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Living in
Meridian.
About
Life in Meridian
If you're considering Meridian, understand you're looking at a mid-sized Mississippi city with real affordability—median home values around $107,900 and median rent near $910 make housing costs genuinely manageable compared to most of the country. The job market centers on Naval Air Station Meridian and Key Field (employing over 4,000 combined), plus Ochsner Rush Health as the largest private employer with 2,610 jobs, so if you work in military, healthcare, or manufacturing, the fundamentals are solid. The cost of living is low, but be honest with yourself about what that reflects: median household income sits around $36,562, and the city has experienced population decline over recent decades, which tells you people are leaving for opportunities elsewhere.
Meridian at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
39.4 yrs
Poverty Rate
34.3%
Foreign-Born
2.4%
Broadband Internet
82.0%
of households
Population Growth
-4.8%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics2.4% foreign-born, most often from Yemen
Who lives in Meridian: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Meridian, the largest foreign-born group is from Yemen (21.9%), and 1.9% of residents speak Arabic at home.
Under 18
23.8%
of residents
65 and Older
18.2%
of residents
Households with Kids
25.0%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
40.4%
of households
Married Couples
28.1%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.27
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent about average for MS
Rent, home values, and income in Meridian
In Meridian, home values are 36% below the MS average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
47.9%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
28.6%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$1,332
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
48.7%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1969
median year built
Vacant Homes
17.6%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $109,319 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for MS
Unemployment in Meridian
Unemployment in Meridian is close to the MS average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Meridian Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute18.9 min avg
How Meridian residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Meridian, most residents drive alone to work (79%), and 84% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 4 mi
Key Field / Meridian Regional Airport (MEI)
Regional airport · few flights19k passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 68% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Meridian runs 68% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
553.8
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,640.3
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Meridian Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 14 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
87.0 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Lauderdale County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Lauderdale County, which includes Meridian, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 14 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 14 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.0M |
| 2024 | 12 | Thunderstorm Wind | $910,000 |
| 2023 | 14 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.2M |
| 2022 | 16 | Tornado | $802,000 |
| 2021 | 13 | Flash Flood | $2.3M |
| 2020 | 16 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.3M |
| 2019 | 12 | Thunderstorm Wind | $413,000 |
| 2018 | 14 | Thunderstorm Wind | $909,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Lauderdale County, county-wide
Air Quality35 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Lauderdale County, which includes Meridian, is typically good.
Median AQI
35
Lauderdale County, county-wide
Climate92°F summers, 38°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Meridian has hot summers (avg high 92°F) and mild winters (avg low 38°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
78°/53°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
92°/71°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
79°/54°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
61°/38°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
58.6"
Annual Snowfall
0.5"
Hot Days/Year
86
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
48
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
106
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 59°F | 36°F | 5.61" |
| Feb | 64°F | 40°F | 5.35" |
| Mar | 71°F | 46°F | 5.66" |
| Apr | 78°F | 53°F | 5.56" |
| May | 85°F | 61°F | 4.20" |
| Jun | 91°F | 69°F | 4.64" |
| Jul | 93°F | 72°F | 5.11" |
| Aug | 93°F | 71°F | 4.36" |
| Sep | 89°F | 66°F | 3.17" |
| Oct | 80°F | 54°F | 3.86" |
| Nov | 69°F | 43°F | 4.21" |
| Dec | 61°F | 39°F | 5.27" |
Healthcare4 hospitals, avg 2.5/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Meridian
Meridian has 4 hospitals, averaging 2.5 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — below-average care.
Hospitals
4
within city limits
Uninsured
10.8%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
2.5 / 5
Ochsner Rush Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Anderson Regional Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Anderson Regional Medical Center South Campus
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Alliance Health Center
Acute Care Hospitals
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education13.6:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Meridian
Meridian's student/teacher ratio is 13.6:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 21.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
15
within city limits
Private Schools
4
within city limits
College Degree Rate
21.8%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
13.6:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Meridian
Public · 2-year · 2,156 students · in-state tuition $4,362 · 33% graduate · median earnings $37,318 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument, 89 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Meridian
Meridian has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument (89 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument
National Monument
89 mi awayNatchez Trace Parkway
Parkway
98 mi awayPublic Libraries in Meridian
Meridian-Lauderdale County Public Library
2517 Seventh Street, Meridian
Cities Near Meridian
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Meridian?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Meridian FAQ
Is Meridian, Mississippi affordable?⌄
Meridian's median rent is $910/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $36,562/year. Median home value is $107,900.
Is Meridian, Mississippi safe?⌄
Meridian's violent crime rate was 554 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is significantly above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1640 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Meridian, Mississippi?⌄
Meridian has an unemployment rate of 3.9%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Meridian, Mississippi?⌄
The cost of living in Meridian is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $910/month and median household income is $36,562/year. The median home value is $107,900. About 48% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Meridian, Mississippi?⌄
The average commute in Meridian is 19 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from