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Petal, MS

Full City Profile · Mississippi · Forrest County County

3.3 /5.0
B Good
11,195 Population 662/sq mi density
$72,845 Median Income $29,979 per capita
$161,400 Home Value $220,877 Zillow
$958 Median Rent 24.7% income on rent
67°F Avg Temperature 306 sunny days/yr
28 Violent Crime/100K 570 property/100K
B
Overall
3.3 / 5.0
Good overall score based on economy, affordability, safety and education
A
Economy
4.0 / 5.0
$72,845 median income, 3.5% unemployment
A+
Affordability
5.0 / 5.0
$161,400 home value, $958/mo rent
F
Safety
1.0 / 5.0
28 violent crimes/100K
B
Education
3.3 / 5.0
29.1% bachelor's degree or higher

Petal, MS

At a Glance

Median Income
$72,845
3% below
$29,979 per capita
Home Value
$161,400
43% below
Zillow: $220,877
Median Rent
$958/mo
18% below
24.7% of income on rent
Violent Crime
28/100K
93% below
570/100K property
Bachelor's Degree+
29.1%
14% below
90.0% high school+
Unemployment
3.5%
3% below
10.8% poverty rate
Obesity Rate
34.5%
7% above
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)

Income
97%
Home Value
57%
Rent
82%
Poverty
87%
Bachelor's
86%
Unemployment
97%
Crime
7%
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.