The Town FilesBruce, Mississippi
Town in Calhoun County · population 1,707 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $71,700
- Household income
- $26,923
- Jan low / Jul high
- 32° / 91°
- Snow a year
- 1 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 11
- Median age
- 41.1
Bruce is a town of 1,707 people in Calhoun County, Mississippi. The median home is worth $71,700, below the typical Mississippi town ($124,700). It ranks hipper than 100% of Mississippi towns, more walkable than 85% of Mississippi towns, more vibrant than 79% of Mississippi towns.
How Bruce ranks
Percentile among Mississippi towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Mississippi towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Bruce is worth $71,700, below the typical Mississippi town ($124,700). Homes cost about 2.7 times the median household income of $26,923, which is more affordable than 61% of Mississippi towns. Median rent is $643 a month. 41.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Bruce | Typical Mississippi town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $71,700 | $124,700 |
| Median rent | $643 | $820 |
| Median household income | $26,923 | $45,965 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.7× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 41.4% | 65.3% |
| Median year built | 1974 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.2% | — |
Who lives in Bruce
| People | Bruce | Typical Mississippi town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.1 | 37.3 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.3% | 16.6% |
| Under 18 | 23.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.7% | 19.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 31.1% | 22.9% |
| Veterans | 5.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 5.6% | 4.0% |
| Average commute | 24.9 min | 23.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 74.2% | 83.3% |
Weather in Bruce
July highs average 91.1°F and January lows 31.9°F. About 57.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.6 inches of snow (typical Mississippi town: 0.5 in). Expect about 63 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 64 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bruce since 1950, compared with 31 for the typical Mississippi town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on March 1, 1997 about 7.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 30, 2022.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 19 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on April 1, 1970.
Severe weather in Calhoun County since 1996
Calhoun County has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| February 6, 2026 | Winter Storm | DR-4899: Severe Winter Storm |
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3640: Severe Winter Storm |
| May 21, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4874: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| October 22, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4626: Hurricane Ida |
| August 28, 2021 | Hurricane | EM-3569: Hurricane Ida |
Jobs and pay in Calhoun County
Calhoun County had 2,905 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $38,736 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in Bruce itself the ACS puts it at 3.2%.
Public schools in Bruce
2 public schools with 761 students, about 11.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| BRUCE HIGH SCHOOL | 5-12 | 444 | 11.7 |
| BRUCE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-4 | 317 | 10.2 |
Towns near Bruce
- Calhoun City, MS9.3 mi · 1,533 people · home $94,700
- Derma, MS9.7 mi · 957 people · home $84,800
- Vardaman, MS12.2 mi · 1,110 people · home $53,800
- New Houlka, MS18.8 mi · 698 people · home $85,100
- Coffeeville, MS19.4 mi · 797 people · home $87,300
- Water Valley, MS20.1 mi · 3,380 people · home $135,500
- Houston, MS20.7 mi · 3,797 people · home $122,800
- Algoma, MS21.9 mi · 705 people · home $186,500
Bruce questions
Is Bruce, Mississippi a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Bruce scores better for retirees than 34% of Mississippi towns and quieter than 13%. 18.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.1).
How much does a house cost in Bruce?
The median owner-occupied home in Bruce is valued at $71,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $26,923, so homes cost about 2.7 times income. Median rent is $643 a month.
What is the weather like in Bruce?
July highs average 91.1°F and January lows 31.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 57.9 inches of precipitation a year and 0.6 inches of snow.
Does Bruce get tornadoes?
11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bruce since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on March 1, 1997. The typical Mississippi town has had 31.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)