The Town FilesPickens, Mississippi
Town in Holmes County · population 920 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $83,400
- Household income
- $30,036
- Jan low / Jul high
- 34° / 92°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 30
- Median age
- 37.0
Pickens is a town of 920 people in Holmes County, Mississippi. The median home is worth $83,400, below the typical Mississippi town ($124,700). It ranks more of a college town than 86% of Mississippi towns, hipper than 85% of Mississippi towns, better for young professionals than 74% of Mississippi towns.
How Pickens 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 Pickens is worth $83,400, below the typical Mississippi town ($124,700). Homes cost about 2.8 times the median household income of $30,036, which is more affordable than 56% of Mississippi towns. 63.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Pickens | Typical Mississippi town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $83,400 | $124,700 |
| Median rent | — | $820 |
| Median household income | $30,036 | $45,965 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.8× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 63.7% | 65.3% |
| Median year built | 1978 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.6% | — |
Who lives in Pickens
| People | Pickens | Typical Mississippi town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.0 | 37.3 |
| Age 65 and over | 25.5% | 16.6% |
| Under 18 | 21.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.0% | 19.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 34.5% | 22.9% |
| Veterans | 6.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.2% | — |
| Work from home | 12.8% | 4.0% |
| Average commute | 32.4 min | 23.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 64.2% | 83.3% |
Weather in Pickens
July highs average 91.8°F and January lows 33.6°F. About 57.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.4 inches of snow (typical Mississippi town: 0.5 in). Expect about 76 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 57 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
30 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Pickens since 1950, compared with 31 for the typical Mississippi town. 16 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF4, struck on April 24, 2010 about 8.1 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 2 deaths and 51 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on December 28, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 30 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on April 28, 2026.
Severe weather in Holmes County since 1996
Holmes County has been included in 30 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 Holmes County
Holmes County had 2,999 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $41,381 a year. Unemployment was 5.7% in 2023; in Pickens itself the ACS puts it at 12.1%.
Towns near Pickens
- Goodman, MS6.2 mi · 1,258 people · home $67,300
- Durant, MS14.7 mi · 2,231 people · home $69,600
- Lexington, MS16.3 mi · 1,602 people · home $88,500
- Canton, MS20.6 mi · 10,948 people · home $112,000
- Kosciusko, MS24.8 mi · 7,114 people · home $112,400
- Tchula, MS25.0 mi · 1,652 people · home $49,000
- Redwater, MS25.1 mi · 683 people · home $132,300
- Yazoo City, MS25.6 mi · 10,316 people · home $103,000
Pickens questions
Is Pickens, Mississippi a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Pickens scores better for retirees than 6% of Mississippi towns and quieter than 5%. 25.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.0).
How much does a house cost in Pickens?
The median owner-occupied home in Pickens is valued at $83,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $30,036, so homes cost about 2.8 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Pickens?
July highs average 91.8°F and January lows 33.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 57.0 inches of precipitation a year and 0.4 inches of snow.
Does Pickens get tornadoes?
30 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Pickens since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF4 on April 24, 2010. 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)