The Town FilesUtica, Mississippi
Town in Hinds County · population 636 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $109,500
- Household income
- $35,729
- Jan low / Jul high
- 35° / 93°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 38
- Median age
- 43.3
Utica is a town of 636 people in Hinds County, Mississippi. The median home is worth $109,500, below the typical Mississippi town ($124,700). It ranks easier by car than 100% of Mississippi towns, better for first-time buyers than 91% of Mississippi towns, quieter than 89% of Mississippi towns.
How Utica 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 Utica is worth $109,500, below the typical Mississippi town ($124,700). Homes cost about 3.1 times the median household income of $35,729, which is more affordable than 37% of Mississippi towns. Median rent is $842 a month. 74.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Utica | Typical Mississippi town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $109,500 | $124,700 |
| Median rent | $842 | $820 |
| Median household income | $35,729 | $45,965 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.1× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 74.8% | 65.3% |
| Median year built | 1970 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.0% | — |
Who lives in Utica
| People | Utica | Typical Mississippi town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.3 | 37.3 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.9% | 16.6% |
| Under 18 | 20.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.5% | 19.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 33.3% | 22.9% |
| Veterans | 4.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.5% | — |
| Work from home | 1.2% | 4.0% |
| Average commute | 31.7 min | 23.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.0% | 83.3% |
Weather in Utica
July highs average 93.3°F and January lows 35.2°F. About 60.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.4 inches of snow (typical Mississippi town: 0.5 in). Expect about 100 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 54 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
38 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Utica since 1950, compared with 31 for the typical Mississippi town. 11 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F5, struck on March 3, 1966 about 6.6 miles from the town center and killed 57. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 58 deaths and 510 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on April 25, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 30 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on May 3, 1984.
Severe weather in Hinds County since 1996
Hinds County has been included in 27 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for other, 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 |
| June 10, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4790: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| August 30, 2022 | Other | EM-3582: Water Crisis |
| October 22, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4626: Hurricane Ida |
Jobs and pay in Hinds County
Hinds County had 109,172 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $59,413 a year. Unemployment was 3.1% in 2023; in Utica itself the ACS puts it at 2.8%.
Public schools in Utica
1 public school with 302 students, about 12.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| UTICA ELEM. / MIDDLE SCHOOL | PK-8 | 302 | 12.1 |
Towns near Utica
- Edwards, MS15.6 mi · 995 people · home $93,400
- Raymond, MS16.4 mi · 1,960 people · home $191,100
- Hermanville, MS16.4 mi · 692 people · home $18,800
- Crystal Springs, MS17.6 mi · 4,862 people · home $113,000
- Bovina, MS18.1 mi · 516 people · home $150,000
- Beechwood, MS19.2 mi · 3,469 people · home $236,000
- Terry, MS19.3 mi · 1,304 people · home $162,100
- Byram, MS20.5 mi · 12,666 people · home $206,600
Utica questions
Is Utica, Mississippi a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Utica scores better for retirees than 60% of Mississippi towns and quieter than 89%. 16.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.3).
How much does a house cost in Utica?
The median owner-occupied home in Utica is valued at $109,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $35,729, so homes cost about 3.1 times income. Median rent is $842 a month.
What is the weather like in Utica?
July highs average 93.3°F and January lows 35.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 60.1 inches of precipitation a year and 0.4 inches of snow.
Does Utica get tornadoes?
38 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Utica since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F5 on March 3, 1966. 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)