Meridian, MS vs Petal, MS

Side-by-side comparison from the latest government data.

MetricMeridian, MSPetal, MS
Population34,13711,294
Median Household Income$36,562$74,750
Median Rent$910/mo$1,047/mo
Median Home Value$107,900$174,900
Cost of Living (US = 100)—88
Renters Paying 30%+ of Income47.9%40%
Poverty Rate34.3%11.1%
Unemployment Rate3.9%3.6% (county)
Violent Crime Rate /100k55426
Property Crime Rate /100k1,640498
Median AQI3545
Good AQI Days /yr—226
Summer Highs92°F91°F
Winter Lows38°F40°F
Snowfall1 in/yr1 in/yr
Avg Commute18.9 min21.5 min
Hospitals4—
Avg Hospital Rating2.5 / 5—
Students per Teacher13.613.3
College Degree Rate21.8%27.8%
Foreign-Born %2.4%3.4%
Population Growth (2020–2025)-4.8%+5.8%

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