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Living in
Olive Branch.
About
Life in Olive Branch
The economics work: median household income sits around $100,606, unemployment is low at 3.2%, and most people can find jobs either locally or across the state line in Memphis with an average commute of about 25 minutes. Homes run roughly $290,000 median, and rent averages $1,829 monthly, which is reasonable for the region. The community is family-oriented with over a third of households raising children, good schools through the DeSoto County School District, and legitimate recreational infrastructure with 140+ acres of parks.
Olive Branch at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
38.0 yrs
Poverty Rate
4.6%
Foreign-Born
5.6%
Broadband Internet
94.5%
of households
Population Growth
+2.5%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics5.6% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Olive Branch: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Olive Branch, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (34.3%), and 4.9% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
23.4%
of residents
65 and Older
13.4%
of residents
Households with Kids
36.0%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
22.9%
of households
Married Couples
56.2%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.73
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 92% above MS average
Rent, home values, and income in Olive Branch
In Olive Branch, rent runs 92% above the MS average, and home values are 71% above the MS average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
36.7%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
26.3%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
92.2
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$1,864
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
82.3%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
2000
median year built
Vacant Homes
3.4%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $333,616 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.6 pts below MS average
Unemployment in Olive Branch
Unemployment in Olive Branch is 0.6 percentage points lower than the MS average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Olive Branch Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute24.5 min avg
How Olive Branch residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Olive Branch, most residents drive alone to work (82%), and 67% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 10 mi
Frederick W. Smith International Airport (MEM)
Small hub2.4M 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 47% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Olive Branch runs 47% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
174.5
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,036.4
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Olive Branch Police Department
Natural DisastersHeat most common — 27 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
89.0 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
DeSoto County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In DeSoto County, which includes Olive Branch, the most common type is heat, with 27 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 27 | Heat | $997,000 |
| 2024 | 21 | Excessive Heat | $10,000 |
| 2023 | 31 | Heat | $2.1M |
| 2022 | 23 | Heat | $100,000 |
| 2021 | 14 | Heat | $62,000 |
| 2020 | 11 | Thunderstorm Wind | $3.3M |
| 2019 | 19 | Heat | $902,500 |
| 2018 | 16 | Heat | $5,500 |
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.
6 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
DeSoto County, county-wide
Air Quality43 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in DeSoto County, which includes Olive Branch, is typically good — 252 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
43
Good Days
252
per year
Moderate Days
112
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
DeSoto County, county-wide
Climate91°F summers, 33°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Olive Branch has hot summers (avg high 91°F) and mild winters (avg low 33°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
73°/50°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
91°/70°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
74°/51°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
53°/33°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
59.2"
Annual Snowfall
1.5"
Hot Days/Year
71
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
72
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
106
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 50°F | 31°F | 4.27" |
| Feb | 55°F | 34°F | 5.09" |
| Mar | 64°F | 41°F | 6.05" |
| Apr | 73°F | 50°F | 6.04" |
| May | 82°F | 60°F | 5.47" |
| Jun | 89°F | 68°F | 4.93" |
| Jul | 91°F | 72°F | 4.76" |
| Aug | 92°F | 70°F | 3.57" |
| Sep | 85°F | 63°F | 3.91" |
| Oct | 75°F | 50°F | 4.44" |
| Nov | 63°F | 40°F | 4.64" |
| Dec | 53°F | 34°F | 5.99" |
Healthcare2 hospitals, avg 4.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Olive Branch
Olive Branch has 2 hospitals, averaging 4.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
2
within city limits
Uninsured
7.0%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
4.0 / 5
Methodist Healthcare - Olive Branch Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Parkwood Behavioral Health System
Psychiatric
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Crestwyn Behavioral Health
Psychiatric · ER available · 8.1 mi away · Memphis
Baptist Memorial Hospital Desoto
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 9 mi away · Southaven
Delta Specialty Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 9.5 mi away · Memphis
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.
Education14.7:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Olive Branch
Olive Branch's student/teacher ratio is 14.7:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 31.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
10
within city limits
Private Schools
3
within city limits
College Degree Rate
31.4%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
14.7:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Olive Branch (within 15 miles)
Public · 4-year · 12,701 students · in-state tuition $11,256 · 53% graduate · median earnings $52,227 (10 yrs after entry)
Southwest Tennessee Community College
14.5 mi awayPublic · 2-year · 5,047 students · in-state tuition $5,217 · 20% graduate · median earnings $38,117 (10 yrs after entry)
Private for-profit · 4-year · 1,784 students · in-state tuition $13,920 · 12% graduate · median earnings $44,016 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 905 students · in-state tuition $39,750 · 59% graduate · median earnings $55,642 (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: Brices Cross Roads National Battlefield Site, 70 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Olive Branch
Olive Branch has 7 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Brices Cross Roads National Battlefield Site (70 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Brices Cross Roads National Battlefield Site
National Battlefield Site
70 mi awayEmmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument
National Monument
74 mi awayNatchez Trace National Scenic Trail
National Scenic Trail
77 mi awayTrail Of Tears National Historic Trail
National Historic Trail
77 mi awayTupelo National Battlefield
National Battlefield
79 mi awayShiloh National Military Park
National Military Park
86 mi awayNatchez Trace Parkway
Parkway
93 mi awayPublic Libraries in Olive Branch
B. J. Chain Public Library
6619 Highway 305 North, Olive Branch
Cities Near Olive Branch
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Olive Branch?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Olive Branch FAQ
Is Olive Branch, Mississippi affordable?⌄
Olive Branch's median rent is $1,829/month, which is above the national average. The median household income is $100,606/year. Median home value is $290,000.
Is Olive Branch, Mississippi safe?⌄
Olive Branch's violent crime rate was 175 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1036 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Olive Branch, Mississippi?⌄
Olive Branch has an unemployment rate of 3.2%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Olive Branch, Mississippi?⌄
The cost of living in Olive Branch is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,829/month and median household income is $100,606/year. The median home value is $290,000. About 37% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Olive Branch, Mississippi?⌄
The average commute in Olive Branch is 25 minutes, which is about 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