What it's like to live in Natchez
Natchez is a small city in Mississippi with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, commutes that run shorter than most cities, and schools with smaller class sizes than the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Natchez deals with county unemployment above the national average, household incomes below the national average, crime rates above the national average, and a poverty rate above the national average.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Short commutes
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Above-average unemployment in the county
- Below-average household incomes
- Crime above national average
- High poverty rate
- High rent burden for renters
- Very rainy — 60" of rain per year
How Natchez compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Natchez
Based on Natchez's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$1,612
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $32,240 a year
- 50% of Natchez renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$23,880
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $11,940
- Homes cost 3.3× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 43% below US
$806/mo median rent
Rent here is genuinely low, with median rent around $806 a month. Money stretches further here than in most of the country. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $119,400. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $119,400 · 50% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
5.7% county unemployment
Unemployment in Adams County is 5.7%, somewhat above the national average of 4.3%. Lining up work before the move is the safer route. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Adams County (county-wide)
Safety▲ 68% above US
669 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is worth weighing seriously here. Rates run above the national average, and while plenty of residents live comfortably, neighborhood selection matters a lot more than it does in a safer city.
Property crime 4408/100k · Natchez Police Department · 2020 data
Getting around▼ 26% below US
19 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 19.3 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 9 in 10 workers drive to work.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 89°F, and winters are chilly but manageable, with lows around 38°F. It's a wet climate overall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 2.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 24% below US
27% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 27%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
8 public schools inside the boundary
There are 8 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14:1, 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 Natchez National Historical Park (0 miles away). There are 5 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Natchez's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are county unemployment above the national average and household incomes below the national average. A year of median rent ($806/mo) equals 26% 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. It may be a harder fit for anyone moving without a job lined up and anyone who doesn't drive.
Other places near Natchez
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