The Town FilesPrentiss, Mississippi
Town in Jefferson Davis County · population 976 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $76,100
- Household income
- $30,667
- Jan low / Jul high
- 36° / 96°
- Snow a year
- 1 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 48
- Median age
- 47.0
Prentiss is a town of 976 people in Jefferson Davis County, Mississippi. The median home is worth $76,100, below the typical Mississippi town ($124,700). It ranks easier by car than 98% of Mississippi towns, better transit than 82% of Mississippi towns.
How Prentiss 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 Prentiss is worth $76,100, below the typical Mississippi town ($124,700). Homes cost about 2.5 times the median household income of $30,667, which is more affordable than 71% of Mississippi towns. Median rent is $822 a month. 63.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Prentiss | Typical Mississippi town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $76,100 | $124,700 |
| Median rent | $822 | $820 |
| Median household income | $30,667 | $45,965 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.5× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 63.9% | 65.3% |
| Median year built | 1965 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Prentiss
| People | Prentiss | Typical Mississippi town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 47.0 | 37.3 |
| Age 65 and over | 23.9% | 16.6% |
| Under 18 | 15.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.2% | 19.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 27.4% | 22.9% |
| Veterans | 9.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.4% | — |
| Work from home | 2.3% | 4.0% |
| Average commute | 33.7 min | 23.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.6% | 83.3% |
Weather in Prentiss
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 0.6 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
48 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Prentiss since 1950, compared with 31 for the typical Mississippi town. 18 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 18, 1978 about 5.8 miles from the town center and killed 4. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 6 deaths and 156 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on April 24, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 39 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on March 25, 2021.
Severe weather in Jefferson Davis County since 1996
Jefferson Davis County has been included in 33 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 |
| May 21, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4874: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 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 Jefferson Davis County
Jefferson Davis County had 1,639 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $45,939 a year. Unemployment was 4% in 2023; in Prentiss itself the ACS puts it at 2.8%.
Public schools in Prentiss
2 public schools with 594 students, about 13.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| J E JOHNSON ELEMENTARY | PK-5 | 327 | 12.1 |
| JDC MIDDLE SCHOOL | 6-8 | 267 | 15.7 |
Towns near Prentiss
- Monticello, MS14.7 mi · 1,441 people · home $126,700
- Mount Olive, MS16.7 mi · 895 people · home $66,300
- Collins, MS18.4 mi · 2,342 people · home $84,200
- Magee, MS20.6 mi · 3,988 people · home $143,100
- Sumrall, MS23.3 mi · 1,765 people · home $206,800
- Columbia, MS23.8 mi · 5,864 people · home $131,700
- Foxworth, MS24.9 mi · 523 people · home $47,800
- Mendenhall, MS25.0 mi · 2,199 people · home $125,900
Prentiss questions
Is Prentiss, Mississippi a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Prentiss scores better for retirees than 52% of Mississippi towns and quieter than 64%. 23.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 47.0).
How much does a house cost in Prentiss?
The median owner-occupied home in Prentiss is valued at $76,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $30,667, so homes cost about 2.5 times income. Median rent is $822 a month.
What is the weather like in Prentiss?
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 0.6 inches of snow.
Does Prentiss get tornadoes?
48 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Prentiss 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)