What it's like to live in Tupelo
Tupelo is a small city in Mississippi with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, 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. Tupelo deals with household incomes below the national average, hospital ratings below the national average, a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin, and above-average rainfall.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Low unemployment
- Short commutes
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- Below-average hospital ratings
- High rent burden for renters
- Above-average rainfall
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Tupelo compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Tupelo
Based on Tupelo's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$1,952
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $39,040 a year
- 54% of Tupelo renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$42,560
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $21,280
- Homes cost 3.2× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 31% below US
$976/mo median rent
Rent here is genuinely low, with median rent around $976 a month. Factoring in local incomes, the value gets even better. Money stretches further here than in most of the country. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $212,800. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $212,800 · 54% 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)
SafetyNear US average
310 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 3121/100k · Tupelo Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 31% below US
18 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 18 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 89°F, and winters are chilly but manageable, with lows around 34°F. It's a wet climate overall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
3 hospitals
There are 3 Medicare-certified hospitals inside city limits. They average 2.0 out of 5 on Medicare's star rating.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforceNear US average
35% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 35% college-educated. It's a mix of white-collar and blue-collar work, which can be an asset or a limitation depending on the field.
Schools
15 public schools inside the boundary
There are 15 public schools inside the boundary and 5 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13:1, 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 Tupelo National Battlefield (1 miles away). There are 6 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Tupelo'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 hospital ratings below the national average. A year of median rent ($976/mo) equals 18% of the median household income here, less 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 who doesn't drive.
Other places near Tupelo
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