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Hattiesburg, MS

Census place 2831020 · pop 48,619

D−43/ 100
🫤 Rough
D−
in MS
📍 Mississippi ranks #27 of 50 states →
🏆 Commute17 min · top 11%
🚽 Own37.2% · bottom 3%
💡 Did you know?

Nicknamed 'The Hub City' and home of the University of Southern Mississippi.

Source ↗
Taxes
0.90% property · US 0.99%7.06% sales · US 7.00%4.00% flat income · US 4.63%

Sales & income are statewide.

Google Maps ↗Zillow ↗Wikipedia ↗

The breakdown — worst first

Homeownership37.2%3

U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities

37.2% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Income inequality0.544

U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities

Gini 0.54 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).

Poverty rate28.3%5

U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities

28.3% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Median household income$46,3428

U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities

$46,342 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Property crime rate3476/100k8

U.S. median 964/100k · worse than most cities

3476 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.

Poor mental health20.3%9

U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities

20.3% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Physical inactivity33.2%14

U.S. median 26.5% · worse than most cities

33.2% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.

Broadband access86.8%19

U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities

86.8% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Adult smoking16.2%24

U.S. median 14.6% · worse than most cities

16.2% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.

Uninsured adults12.9%26

U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities

12.9% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Adult obesity38.5%28

U.S. median 36.5% · worse than most cities

38.5% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

Air quality (AQI)County-level47 AQI33

U.S. median 42 AQI · worse than most cities

47 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Violent crime rate221/100k46

U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities

221 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.

Natural disaster riskCounty-level87/10054

U.S. median 77/100 · better than most cities

87/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Property-tax burden0.90%56

U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities

0.90% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.

Unemployment rateCounty-level3.4%62

U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities

3.4% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Unhealthy air daysCounty-level1 days62

U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities

1 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Bachelor's degree or higher37.3%64

U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities

37.3% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Population growth (5yr)+5.5%66

U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities

+5.5% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Rent$1,464/mo71

U.S. median $1,756/mo · better than most cities

$1,464/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).

Housing cost$165,90081

U.S. median $214,900 · better than most cities

$165,900 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Commute time17 min89

U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities

17 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.

Frequently asked

Is Hattiesburg, MS a good place to live?
By the numbers, Hattiesburg scores 43/100 — a D− (Rough) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is commute time and its weakest is homeownership. Mississippi overall ranks #27 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
How safe is Hattiesburg, MS?
Hattiesburg reports 221 violent crimes per 100k and 3476 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
Is Hattiesburg, MS expensive to live in?
Hattiesburg has a median home value of $165,900 and typical rent around $1,464/mo — more affordable than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in Hattiesburg, MS?
Its weakest measured area is homeownership (37.2%) — 3/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
What is Hattiesburg, MS best at?
Its strongest measured area is commute time (17 min) — 89/100, better than most U.S. cities. Fun fact: Nicknamed 'The Hub City' and home of the University of Southern Mississippi.

Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.