Petal, MS

Census place 2856800 · pop 11,294

D59/ 100
😐 Meh
B
in MS
📍 Mississippi ranks #27 of 50 states →
🏆 Property crime391/100k · top 13%
🚽 Broadband87.8% · bottom 24%
Taxes
0.86% property · US 0.99%7.06% sales · US 7.00%4.00% flat income · US 4.63%

Sales & income are statewide.

The breakdown — worst first

Broadband access87.8%24

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

87.8% 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.

Physical inactivity29.2%29

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

29.2% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.

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.

Uninsured adults11.1%37

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

11.1% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Poor mental health17.6%43

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

17.6% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Bachelor's degree or higher27.8%44

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

27.8% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Median household income$74,75050

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

$74,750 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Poverty rate11.1%52

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

11.1% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Adult obesity34.4%53

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

34.4% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

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 burden0.86%58

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

0.86% 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.

Violent crime rate130/100k65

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

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

Commute time22 min66

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

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

Homeownership70.0%67

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

70.0% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Population growth (5yr)+6.7%71

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

+6.7% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Income inequality0.4073

U.S. median 0.43 · better than most cities

Gini 0.40 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).

Housing cost$174,90078

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

$174,900 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Rent$1,236/mo86

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

$1,236/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).

Property crime rate391/100k87

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

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

Frequently asked

Is Petal, MS a good place to live?
By the numbers, Petal scores 59/100 — a D (Meh) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is property crime rate and its weakest is broadband access. 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 Petal, MS?
Petal reports 130 violent crimes per 100k and 391 property crimes per 100k — better than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
Is Petal, MS expensive to live in?
Petal has a median home value of $174,900 and typical rent around $1,236/mo — more affordable than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in Petal, MS?
Its weakest measured area is broadband access (87.8%) — 24/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
What is Petal, MS best at?
Its strongest measured area is property crime rate (391/100k) — 87/100, better than most U.S. cities.

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