What it's like to live in Ocean Springs
Ocean Springs is a small city in Mississippi with home prices that remain within reach, county unemployment below the national average, crime rates well below the national average, and a highly educated workforce. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Ocean Springs deals with a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin, very rainy, fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city, and a car-dependent commute, with few people using transit.
The good
- Affordable home prices
- Low unemployment in the county
- Low crime rates
- Highly educated workforce
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- High rent burden for renters
- Very rainy — 67" of rain per year
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Ocean Springs compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Ocean Springs
Based on Ocean Springs's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,716
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $54,320 a year
- 53% of Ocean Springs renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$51,880
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $25,940
- Homes cost 3.3× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of livingNear US average
$1,358/mo median rent
Rent is pretty middle of the road, at $1,358 a month median. Not a bargain, not a budget-buster. About typical for a city this size. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $259,400. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $259,400 · 53% 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)
Safety▼ 75% below US
98 violent crimes per 100k
Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.
Property crime 2304/100k · Ocean Springs Police Department · 2022 data
Getting aroundNear US average
26 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 26.3 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; 11% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 89°F, and winters are mild, with lows rarely dropping below 46°F. It's a wet climate overall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▲ 29% above US
46% bachelor's degree or higher
The population is well-educated, with 46% holding college degrees. That points to a strong professional base and generally a healthy local economy.
Schools
5 public schools inside the boundary
There are 5 public schools inside the boundary and 3 private schools. 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 New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park (82 miles away). There are 3 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Ocean Springs's strongest points are home prices that remain within reach and county unemployment below the national average; the main tradeoffs are a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin and very rainy. A year of median rent ($1,358/mo) equals 20% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime and college-educated professionals.
See all the data for Ocean Springs →·All Mississippi cities →
Other places near Ocean Springs
All Mississippi guides →Moving to D'Iberville →
8 mi away · pop. 13,203
Rent $1,249/mo · Income $66,016
Compare with Ocean Springs →Moving to Gautier →
8 mi away · pop. 19,046
Rent $1,040/mo · Income $61,926
Compare with Ocean Springs →Moving to Biloxi →
8 mi away · pop. 48,861
Rent $1,089/mo · Income $57,204
Compare with Ocean Springs →Moving to Pascagoula →
14 mi away · pop. 21,710
Rent $894/mo · Income $52,222
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