What it's like to live in Clinton
Clinton is a small city in Mississippi with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, unemployment below the national average, and crime rates well below the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Clinton deals with air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, a population that has been shrinking, hot summers, and above-average rainfall.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Low unemployment
- Low crime rates
- Highly educated workforce
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Air quality concerns
- Shrinking population
- Hot summers
- Above-average rainfall
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Clinton compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Clinton
Based on Clinton's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,236
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $44,720 a year
- 46% of Clinton renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$45,160
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $22,580
- Homes cost 3.0× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 21% below US
$1,118/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,118 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $225,800. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $225,800 · 46% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 26% below US
3.2% unemployment
Unemployment here is 3.2%, a little below the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 71% below US
95 violent crimes per 100k
Safety is genuinely one of the selling points here. Both violent and property crime run well below the national average, the kind of numbers that fade into the background after a week of living somewhere.
Property crime 928/100k · Clinton Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
24 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 24.2 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 8% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 92°F, and winters are chilly but manageable, with lows around 39°F. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▲ 33% above US
48% bachelor's degree or higher
The population is well-educated, with 48% holding college degrees. That points to a strong professional base and generally a healthy local economy.
Schools
9 public schools inside the boundary
There are 9 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16:1, close to the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument (8 miles away). There are 4 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Clinton's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are air quality that falls short of national benchmarks and a population that has been shrinking. A year of median rent ($1,118/mo) equals 18% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget, job seekers, and anyone prioritizing low crime.
Other places near Clinton
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