At a Glance
Median Income
$72,845
$29,979 per capita
Home Value
$161,400
Zillow: $220,877
Median Rent
$958/mo
24.7% of income on rent
Violent Crime
28/100K
570/100K property
Bachelor's Degree+
29.1%
90.0% high school+
Unemployment
3.5%
10.8% poverty rate
Obesity Rate
34.5%
16.5% smoking rate
Avg Temperature
67°F
306 sunny days/yr
How Petal Compares to the U.S. Average
Each bar shows Petal's value as a percentage of the national average (100% = U.S. avg)
Thin vertical line = U.S. national average (100%)
Is Petal a Good Place to Live?
B
3.3 / 5.0 — Good
Based on economy, affordability, safety, and education metrics compared to national averages.
Economy & Jobs
Petal residents earn a median household income of $72,845 , which is 3% below the national average of $75,149.
Per capita income is $29,979. The unemployment rate stands at 3.5% (3% below the U.S. rate of 3.6%). 10.8% of residents live below the poverty line. The area is home to 1,988 business establishments, including 195 restaurants.
Housing & Cost of Living
The median home value in Petal is $161,400 , 43% below the national median of $281,900.
Zillow estimates the typical home at $220,877. Median rent is $958/month, with 24.7% of renters spending more than 30% of income on housing. The cost of living index is 87.0 (100 = national average). The median home was built in 1977.
Safety & Crime
Petal reports 28 violent crimes per 100,000 residents
, which is 93% below the national average of 380/100K.
Property crime is 570/100K. The murder rate is 0.0/100K.
Education
29.1% of adults in Petal hold a bachelor's degree or higher
(14% below the national average).
90.0% have completed high school. Local schools score 5.0/10 in standardized testing.
Climate & Weather
Petal has an average annual temperature of 67°F (19°C).
Winters average 49°F in January while summers reach 82°F in July. The area gets 306 sunny days per year. Annual precipitation totals 58.9 inches. Air quality is rated Good with a median AQI of 43.
Data Overview
People
Population11,195
Median Age37.2 yrs
Density662/mi²
Male / Female46% / 54%
Foreign Born13.6%
Veterans8.9%
Economy
A
Median Income$72,845
Per Capita$29,979
Unemployment3.5%
Poverty10.8%
County GDP$4,841M
Avg Weekly Wage$991
Housing
A+
Home Value$161,400
Rent$958
Ownership72.3%
Zillow$220,877
Housing Units4,437
Rent Burden24.7%
Crime
F
Violent28/100K
Property570/100K
Murder0.0/100K
Assault19/100K
Burglary336/100K
Health
Obesity34.5%
Diabetes11.6%
Smoking16.5%
Heart Disease6.0%
Premature Death13,611/100K
Climate
Avg Temp67°F
Sunny Days306/yr
Rain58.9 in/yr
AQI43 (Good)
Elevation221 ft
Education
B
Bachelor's+29.1%
High School+90.0%
Graduate+13.5%
School Score5.0/10
Community
2024 VoteR 58% / D 40%
Commute22 min
Broadband86.7%
Internet Speed96 Mbps
EV Stations16
Libraries2
Did You Know?
The median home in Petal was built in 1977.
The nearest airport is Hattiesburg/Laurel Regional (10 miles).
The Gini coefficient (income inequality) is 0.501 (U.S. avg: 0.490).
Natural hazard risk is rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA.
22.3% of the population has a disability.
13.6% of residents are foreign-born.
There are 195 restaurants in the area.
The county recorded 20 fatal vehicle crashes.