The Town FilesGulfport, Mississippi
City in Harrison County · population 72,926 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $174,600
- Household income
- $49,919
- Jan low / Jul high
- 42° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 54
- Median age
- 38.0
Gulfport is a city of 72,926 people in Harrison County, Mississippi. The median home is worth $174,600, above the typical Mississippi town ($124,700). It ranks better for a vacation home than 97% of Mississippi towns, more seaside character than 95% of Mississippi towns, better for cycling than 92% of Mississippi towns.
How Gulfport 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 Gulfport is worth $174,600, above the typical Mississippi town ($124,700). Homes cost about 3.5 times the median household income of $49,919, which is more affordable than 20% of Mississippi towns. Median rent is $1,086 a month. 55.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Gulfport | Typical Mississippi town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $174,600 | $124,700 |
| Median rent | $1,086 | $820 |
| Median household income | $49,919 | $45,965 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.5× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 55.1% | 65.3% |
| Median year built | 1986 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.4% | — |
Who lives in Gulfport
| People | Gulfport | Typical Mississippi town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.0 | 37.3 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.3% | 16.6% |
| Under 18 | 22.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.6% | 19.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 22.8% | 22.9% |
| Veterans | 12.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.9% | — |
| Work from home | 7.3% | 4.0% |
| Average commute | 21.9 min | 23.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.0% | 83.3% |
Weather in Gulfport
July highs average 90.4°F and January lows 42.4°F. About 62.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.2 inches of snow (typical Mississippi town: 0.5 in). Expect about 69 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 16 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
54 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Gulfport since 1950, compared with 31 for the typical Mississippi town. 11 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on May 19, 1980 about 2.4 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 6 deaths and 78 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on April 25, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 39 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on January 24, 1997.
Severe weather in Harrison County since 1996
Harrison County has been included in 37 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 3, 2026 | Tropical Storm | DR-4930: Tropical Storm Arthur |
| February 6, 2026 | Winter Storm | DR-4899: Severe Winter Storm |
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3640: Severe Winter Storm |
| October 22, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4626: Hurricane Ida |
| August 28, 2021 | Hurricane | EM-3569: Hurricane Ida |
Jobs and pay in Harrison County
Harrison County had 89,013 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $48,164 a year. Unemployment was 2.9% in 2023; in Gulfport itself the ACS puts it at 9.1%.
Public schools in Gulfport
26 public schools with 14,262 students, about 14.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| GULFPORT HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 1,742 | 17.1 |
| HARRISON CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 1,508 | 18.4 |
| WEST HARRISON HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 1,154 | 18.0 |
| NORTH GULFPORT ELEMENTARY AND MIDDL | K-8 | 1,005 | 14.6 |
| BAYOU VIEW MIDDLE SCHOOL | 6-8 | 815 | 16.3 |
| BAYOU VIEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | K-5 | 687 | 14.9 |
| WEST HARRISON MIDDLE SCHOOL | 7-8 | 604 | 14.7 |
| BEL AIRE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | K-6 | 599 | 15.0 |
| GULFPORT CENTRAL MIDDLE SCHOOL | 6-8 | 593 | 12.6 |
| THREE RIVERS ELEMENTARY | K-6 | 525 | 14.2 |
| LYMAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | K-6 | 509 | 15.0 |
| WEST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-5 | 505 | 11.7 |
Towns near Gulfport
- Long Beach, MS7.2 mi · 16,780 people · home $215,200
- Biloxi, MS8.0 mi · 49,449 people · home $225,100
- D'Iberville, MS10.5 mi · 12,721 people · home $210,100
- Pass Christian, MS12.3 mi · 5,686 people · home $270,900
- St. Martin, MS12.4 mi · 7,811 people · home $172,400
- Latimer, MS13.9 mi · 6,720 people · home $189,400
- Gulf Hills, MS15.3 mi · 8,526 people · home $203,700
- Ocean Springs, MS16.7 mi · 18,429 people · home $259,400
Gulfport questions
Is Gulfport, Mississippi a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Gulfport scores better for retirees than 8% of Mississippi towns and quieter than 11%. 16.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.0).
How much does a house cost in Gulfport?
The median owner-occupied home in Gulfport is valued at $174,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $49,919, so homes cost about 3.5 times income. Median rent is $1,086 a month.
What is the weather like in Gulfport?
July highs average 90.4°F and January lows 42.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 62.8 inches of precipitation a year and 0.2 inches of snow.
Does Gulfport get tornadoes?
54 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Gulfport since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on May 19, 1980. 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)