The Town FilesPearl, Mississippi
City in Rankin County · population 27,115 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $182,500
- Household income
- $61,695
- Jan low / Jul high
- 37° / 92°
- Snow a year
- 1 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 77
- Median age
- 36.4
Pearl is a city of 27,115 people in Rankin County, Mississippi. The median home is worth $182,500, above the typical Mississippi town ($124,700). It ranks more vibrant than 95% of Mississippi towns, more upscale than 77% of Mississippi towns, more of a college town than 74% of Mississippi towns.
How Pearl 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 Pearl is worth $182,500, above the typical Mississippi town ($124,700). Homes cost about 3.0 times the median household income of $61,695, which is more affordable than 45% of Mississippi towns. Median rent is $1,175 a month. 61.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Pearl | Typical Mississippi town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $182,500 | $124,700 |
| Median rent | $1,175 | $820 |
| Median household income | $61,695 | $45,965 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.0× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 61.6% | 65.3% |
| Median year built | 1982 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Pearl
| People | Pearl | Typical Mississippi town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.4 | 37.3 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.4% | 16.6% |
| Under 18 | 21.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.1% | 19.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.2% | 22.9% |
| Veterans | 5.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.0% | — |
| Work from home | 7.2% | 4.0% |
| Average commute | 23.8 min | 23.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.7% | 83.3% |
Weather in Pearl
July highs average 92.1°F and January lows 36.6°F. About 57.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 1.0 inches of snow (typical Mississippi town: 0.5 in). Expect about 85 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 40 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
77 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Pearl since 1950, compared with 31 for the typical Mississippi town. 21 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F5, struck on March 3, 1966 about 5.6 miles from the town center and killed 57. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 70 deaths and 736 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on December 28, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 146 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on April 14, 1996.
Severe weather in Rankin County since 1996
Rankin County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| August 28, 2021 | Hurricane | EM-3569: Hurricane Ida |
Jobs and pay in Rankin County
Rankin County had 67,059 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $52,290 a year. Unemployment was 2.3% in 2023; in Pearl itself the ACS puts it at 4.3%.
Public schools in Pearl
5 public schools with 4,190 students, about 14.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| PEARL HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 1,280 | 16.2 |
| PEARL JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL | 6-8 | 948 | 14.1 |
| PEARL LOWER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-1 | 740 | 11.4 |
| NORTHSIDE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | 2-3 | 632 | 16.2 |
| PEARL UPPER SCHOOL | 4-5 | 590 | 14.0 |
Towns near Pearl
- Flowood, MS4.5 mi · 10,202 people · home $342,200
- Richland, MS4.9 mi · 7,137 people · home $125,800
- Brandon, MS5.9 mi · 25,138 people · home $278,900
- Jackson, MS7.7 mi · 153,701 people · home $111,700
- Florence, MS8.3 mi · 4,572 people · home $230,800
- Ridgeland, MS11.2 mi · 24,340 people · home $275,200
- Byram, MS12.7 mi · 12,666 people · home $206,600
- Madison, MS14.1 mi · 27,747 people · home $352,900
Pearl questions
Is Pearl, Mississippi a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Pearl scores better for retirees than 60% of Mississippi towns and quieter than 17%. 14.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.4).
How much does a house cost in Pearl?
The median owner-occupied home in Pearl is valued at $182,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $61,695, so homes cost about 3.0 times income. Median rent is $1,175 a month.
What is the weather like in Pearl?
July highs average 92.1°F and January lows 36.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 57.4 inches of precipitation a year and 1.0 inches of snow.
Does Pearl get tornadoes?
77 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Pearl since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F5 on March 3, 1966. 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)