What it's like to live in Southaven
Southaven is a smaller city in Mississippi with home prices that remain within reach, unemployment below the national average, a growing population, and schools with class sizes near the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Southaven deals with hot summers, above-average rainfall, and a car-dependent commute, with few people using transit.
The good
- Affordable home prices
- Low unemployment
- Growing population
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Hot summers
- Above-average rainfall
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Southaven compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Southaven
Based on Southaven's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,890
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $57,800 a year
- 47% of Southaven renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$47,260
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $23,630
- Homes cost 3.0× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of livingNear US average
$1,445/mo median rent
Rent is pretty middle of the road, at $1,445 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 $236,300. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $236,300 · 47% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 19% below US
3.5% unemployment
Unemployment here is 3.5%, a little below the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 19% below US
266 violent crimes per 100k
Crime runs about typical for a city this size. Some neighborhoods are safer than others, and one overall rate doesn't tell the whole story, so a neighborhood-level look matters more than the headline stat.
Property crime 1655/100k · Southaven Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
24 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 24 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; 10% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 91°F, and winters are chilly but manageable, with lows around 35°F. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 3.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 20% below US
29% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 29%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
11 public schools inside the boundary
There are 11 public schools inside the boundary and 3 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15:1, 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 Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument (71 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Southaven's strongest points are home prices that remain within reach and unemployment below the national average; the main tradeoffs are hot summers and above-average rainfall. A year of median rent ($1,445/mo) equals 22% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive.
Other places near Southaven
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