Brandon receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Pearl
Brandon
Opportunity
64 · Top 34%
vs72 · Top 19%
Growth
73 · Top 12%
vs83 · Top 3%
Climate
76 · Top 26%
vs76 · Top 26%
Physical resilience
52 · Bottom 44%
vs51 · Bottom 44%
Housing affordability
89 · Top 34%
vs100 · Top 8%
Schools
62 · Top 36%
vs86 · Top 6%
Access
95 · Top 40%
vs90 · Bottom 44%
Economic stability
63 · Top 44%
vs65 · Top 40%
Measured values
| Metric | Pearl | Brandon | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 27,737 | 25,542 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $61,695 | $92,783 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $35,473 | $40,305 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,088/sq mi | 995/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $182,500 | $278,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,175 | $1,382 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 61.6% | 78.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 2.9% | 3.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.9% | -1.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.1% | 41.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.2% | 8.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 143 | 262 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 5.2 | 10.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 30.0% | 227.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 92°F | 92°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 37°F | 37°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 57.3" | 57.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 3 mi | 5 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.2 min | 28.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.4 | 40.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 5 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.43 | 14.42 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 45.3% | 62.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 42.4% | 54.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 66.3% | 38.6% | 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
Pearl
Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado.
Brandon
Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado.
Full profiles: Pearl, MS · Brandon, MS · How this is calculated: methodology