What it's like to live in Moss Point
Moss Point is a small city in Mississippi with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, county unemployment below the national average, and commutes that run shorter than most cities. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Moss Point deals with household incomes below the national average, college degree attainment below the national average, a population that has been shrinking, and a poverty rate above the national average.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Low unemployment in the county
- Short commutes
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- Low college degree attainment
- Shrinking population
- High poverty rate
- High rent burden for renters
- Hot summers
How Moss Point compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Moss Point
Based on Moss Point's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,150
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $43,000 a year
- 55% of Moss Point renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$22,020
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $11,010
- Homes cost 2.5× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 24% below US
$1,075/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,075 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $110,100. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $110,100 · 55% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
3.7% county unemployment
Unemployment in Jackson County is 3.7%, a little below the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Jackson County (county-wide)
Getting around▼ 30% below US
18 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 18.3 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 6% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 90°F, and winters are mild, with lows rarely dropping below 43°F. It's a wet climate overall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▼ 62% below US
14% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a working-class city, and college degree rates reflect that. Trades, manufacturing, and service industries tend to dominate the local economy, which is a strength for some fields and a real constraint for others.
Schools
6 public schools inside the boundary
There are 6 public schools inside the boundary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 12:1, well below 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 Gulf Islands National Seashore (78 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Moss Point's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and college degree attainment below the national average. A year of median rent ($1,075/mo) equals 29% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget and people who want short commutes.
Other places near Moss Point
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