Signals
Picayune
Paragould
Growth
88 · Top 2%
vs63 · Top 29%
Climate
78 · Top 8%
vs70 · Top 36%
Physical resilience
9 · Bottom 2%
vs29 · Bottom 19%
Housing affordability
97 · Top 42%
vs98 · Top 35%
Access
85 · Top 34%
vs81 · Top 40%
Economic stability
28 · Bottom 18%
vs43 · Bottom 39%
Measured values
| Metric | Picayune | Paragould | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 57,458 | 46,432 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $58,135 | $57,839 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $29,524 | $28,951 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 71/sq mi | 80/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $182,300 | $169,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $906 | $904 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 80.4% | 66.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.0% | 16.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.5% | 17.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 448 | 165 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 7.8 | 3.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 50.3% | 9.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 91°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 39°F | 31°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 65.0" | 48.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 29 mi | 36 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 36.2 min | 24.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.6 | 38.0 | 2024 ACS 5-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
Picayune
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, inland flooding.
Paragould
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, drought, tornado.
Full profiles: Picayune, MS Micro Area · Paragould, AR Micro Area · How this is calculated: methodology