So, you're wondering if Jackson, MS is a good place to live?
There are many people that live in the Capital City of Mississippi that will say. "YES"! But, I hear the chatter you guys are making about my disdain for Jackson, and the squabbling about your frustrations about how I’m giving an unfair picture of living in the City of Jackson. So, in today’s video I’m going to share the good things about living in Jackson, because it’s not all bad…and you can decide for yourself if you think Living in Jackson is a better option that the neighboring cities.
Our channel was started 2 years ago and continues today to try to help people that are looking to relocate decide whether Mississippi is a good place to live …or not? So, it’s our mission to help people see by video what is not always easy to find through a simple google search.
So first, a little about Jackson, which is the capital city of Mississippi, and currently has a population of around 153,000 people. Unlike other cities in the greater Jackson metro area that have been consistently growing over the last 20 years, Jackson’s population is shrinking. In 1990 the population of Jackson was 30% more than it is today. We can discuss all day long why people are leaving the city, and you’ll get all sorts of answers. But, I thought it might be better to let the some video do the talking. Just like with any city, especially capital cities, there are good parts and there are bad parts. Jackson is no different, there are definitely some good parts of Jackson. When I say good parts, I mean where the home values are steady, the streets are in good shape and the violent crimes are lower than the national average. The city of Jackson is given an overall rating by Niche.com of C+.
So, let’s talk about the positive things in Jackson. There are some nice restaurants and shopping areas on the northeast side of the city. Actually, the only Whole Foods in the entire state of Mississippi is located in Jackson. The shopping center where the WF is, which is Highland Village, has several great shops and restaurants. There’s a lululemon, Vineyard Vines, Kendra Scott, Pure Barre and lots of smaller local boutiques. Some of the best restaurants in our area are in this small quadrant of Jackson. There’s also some nice pockets of town in Belhaven and Fondren. Over the last several years, there’s been some nice revitalization in Belhaven and Fondren and you can really see the change and the new restaurants and shops that have consistently been popping up over the last few years.
Let’s look at employment opportunities in Jackson. If you work in the medical field, there are 4 major hospitals located in Jackson. There are also plenty of government jobs just like you’d expect in any capital city. There are also several banks that are headquartered in Jackson, for all you bankers looking to relocate. There are lots of businesses downtown, and it’s a nice safe place, but the nightlife for a capital city is just about non existent, so if you’re a young med student or looking to rent, there’s some really nice areas at the District, which is a nice development on the northside of town that has a nice Marriott and nice apartments to rent.
So, let’s talking about housing costs in Jackson. During the last 6 months there were 790 homes sold ranging in price from 6,000 up to 887,000. The average though was $116,000. So what can you expect for that average price? You can expect a 3 bed, 2 bath home that was likely built in the 1950 - 60’s and a quarter acre lot.
So, I did some driving this weekend, to South Jackson, where I actually grew up back in the 70’s and 80’s. And I have to admit, I didn’t even recognize it. At least 30%, maybe more of the homes has windows boarded shut, roofs caving in, or just completely abandoned and neglected. Also, I don’t know how anyone drives around here at night, the potholes, omg! Some of them are clearly marked with orange barrels, that I hate to guess how long they’ve been there. But others, you really need to drive about 10 mph, to keep your car from bottoming out!
Another reason that living in Jackson isn’t for the weak, is the struggle that City has to meet basic 1st world living needs. Take the water crisis for example. For years, the City has struggled to deliver safe, reliable drinking water to it’s residents. It’s gotten so bad in the last few years, that it’s made national news…just google “Jackson water crisis” and you can read all about the theories of how it got to be so bad.
Then there’s trash pick up debacle. Apparently, the city can’t come to a resolution on a contractor to pick up the trash and was fined the by DEQ. This issue has been going on a couple of years now, and it’s still not solved.
And then there’s the crime, wow, For the last few years, Jackson’s homicides per capita beats just about any other city in the nation. If you look at Niche’s crime and safety numbers are double, some triple the national average. This really makes me sad, because I hate violence and want to see the capital of our great state succeed. I firmly believe that when Jackson succeeds, the whole state will benefit. I wish I knew what it would take to get there, and I’m sure some of you will comment on your opinion, but the fact remains that
Jackson has been falling down a slippery slope for over 40 years now and it sure seems hopeless when you ride around some parts of the city.
Oh, and big shout out to some fellow Realtors Locke Ward and Casey Bridges for starting an organization a few months ago to help clean up the streets in Jackson. They got so tired of seeing all the trash and neglect of the curbs and storm drains, and have tirelessly been cleaning them up everyday. Ultimately, I believe it will take more residents like these 2 guys to personally take on making Jackson a better place to live.
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
