MetricJackson, MSByram, MS
Population146,63112,799
Median Household Income$42,071$70,445
Median Rent$1,055/mo$1,343/mo
Median Home Value$111,700$206,600
Cost of Living (US = 100)8989
Renters Paying 30%+ of Income54.8%30.2%
Poverty Rate27.9%9.1%
Unemployment Rate4.1%3.9% (county)
Violent Crime Rate /100k40080
Property Crime Rate /100k1,502852
Median AQI5252
Good AQI Days /yr167167
Summer Highs92°F92°F
Winter Lows39°F39°F
Snowfall1 in/yr1 in/yr
Avg Commute19.9 min25.7 min
Hospitals7—
Avg Hospital Rating2.6 / 5—
Students per Teacher13.614.3
College Degree Rate28.8%32.2%
Foreign-Born %1.6%1.7%
Population Growth (2020–2025)-8.1%-3.0%

Green = clearly better (more than 5% apart). Population, growth, weather, hospital count and foreign-born share aren’t scored.