The Town FilesMonticello, Mississippi
Town in Lawrence County · population 1,441 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $126,700
- Household income
- $34,250
- Jan low / Jul high
- 36° / 96°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 23
- Median age
- 41.1
Monticello is a town of 1,441 people in Lawrence County, Mississippi. The median home is worth $126,700, close to the typical Mississippi town ($124,700). It ranks easier by car than 97% of Mississippi towns.
How Monticello 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 Monticello is worth $126,700, close to the typical Mississippi town ($124,700). Homes cost about 3.7 times the median household income of $34,250, which is more affordable than 15% of Mississippi towns. Median rent is $558 a month. 62.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Monticello | Typical Mississippi town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $126,700 | $124,700 |
| Median rent | $558 | $820 |
| Median household income | $34,250 | $45,965 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.7× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 62.0% | 65.3% |
| Median year built | 1973 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Monticello
| People | Monticello | Typical Mississippi town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.1 | 37.3 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.8% | 16.6% |
| Under 18 | 24.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.5% | 19.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 25.4% | 22.9% |
| Veterans | 5.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 0.0% | 4.0% |
| Average commute | 33.7 min | 23.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 81.1% | 83.3% |
Weather in Monticello
July highs average 95.8°F and January lows 36.0°F. About 60.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.2 inches of snow (typical Mississippi town: 0.5 in). Expect about 105 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 45 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
23 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Monticello since 1950, compared with 31 for the typical Mississippi town. 9 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 18, 1978 about 0.2 miles from the town center and killed 4. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 9 deaths and 61 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on February 15, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 37 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on March 18, 2013.
Severe weather in Lawrence County since 1996
Lawrence County has been included in 33 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 30, 2026 | Severe Storm | DR-4922: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| February 6, 2026 | Winter Storm | DR-4899: Severe Winter Storm |
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3640: Severe Winter Storm |
| August 12, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4727: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes. |
| October 22, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4626: Hurricane Ida |
Jobs and pay in Lawrence County
Lawrence County had 2,700 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,759 a year. Unemployment was 3.8% in 2023; in Monticello itself the ACS puts it at 9.8%.
Public schools in Monticello
5 public schools with 1,434 students, about 11.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| LAWRENCE COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 564 | 15.2 |
| MONTICELLO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | K-5 | 398 | 11.4 |
| TOPEKA TILTON ATTENDANCE CENTER | K-8 | 284 | 10.9 |
| ROD PAIGE MIDDLE SCHOOL | 6-8 | 188 | 10.4 |
| LAWRENCE CO TECH & CAREER CENTER | 9-12 | — | — |
Towns near Monticello
- Prentiss, MS14.7 mi · 976 people · home $76,100
- Wesson, MS19.2 mi · 1,833 people · home $168,500
- Brookhaven, MS19.2 mi · 11,674 people · home $121,900
- Foxworth, MS25.8 mi · 523 people · home $47,800
- Hazlehurst, MS26.8 mi · 3,619 people · home $110,500
- Columbia, MS27.0 mi · 5,864 people · home $131,700
- Summit, MS27.9 mi · 1,505 people · home $113,600
- McComb, MS29.8 mi · 12,413 people · home $98,700
Monticello questions
Is Monticello, Mississippi a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Monticello scores better for retirees than 51% of Mississippi towns and quieter than 62%. 19.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.1).
How much does a house cost in Monticello?
The median owner-occupied home in Monticello is valued at $126,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $34,250, so homes cost about 3.7 times income. Median rent is $558 a month.
What is the weather like in Monticello?
July highs average 95.8°F and January lows 36.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 60.4 inches of precipitation a year and 0.2 inches of snow.
Does Monticello get tornadoes?
23 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Monticello since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on April 18, 1978. 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)