The Town FilesTunica, Mississippi
Town in Tunica County · population 1,026 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $194,700
- Household income
- $39,282
- Jan low / Jul high
- 33° / 91°
- Snow a year
- 1 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 8
- Median age
- 53.4
Tunica is a town of 1,026 people in Tunica County, Mississippi. The median home is worth $194,700, above the typical Mississippi town ($124,700). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 99% of Mississippi towns.
How Tunica 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 Tunica is worth $194,700, above the typical Mississippi town ($124,700). Homes cost about 5.0 times the median household income of $39,282, which is more affordable than 3% of Mississippi towns. Median rent is $621 a month. 51.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Tunica | Typical Mississippi town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $194,700 | $124,700 |
| Median rent | $621 | $820 |
| Median household income | $39,282 | $45,965 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.0× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 51.0% | 65.3% |
| Median year built | 1978 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 5.7% | — |
Who lives in Tunica
| People | Tunica | Typical Mississippi town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 53.4 | 37.3 |
| Age 65 and over | 35.2% | 16.6% |
| Under 18 | 16.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 32.0% | 19.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 19.5% | 22.9% |
| Veterans | 9.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.7% | — |
| Work from home | 4.1% | 4.0% |
| Average commute | 29.9 min | 23.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 63.1% | 83.3% |
Weather in Tunica
July highs average 91.3°F and January lows 32.5°F. About 56.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 1.1 inches of snow (typical Mississippi town: 0.5 in). Expect about 74 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 53 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Tunica since 1950, compared with 31 for the typical Mississippi town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on May 14, 1983 about 2.2 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 10 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on March 31, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 11 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on March 30, 2025.
Severe weather in Tunica County since 1996
Tunica County has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| 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 Tunica County
Tunica County had 5,799 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $41,726 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Tunica itself the ACS puts it at 3.7%.
Public schools in Tunica
5 public schools with 1,138 students, about 11.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| ROSA FORT HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 455 | 12.0 |
| TUNICA MIDDLE SCHOOL | 6-8 | 362 | 12.5 |
| TUNICA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-5 | 321 | 14.0 |
| TCS ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL | 6-12 | — | — |
| DAVID WILLIAMS JR CAREER &TECH CNT | 9-12 | — | — |
Towns near Tunica
- North Tunica, MS1.0 mi · 760 people · home $166,400
- White Oak, MS3.5 mi · 595 people · home —
- Tunica Resorts, MS10.0 mi · 2,132 people · home $223,600
- Crenshaw, MS16.5 mi · 638 people · home $76,600
- Helena-West Helena, AR17.4 mi · 9,519 people · home $73,200
- Hughes, AR18.7 mi · 1,056 people · home $69,800
- Walls, MS20.4 mi · 1,351 people · home $193,300
- Marianna, AR22.7 mi · 3,575 people · home $81,700
Tunica questions
Is Tunica, Mississippi a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Tunica scores better for retirees than 7% of Mississippi towns and quieter than 17%. 35.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 53.4).
How much does a house cost in Tunica?
The median owner-occupied home in Tunica is valued at $194,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $39,282, so homes cost about 5.0 times income. Median rent is $621 a month.
What is the weather like in Tunica?
July highs average 91.3°F and January lows 32.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 56.5 inches of precipitation a year and 1.1 inches of snow.
Does Tunica get tornadoes?
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Tunica since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on May 14, 1983. 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)