AreaProfile

Mississippi Area Profiles

16 published city profiles across Mississippi, each built from the same authoritative sources and compared on the same terms.

Statewide signals

Opportunity44th of 51 states35
GrowthTop 36% of 51 states58
Housing affordabilityTop 34% of 51 states95
ClimateTop 22% of 51 states72
Physical resilience42nd of 51 states40
AccessTop 34% of 51 states81
Economic stability50th of 51 states6

Cities

16 published profiles across 8 areas

Jackson, MS

5 cities

CityCountyPopulationArea Score
JacksonHinds County146,63154
MadisonMadison County27,94675
PearlRankin County27,73771
ClintonHinds County27,19564
BrandonRankin County25,54275

Memphis, TN-MS-AR

3 cities

CityCountyPopulationArea Score
SouthavenDeSoto County56,22665
Olive BranchDeSoto County47,01971
Horn LakeDeSoto County26,64757

Gulfport-Biloxi, MS

2 cities

CityCountyPopulationArea Score
GulfportHarrison County73,00360
BiloxiHarrison County48,86160

Tupelo, MS

1 city

CityCountyPopulationArea Score
TupeloLee County37,79166

Meridian, MS

1 city

CityCountyPopulationArea Score
MeridianLauderdale County34,13751

Greenville, MS

1 city

CityCountyPopulationArea Score
GreenvilleWashington County28,16645

Oxford, MS

1 city

CityCountyPopulationArea Score
OxfordLafayette County26,41176

Starkville, MS

1 city

CityCountyPopulationArea Score
StarkvilleOktibbeha County25,72163

Strongest opportunity

  1. Oxford 86
  2. Madison 76
  3. Brandon 71
  4. Starkville 67
  5. Olive Branch 67

Fastest development

  1. Brandon 82
  2. Oxford 77
  3. Pearl 73
  4. Gulfport 71
  5. Biloxi 62

Statewide physical risk

TornadoModerate
HurricaneModerate
LightningModerate
EarthquakeModerate
HailModerate
DroughtModerate
LandslideModerate

Low or minimal exposure: heat wave, cold wave, strong wind, ice storm, inland flooding, wildfire, winter weather, coastal flooding.

Population-weighted across every county in Mississippi, derived from the FEMA National Risk Index. Exposure varies substantially within a state — check the individual city and ZIP profiles.

Statewide data

MetricValueCompared with peersSource period
Average household size ±0.012.49Top 33%2024 ACS 5-Year
Households ±4,2671,145,431Bottom 33%2024 ACS 5-Year
Median age ±0.138.6Bottom 33%2024 ACS 5-Year
Population2,946,779Bottom 31%2024 ACS 5-Year
Population density63/sq miBottom 33%2024 ACS 5-Year
Home price to income3.01Bottom 6%2024 ACS 5-Year
Homeownership rate70.0%Top 27%2024 ACS 5-Year
Housing units ±4781,341,114Bottom 37%2024 ACS 5-Year
Median gross rent ±$8$954Bottom 8%2024 ACS 5-Year
Median home value ±$1,198$169,800Bottom 4%2024 ACS 5-Year
Rent as a share of income20.3%Top 37%2024 ACS 5-Year
Vacancy rate14.6%Top 12%2024 ACS 5-Year
Median household income ±$539$56,447Bottom 2%2024 ACS 5-Year
Per capita income ±$274$31,549Bottom 2%2024 ACS 5-Year
Poverty rate18.9%Top 4%2024 ACS 5-Year
Average commute26.9 minBottom 49%2024 ACS 5-Year
Bachelor's degree or higher25.1%Bottom 2%2024 ACS 5-Year
Employment1,229,595Bottom 32%July 2026
Employment change (3 years)1.2%Top 32%July 2026
Employment change (year over year)-1.4%Bottom 42%July 2026
Labor force1,279,068Bottom 32%July 2026
Labor force participation57.4%Bottom 4%2024 ACS 5-Year
Unemployment change (year over year)-0.5%Bottom 20%July 2026
Unemployment rate3.9%Bottom 46%July 2026