The Town FilesRuleville, Mississippi
City in Sunflower County · population 2,642 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $85,000
- Household income
- $33,480
- Jan low / Jul high
- 33° / 92°
- Snow a year
- 1 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 29
- Median age
- 29.7
Ruleville is a city of 2,642 people in Sunflower County, Mississippi. The median home is worth $85,000, below the typical Mississippi town ($124,700). It ranks better for retirees than 96% of Mississippi towns, better transit than 87% of Mississippi towns, better for first-time buyers than 84% of Mississippi towns.
- #3 in The 21 Best Small Towns to Retire in Mississippi
- #3 in The 15 Quietest Small Towns in Mississippi
- #3 in 16 Small Towns in Mississippi With the Cheapest Homes
- #10 in The 25 Best Small Towns for First-Time Home Buyers in Mississippi
- #16 in The 25 Most Affordable Small Towns in Mississippi
- #23 in The 50 Best Affordable Small Towns to Retire in America With Mild Winters
How Ruleville 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 Ruleville is worth $85,000, below the typical Mississippi town ($124,700). Homes cost about 2.5 times the median household income of $33,480, which is more affordable than 71% of Mississippi towns. Median rent is $694 a month. 43.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Ruleville | Typical Mississippi town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $85,000 | $124,700 |
| Median rent | $694 | $820 |
| Median household income | $33,480 | $45,965 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.5× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 43.2% | 65.3% |
| Median year built | 1977 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Ruleville
| People | Ruleville | Typical Mississippi town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 29.7 | 37.3 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.4% | 16.6% |
| Under 18 | 24.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.1% | 19.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 33.9% | 22.9% |
| Veterans | 1.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 2.7% | 4.0% |
| Average commute | 20.2 min | 23.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 79.7% | 83.3% |
Weather in Ruleville
July highs average 91.8°F and January lows 32.9°F. About 54.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.9 inches of snow (typical Mississippi town: 0.5 in). Expect about 80 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 51 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
29 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ruleville since 1950, compared with 31 for the typical Mississippi town. 10 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on February 21, 1971 about 8.8 miles from the town center and killed 3. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 3 deaths and 75 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on March 30, 2022.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 29 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on April 7, 2006.
Severe weather in Sunflower County since 1996
Sunflower County has been included in 22 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 |
| October 22, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4626: Hurricane Ida |
| August 28, 2021 | Hurricane | EM-3569: Hurricane Ida |
| April 16, 2020 | Severe Storm | DR-4536: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Sunflower County
Sunflower County had 8,222 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $41,018 a year. Unemployment was 4.6% in 2023; in Ruleville itself the ACS puts it at 19.9%.
Public schools in Ruleville
3 public schools with 750 students, about 12.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| THOMAS E. EDWARDS SR. HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 337 | 11.2 |
| RULEVILLE CENTRAL ELEM SCHOOL | K-5 | 270 | 14.2 |
| RULEVILLE MIDDLE SCHOOL | 6-8 | 143 | 13.0 |
Towns near Ruleville
- Cleveland, MS10.3 mi · 11,199 people · home $159,300
- Indianola, MS19.8 mi · 9,646 people · home $108,800
- Greenwood, MS25.0 mi · 14,490 people · home $108,900
- Leland, MS29.6 mi · 3,988 people · home $109,700
Ruleville questions
Is Ruleville, Mississippi a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Ruleville scores better for retirees than 96% of Mississippi towns and quieter than 83%. 14.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 29.7).
How much does a house cost in Ruleville?
The median owner-occupied home in Ruleville is valued at $85,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $33,480, so homes cost about 2.5 times income. Median rent is $694 a month.
What is the weather like in Ruleville?
July highs average 91.8°F and January lows 32.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 54.0 inches of precipitation a year and 0.9 inches of snow.
Does Ruleville get tornadoes?
29 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ruleville since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on February 21, 1971. 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)