The Town FilesPort Gibson, Mississippi
City in Claiborne County · population 1,269 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $113,500
- Household income
- $42,656
- Jan low / Jul high
- 36° / 93°
- Snow a year
- 1 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 39
- Median age
- 42.0
Port Gibson is a city of 1,269 people in Claiborne County, Mississippi. The median home is worth $113,500, below the typical Mississippi town ($124,700). It ranks more walkable than 98% of Mississippi towns, hipper than 98% of Mississippi towns, better for first-time buyers than 96% of Mississippi towns.
How Port Gibson 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 Port Gibson is worth $113,500, below the typical Mississippi town ($124,700). Homes cost about 2.7 times the median household income of $42,656, which is more affordable than 61% of Mississippi towns. Median rent is $497 a month. 64.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Port Gibson | Typical Mississippi town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $113,500 | $124,700 |
| Median rent | $497 | $820 |
| Median household income | $42,656 | $45,965 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.7× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 64.0% | 65.3% |
| Median year built | 1969 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.5% | — |
Who lives in Port Gibson
| People | Port Gibson | Typical Mississippi town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.0 | 37.3 |
| Age 65 and over | 24.3% | 16.6% |
| Under 18 | 22.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.1% | 19.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 39.0% | 22.9% |
| Veterans | 3.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.5% | — |
| Work from home | 4.1% | 4.0% |
| Average commute | 27.7 min | 23.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 82.9% | 83.3% |
Weather in Port Gibson
July highs average 92.9°F and January lows 35.7°F. About 56.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.5 inches of snow (typical Mississippi town: 0.5 in). Expect about 80 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 49 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
39 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Port Gibson since 1950, compared with 31 for the typical Mississippi town. 11 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on November 23, 2004 about 7.9 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 52 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on December 28, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 22 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on May 14, 2006.
Severe weather in Claiborne County since 1996
Claiborne County has been included in 29 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 Claiborne County
Claiborne County had 3,256 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $69,263 a year. Unemployment was 7.3% in 2023; in Port Gibson itself the ACS puts it at 15.6%.
Public schools in Port Gibson
4 public schools with 1,156 students, about 13.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| A. W. WATSON ELEMENTARY | PK-5 | 518 | 14.4 |
| PORT GIBSON HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 374 | 15.6 |
| PORT GIBSON MIDDLE SCHOOL | 6-8 | 264 | 13.2 |
| CLAIBORNE COUNTY VOC COMPLEX | 9-12 | — | — |
Towns near Port Gibson
- Hermanville, MS8.4 mi · 692 people · home $18,800
- Alcorn State University, MS10.6 mi · 1,120 people · home —
- St. Joseph, LA15.2 mi · 831 people · home $59,100
- Newellton, LA17.0 mi · 886 people · home $52,800
- Fayette, MS17.5 mi · 1,445 people · home $95,000
- Utica, MS23.6 mi · 636 people · home $109,500
- Waterproof, LA25.8 mi · 541 people · home $47,300
- Vicksburg, MS26.0 mi · 21,573 people · home $125,900
Port Gibson questions
Is Port Gibson, Mississippi a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Port Gibson scores better for retirees than 92% of Mississippi towns and quieter than 47%. 24.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.0).
How much does a house cost in Port Gibson?
The median owner-occupied home in Port Gibson is valued at $113,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $42,656, so homes cost about 2.7 times income. Median rent is $497 a month.
What is the weather like in Port Gibson?
July highs average 92.9°F and January lows 35.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 56.3 inches of precipitation a year and 0.5 inches of snow.
Does Port Gibson get tornadoes?
39 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Port Gibson since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on November 23, 2004. 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)