The Town FilesWalnut Grove, Mississippi
Town in Leake County · population 510 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $85,900
- Household income
- $42,634
- Jan low / Jul high
- 34° / 92°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 54
- Median age
- 40.3
Walnut Grove is a town of 510 people in Leake County, Mississippi. The median home is worth $85,900, below the typical Mississippi town ($124,700). It ranks better transit than 96% of Mississippi towns, easier by car than 96% of Mississippi towns, more of a college town than 77% of Mississippi towns.
How Walnut Grove 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 Walnut Grove is worth $85,900, below the typical Mississippi town ($124,700). Homes cost about 2.0 times the median household income of $42,634, which is more affordable than 87% of Mississippi towns. Median rent is $535 a month. 24.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Walnut Grove | Typical Mississippi town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $85,900 | $124,700 |
| Median rent | $535 | $820 |
| Median household income | $42,634 | $45,965 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.0× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 24.0% | 65.3% |
| Median year built | 1975 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Walnut Grove
| People | Walnut Grove | Typical Mississippi town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.3 | 37.3 |
| Age 65 and over | 10.2% | 16.6% |
| Under 18 | 34.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 10.5% | 19.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 26.5% | 22.9% |
| Veterans | 3.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 1.3% | 4.0% |
| Average commute | 20.0 min | 23.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.5% | 83.3% |
Weather in Walnut Grove
July highs average 92.1°F and January lows 33.5°F. About 57.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.2 inches of snow (typical Mississippi town: 0.5 in). Expect about 77 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 64 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
54 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Walnut Grove since 1950, compared with 31 for the typical Mississippi town. 13 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F5, struck on March 3, 1966 about 6.7 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 4 deaths and 68 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on December 28, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 40 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on February 7, 2017.
Severe weather in Leake County since 1996
Leake County has been included in 27 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 Leake County
Leake County had 5,416 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $39,257 a year. Unemployment was 3.2% in 2023; in Walnut Grove itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Public schools in Walnut Grove
2 public schools with 616 students, about 10.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| LEAKE COUNTY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | K-6 | 342 | 11.0 |
| LEAKE COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL | 7-12 | 274 | 10.5 |
Towns near Walnut Grove
- Standing Pine, MS5.4 mi · 517 people · home $83,700
- Hillsboro, MS10.0 mi · 1,072 people · home $74,500
- Carthage, MS11.3 mi · 4,901 people · home $154,800
- Conehatta, MS14.1 mi · 1,376 people · home $119,200
- Redwater, MS14.9 mi · 683 people · home $132,300
- Forest, MS16.2 mi · 5,430 people · home $141,100
- Pearl River, MS18.9 mi · 3,822 people · home $61,200
- Union, MS20.0 mi · 2,042 people · home $138,400
Walnut Grove questions
Is Walnut Grove, Mississippi a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Walnut Grove scores better for retirees than 11% of Mississippi towns and quieter than 15%. 10.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.3).
How much does a house cost in Walnut Grove?
The median owner-occupied home in Walnut Grove is valued at $85,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $42,634, so homes cost about 2.0 times income. Median rent is $535 a month.
What is the weather like in Walnut Grove?
July highs average 92.1°F and January lows 33.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 57.8 inches of precipitation a year and 0.2 inches of snow.
Does Walnut Grove get tornadoes?
54 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Walnut Grove 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)