Join us today as we explore the top cities in Mississippi, perfect for those seeking safety, excellent schools, and affordability. Let's dive right in!
In this video I’ve picked the 5 best cities and as native Mississippian who’s lived and traveled this state for over 40 years, I’ll give you some insight on how I arrived at my top 5 along with some truths about why some of the cities that google will tell you are great places and why they aren’t on my list. And for those of you not familiar with Mississippi, the first thing you might think of when you hear about our state is the Mighty Mississippi River, well none of the towns on my list today are on or near the river…that’s because most of the towns along the river aren’t somewhere you’d want to live. And Mississippi gets a bad rap sometimes…as being the last on so many lists, but there truly are some great cities here!
As I go thru my list, I’ll be giving you stats on the population for each town, the area attractions along with what you can expect to pay for housing. I find that everyone looking to relocate has their own personal reasons for choosing a town that is right for them. Some of you are looking for things that are best for your family with school aged children, while some people are looking to simply get away from harsh winters. Whatever your reason, I hope to shed some light on why Mississippi might be a great place for you to call home.
So counting down….First up on the list is Oxford, MS. Oxford is home to the University of Mississippi, better known as Ole Miss. The first thing that might come to mind is that Oxford is only a college town. And it’s true that’s definitely a vibe there, but there’s so much more to Oxford than collegiate activities. Despite its small size, which is currently about 25,000 people, Oxford is home to a thriving cultural scene and it hosts art events regularly. There are several small Gallery’s throughout the town. Oxford is also know to have a great foodie scene as well. The schools in Oxford are given an A rating according to Niche.com and Crime is given a rating of C. The square in Oxford, which has been around since the city was incorporated back in 1837 is home to a variety of shops and boutiques. Oxford is also just a short 1 hour and a half drive to Memphis, so if you’re looking for some a quick weekend get away to the blues capital of the world, you’ll like that aspect. Housing prices in Oxford range greatly depending on how close to the campus you are. There are smaller homes starting in the mid 200’s up to a little over 2 million for a luxury estate, but the average price is around $330k. Oxford is one of those quaint towns that claims once you come to visit, you’ll want to move there. It really is a fun town, if you have the opportunity, definitely worth a visit.
Number 4 on my list is Southaven, Mississippi. Southaven is one of those lesser-known towns in Mississippi that has seen a big growth in population the last 20 years. It’s located in North Mississippi and is really considered a suburb of Memphis, TN. I picked Southaven for my list today for those of you that don’t really like a small town and want to live closer to large metropolises, but still enjoy the things that a small town offers. Southaven has a population of 55,000 people and is a short 20-minute drive to Memphis. So, you can live in Southaven where the schools and crime both are rated B+ and still have the night live and fun big city things to do in Memphis on the weekend. Or if you looking to work, a lot of people commute to Memphis and prefer to live in Southaven. The median home price is $200k, so you can really get your housing dollar to go a long way.
3rd on my list is Hattiesburg, MS. Hattiesburg is home to the University of Southern Miss, but unlike Oxford, the school doesn’t dominate the town. That’s because this university is smaller than Ole Miss by about half. Also, Ole Miss is part of the SEC conference, where “Southern Miss” as it’s referred to locally, is part of a smaller conference that doesn’t seem to get near as much sports hype at SEC schools. Hattiesburg is located about 90 miles south of Jackson. But not too far south that it’s considered part of the coast, so they are rarely impacted by hurricanes. Hattiesburg is known has the hub city…because many many years ago, it was the intersection of the railroad industries. But today, we still refer to it as that because in less than a 3 hour drive you can be in New Orleans, the panhandle beach area of Alabama and Florida, or to Baton Rouge, LA. Hattiesburg’s population is 48,000 people and it’s rated B+ by niche.com. The average price of a home here is very affordable in the mid $200’s.
The next two on my list are in Central MS. They are outside of the Capital city of Jackson and both of these are good options for jobs due to the major hospitals located in Jackson and the professional jobs. So, number 2 on my list is Flowood, MS. Flowood is located to the east of Jackson in Rankin County, and the population is only 10,000 people. By land mass, it’s very small, but because it’s squeezed in between Brandon and Jackson, it doesn’t really feel like a small town. It’s only a 15 minute drive to Jackson if you have to commute for work. Niche gives Flowood an overall A+ rating. There are lots of dining and shopping options. There are larger National big box stores and restaurants and plenty of smaller boutique brands as well. Actually, Flowood’s commercial development is one of the fastest growing in the state. Flowood also has one of the nicest parks in the area, winner circle park that was voted best park in the entire state last year. The average home price here is higher than the other cities I’ve covered so far, coming in at around $350,000. Flowood is a relatively “new” town, it officially became a city in 1990. So, most of the homes in the Flowood are newer, relatively speaking. So, if you’re looking to relocated to Central MS, Flowood is a great option.
And finally, we are at #1. The best city to live in the State of Mississippi, is Madison. Madison is about 10 miles North of Jackson. So, like Flowood it’s also rated A+ overall by Niche. Madison’s population is around 30,000 people and a little more residential compared to Flowood. There are still national big box stores that’d you’d recognize, but there are more neighborhoods to choose from than Flowood. The median price is going up a little here and is currently close to $400k, but the interesting thing about Madison is the rate of home ownership. 94% of the residents in Madison actually own their homes, and to me that is obvious when you drive through the neighborhoods and see the clean streets and well-kept homes. Another interesting stat on Madison is the high median household income, which is currently $125,000, which is about 60% higher than the national average. So, with the higher home prices, comes a higher tax base which is a big reason why the schools in Madison are rated high. Another thing to take note about Madison is there are no apartment complexes in the city, unlike the other towns of my list. The mayor of the city, Mary Hawkins Butler, has been in office for over 40 years. She won’t let apartments in…which some folks might not like, but hey, that’s probably one of the main reasons the home values have stayed steadily increasing every year.
I hope I’ve shed some light on which city is the best to live in Mississippi. Moving to a new town really is a personal preference and those things that you prioritize are different for everyone depending on your needs and wants.
If you are looking in Central MS, be sure to check our website www.taylorgroupms.com.
I get calls all the time from people that are moving to the Central MS area, especially the Madison and Flowood areas, my number is in the description below.
If you’re thinking of moving to Mississippi, be sure and check out our website www.taylorgroupms.com, it has all MLS listings in Central MS and is updated every 10 minutes. Whether you're buying or selling, our team is here to help every step of the way. Contact us today to get started.
Taylor Realty Group
601-613-9100
