If your family loves fried alligator bites and steamed mudbugs, then you should definitely live in Mississippi. And today’s your lucky day, because HomeSnacks is giving your family the ultimate life hack, we’ve created a list of the best places for families in Mississippi for 2026.
How did we determine Mississippi’s most family friendly places? We consulted the US Census on places in The Magnolia State with more than 10,000 residents. We looked at several factors: crime, education, family friendly activities, and the percent of households that currently have children. We ended up with 23 family friendly Mississippi places that any family would be lucky to call home. Matter of fact, if you ask any Mississippian, they will tell you that Mississippi is the best and that their corner of the Hospitality State is above the rest. They will also tell you that what the state doesn’t make up in https://www.homesnacks.com/richest-states-in-america/”>wealth, they make up in friendly people and fun things to do and see.
Speaking of family entertainment, when Mississippi families are ready for some fun in the sun, there is plenty of family friendly fun to be had. We think the best family day in the land of the Delta blues would go something like this: first, a trip to the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science in Jackson; then, a visit to the lighthouse in Biloxi, followed up by a family style all you can eat blue crab special in Laurel.
Want to know more? We suggest that you grab yourself a sunny spot at The Gulf Coast and read on.
$76,950 median income · 41.2% households with kids
Located in
DeSoto County, Mississippi
Hernando is a city in and the county seat of DeSoto County, which is on the northwest border of Mississippi, United States. The population was 14,090 at the 2010 census, up from 6,812 in 2000. DeSoto County is the second-most-populous county in the Memphis metropolitan area.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$92,783 median income · 34.6% households with kids
Located in
Rankin County, Mississippi
Brandon is a city in Rankin County, Mississippi. The population was 21,705 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Rankin County. Brandon is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area and located east of the state capital.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$119,338 median income · 35.1% households with kids
Located in
Madison County, Mississippi
Madison is a city in Madison County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 24,841 at the 2010 census. The population is currently over 25,000. It is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$74,745 median income · 36.6% households with kids
Located in
Hinds County, Mississippi
Clinton is a city in Hinds County, Mississippi, United States. Situated in the Jackson metropolitan area, it is the tenth largest city in Mississippi. The population was 25,216 at the 2010 United States Census.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$70,332 median income · 29.6% households with kids
Located in
Harrison County, Mississippi
Long Beach is a city located in Harrison County, Mississippi, United States. It is part of the Gulfport-Biloxi Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 14,792.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$100,606 median income · 36.0% households with kids
Located in
DeSoto County, Mississippi
Olive Branch is a city in DeSoto County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 33,484 at the 2010 census, up from 21,054 in 2000. Olive Branch is a suburb of Memphis, Tennessee, and is part of the Memphis Metropolitan Statistical Area, a region that consists of three counties in southwest Tennessee, five counties in northwest Mississippi, and two counties in eastern Arkansas. From 1990 to 2010 Olive Branch was the fastest growing city in the United States, with a growth rate of 838%. Along with other rapidly growing suburbs in DeSoto County, Olive Branch attributes most of its growth and development to the exodus of large numbers of middle-class families from central Memphis.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$74,750 median income · 41.7% households with kids
Located in
Forrest County, Mississippi
Petal is a city in Forrest County, Mississippi, along the Leaf River. It is part of the Hattiesburg, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 10,454 in the 2010 census.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$78,483 median income · 38.7% households with kids
Located in
DeSoto County, Mississippi
Southaven is a city in DeSoto County, Mississippi, United States. It is a suburb of Memphis, Tennessee, and a principal city in the Memphis metropolitan area. The 2010 census reported a population of 48,982, making Southaven the third-largest city in Mississippi. Southaven is traversed from north to south by the I-55/I-69 freeway. The city’s name derives from the fact that Southaven is located south of Whitehaven, a neighborhood in Memphis.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$44,074 median income · 29.7% households with kids
Located in
Bolivar County, Mississippi
Cleveland is a city in Bolivar County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 12,334 as of the 2010 United States Census.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$42,125 median income · 20.4% households with kids
Located in
Oktibbeha County, Mississippi
Starkville is a city in and the county seat of Oktibbeha County, Mississippi, United States. The Starkville Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Oktibbeha County. The population was 23,888 at the 2010 census.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is Mississippi’s statewide median.
