Ocean Springs receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Ocean Springs
Bay St. Louis
Opportunity
67 · Top 27%
vs70 · Top 23%
Growth
68 · Top 20%
vs67 · Top 21%
Climate
78 · Top 21%
vs78 · Top 20%
Physical resilience
29 · Bottom 23%
vs25 · Bottom 21%
Housing affordability
92 · Top 28%
vs84 · Top 45%
Schools
80 · Top 14%
vs62 · Top 36%
Access
79 · Bottom 21%
vs97 · Top 29%
Economic stability
65 · Top 40%
vs35 · Bottom 11%
Measured values
| Metric | Ocean Springs | Bay St. Louis | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 18,646 | 10,188 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $79,712 | $67,442 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $45,853 | $55,519 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,614/sq mi | 693/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $259,400 | $260,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,358 | $1,179 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 68.7% | 76.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9% | 3.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.9% | -0.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 46.3% | 38.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 5.5% | 14.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 93 | 68 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 5.0 | 6.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -5.1% | 7.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 91°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 41°F | 42°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 61.7" | 62.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 38 mi | 6 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.1 min | 29.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 43.3 | 53.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 11 | 4 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.01 | 14.86 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 55.8% | 43.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 55.7% | 43.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 44.5% | 71.0% | 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
Ocean Springs
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, coastal flooding.
Bay St. Louis
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, coastal flooding.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Ocean Springs
70
Your Score
68
Area Score
Bay St. Louis
65
Your Score
64
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Ocean Springs, MS · Bay St. Louis, MS · How this is calculated: methodology