Olive Branch receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Olive Branch
Southaven
Opportunity
67 · Top 28%
vs55 · Bottom 48%
Growth
57 · Top 38%
vs41 · Bottom 34%
Climate
68 · Bottom 40%
vs68 · Bottom 40%
Physical resilience
57 · Bottom 48%
vs57 · Bottom 49%
Housing affordability
91 · Top 29%
vs90 · Top 31%
Schools
71 · Top 26%
vs47 · Bottom 43%
Access
98 · Top 19%
vs98 · Top 19%
Economic stability
79 · Top 10%
vs58 · Bottom 46%
Measured values
| Metric | Olive Branch | Southaven | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 47,019 | 56,226 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $100,606 | $78,483 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $43,248 | $35,303 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 842/sq mi | 1,361/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $290,000 | $236,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,829 | $1,445 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 82.3% | 72.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.5% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.5% | -1.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.4% | 28.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 4.6% | 12.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 177 | 91 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.8 | 1.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -9.2% | -54.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 92°F | 92°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 33°F | 33°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 54.9" | 54.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 10 mi | 6 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.7 min | 25.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.0 | 36.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 15 | 10 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.01 | 16.73 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 52.7% | 37.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 49.3% | 39.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 41.7% | 53.3% | 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
Olive Branch
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Southaven
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Olive Branch
73
Your Score
70
Area Score
Southaven
64
Your Score
61
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Olive Branch, MS · Southaven, MS · How this is calculated: methodology