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Living in
Starkville.
About
Life in Starkville
Living in Starkville means accepting that Mississippi State University shapes nearly everything about community life—the demographics skew young with a median age of 28.7, the calendar revolves around the academic year and football season, and the university's presence drives both economic stability and steady population renewal. Housing is reasonably affordable with median home values around $299,900 and median rent at $916 monthly, though the 15.9% rental vacancy rate suggests a transient population tied to student cycles. Jobs are steady rather than abundant, with unemployment at 3.5% and median household income at $42,125, with opportunities concentrated in education, research, and service industries.
Starkville at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
26.0 yrs
Poverty Rate
30.7%
Foreign-Born
7.0%
Broadband Internet
84.8%
of households
Population Growth
+0.1%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics7.0% foreign-born, most often from Bangladesh
Who lives in Starkville: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Starkville, the largest foreign-born group is from Bangladesh (16.2%), and 1.8% of residents speak Other Indo-European at home.
Under 18
18.0%
of residents
65 and Older
11.3%
of residents
Households with Kids
20.4%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
34.1%
of households
Married Couples
28.3%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.05
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 Starkville
In Starkville, home values are 77% above the MS average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
54.4%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
32.7%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$2,621
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
33.9%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1990
median year built
Vacant Homes
16.7%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $287,767 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for MS
Unemployment in Starkville
Unemployment in Starkville 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 Starkville Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute20.3 min avg
How Starkville residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Starkville, most residents drive alone to work (84%), and 77% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 13 mi
Golden Triangle Regional Airport (GTR)
Regional airport · few flights59k 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 82% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Starkville runs 82% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
57.9
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,846.9
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Starkville Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 10 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
62.8 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Oktibbeha County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Oktibbeha County, which includes Starkville, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 10 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 10 | Thunderstorm Wind | $2.9M |
| 2024 | 7 | Strong Wind | $201,000 |
| 2023 | 14 | Thunderstorm Wind | $311,000 |
| 2022 | 15 | Thunderstorm Wind | $129,500 |
| 2021 | 11 | Thunderstorm Wind | $221,000 |
| 2020 | 11 | Thunderstorm Wind | $144,000 |
| 2019 | 16 | Thunderstorm Wind | $435,000 |
| 2018 | 15 | Thunderstorm Wind | $206,000 |
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
Oktibbeha County, county-wide
Air Quality48 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2023)
Data not yet available
Climate91°F summers, 35°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Starkville has hot summers (avg high 91°F) and mild winters (avg low 35°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
75°/52°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
91°/71°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
76°/53°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
57°/35°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
58.0"
Annual Snowfall
0.5"
Hot Days/Year
78
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
58
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
114
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 54°F | 33°F | 5.48" |
| Feb | 59°F | 36°F | 6.18" |
| Mar | 67°F | 43°F | 5.37" |
| Apr | 75°F | 51°F | 6.07" |
| May | 83°F | 61°F | 4.23" |
| Jun | 89°F | 69°F | 4.59" |
| Jul | 92°F | 72°F | 4.51" |
| Aug | 92°F | 71°F | 4.21" |
| Sep | 87°F | 64°F | 3.74" |
| Oct | 77°F | 52°F | 3.86" |
| Nov | 65°F | 42°F | 4.42" |
| Dec | 57°F | 36°F | 5.32" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 2.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Starkville
Starkville has 1 hospital, averaging 2.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — below-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
7.6%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
2.0 / 5
Baptist Memorial Hospital-oktibbeha County
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Clay County Medical Corporation
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 14.4 mi away · West Point
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.
Education14.2:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Starkville
Starkville's student/teacher ratio is 14.2:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 50.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
6
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
50.5%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
14.2:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: Natchez Trace Parkway, 25 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Starkville
Starkville has 5 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Natchez Trace Parkway (25 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Natchez Trace Parkway
Parkway
25 mi awayTupelo National Battlefield
National Battlefield
55 mi awayNatchez Trace National Scenic Trail
National Scenic Trail
60 mi awayBrices Cross Roads National Battlefield Site
National Battlefield Site
72 mi awayEmmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument
National Monument
95 mi awayPublic Libraries in Starkville
Starkville Public Library
326 University Drive, Starkville
Cities Near Starkville
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Starkville?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Starkville FAQ
Is Starkville, Mississippi affordable?⌄
Starkville's median rent is $916/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $42,125/year. Median home value is $299,900.
Is Starkville, Mississippi safe?⌄
Starkville's violent crime rate was 58 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 1847 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Starkville, Mississippi?⌄
Starkville has an unemployment rate of 3.5%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Starkville, Mississippi?⌄
The cost of living in Starkville is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $916/month and median household income is $42,125/year. The median home value is $299,900. About 54% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Starkville, Mississippi?⌄
The average commute in Starkville is 20 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