Mississippi statewide median: $56,447
Mississippi statewide median: $192,906
On the map
Where Mississippi’s most family-friendly cities are
Saturday Night Science
Methodology: How do you determine which place is best for families in Mississippi anyways?
To give you the places in Mississippi that are best for families, we must look at a handful of metrics. We want to measure the criteria people want in a family-friendly city utilizing Saturday Night Science.
After researching U.S. Census data produced for the state of Mississippi, we looked at the data for every single city in the state. We paid particular attention to:
- Crime (Both violent and property)
- Quality of local schools
- Distance to a major city without necessarily being in it
- % of households with children
- Family-friendly amenities nearby (museums, libraries, and colleges)
We then gave each city a “Family Score.”
The higher the score, the better the city is for families. We also limited our results to cities with over 10,000 people. For Mississippi, that meant a total of 23 cities.
We updated this article for 2026. This is our eleventh time ranking the best cities for families in Mississippi.
The full plate
Best Places For Families In Mississippi
Click any column to sort. Search by city name.
| Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Average Home Price | % Households w/ Kids |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hernando | 17,949 | $76,950 | $344,672 | 41.2% |
| 2 | Brandon | 25,542 | $92,783 | $284,755 | 34.6% |
| 3 | Madison | 27,946 | $119,338 | $410,432 | 35.1% |
| 4 | Clinton | 27,195 | $74,745 | $237,467 | 36.6% |
| 5 | Long Beach | 17,009 | $70,332 | $232,929 | 29.6% |
| 6 | Olive Branch | 47,019 | $100,606 | $331,685 | 36.0% |
| 7 | Petal | 11,294 | $74,750 | $223,366 | 41.7% |
| 8 | Southaven | 56,226 | $78,483 | $274,141 | 38.7% |
| 9 | Cleveland | 10,623 | $44,074 | $143,488 | 29.7% |
| 10 | Starkville | 25,721 | $42,125 | $279,620 | 20.4% |
| 11 | Byram | 12,799 | $70,445 | $222,108 | 30.6% |
| 12 | Hattiesburg | 48,619 | $46,342 | $220,234 | 26.7% |
| 13 | Horn Lake | 26,647 | $53,311 | $202,373 | 33.2% |
| 14 | Oxford | 26,411 | $64,451 | $412,781 | 19.9% |
| 15 | Pascagoula | 21,710 | $52,222 | $143,032 | 32.2% |
| 16 | Laurel | 17,679 | $47,661 | $147,337 | 30.0% |
| 17 | Picayune | 11,900 | $41,213 | $193,808 | 28.9% |
| 18 | Bay St. Louis | 10,188 | $67,442 | $236,958 | 19.1% |
| 19 | Corinth | 14,323 | $44,226 | $181,417 | 27.7% |
| 20 | Tupelo | 37,791 | $66,257 | $203,314 | 28.8% |
| 21 | Gautier | 19,046 | $61,926 | $190,096 | 34.5% |
| 22 | Ridgeland | 24,587 | $66,038 | $282,705 | 27.2% |
| 23 | Vicksburg | 20,589 | $45,781 | $145,564 | 25.5% |
Source: U.S. Census data via Saturday Night Science. 23 Mississippi cities with more than 10,000 residents.
Summary
Summary: The Best Places To Raise A Family In Mississippi
If you’re looking for a breakdown of cities in Mississippi ranked by criteria that most agree make a place a great spot for families, this is an accurate list.
The best places for families in Mississippi are Hernando, Brandon, Madison, Clinton, Long Beach, Olive Branch, Petal, Southaven, Cleveland, and Starkville.
