Bottom 6%
Economic stability
21 · Bottom 2%
vs15 · Bottom 1%
Measured values
| Metric | Meridian | Natchez | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 34,137 | 14,192 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $36,562 | $36,735 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $25,094 | $27,302 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 635/sq mi | 897/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $107,900 | $119,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $910 | $806 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 48.7% | 55.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.5% | 6.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.2% | -4.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.8% | 27.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 34.3% | 33.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 8 | 2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.2 | 0.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 14.3% | -66.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 36°F | 36°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 57.0" | 60.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 74 mi | 70 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.9 min | 20.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.4 | 38.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 19 | 9 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.38 | 13.88 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 22.0% | 8.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 31.5% | 22.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 81.4% | 99.9% | 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
Meridian
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, hurricane.
Natchez
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, hail.
Full profiles: Meridian, MS · Natchez, MS · How this is calculated: methodology