The Town FilesWalnut, Mississippi
Town in Tippah County · population 704 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $97,000
- Household income
- $27,159
- Jan low / Jul high
- 29° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 2 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 27
- Median age
- 29.0
Walnut is a town of 704 people in Tippah County, Mississippi. The median home is worth $97,000, below the typical Mississippi town ($124,700).
How Walnut 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 is worth $97,000, below the typical Mississippi town ($124,700). Homes cost about 3.6 times the median household income of $27,159, which is more affordable than 16% of Mississippi towns. Median rent is $512 a month. 52.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Walnut | Typical Mississippi town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $97,000 | $124,700 |
| Median rent | $512 | $820 |
| Median household income | $27,159 | $45,965 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.6× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 52.0% | 65.3% |
| Median year built | 1974 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Walnut
| People | Walnut | Typical Mississippi town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 29.0 | 37.3 |
| Age 65 and over | 12.6% | 16.6% |
| Under 18 | 33.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 8.3% | 19.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 28.7% | 22.9% |
| Veterans | 4.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.7% | — |
| Work from home | 0.0% | 4.0% |
| Average commute | 21.2 min | 23.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 76.0% | 83.3% |
Weather in Walnut
July highs average 89.6°F and January lows 29.1°F. About 57.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 1.5 inches of snow (typical Mississippi town: 0.5 in). Expect about 48 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 80 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
27 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Walnut since 1950, compared with 31 for the typical Mississippi town. 13 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF4, struck on December 23, 2015 about 5.3 miles from the town center and killed 6. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 11 deaths and 29 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on April 2, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 22 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on February 5, 2008.
Severe weather in Tippah County since 1996
Tippah County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for tornado, 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 5, 2020 | Biological | DR-4528: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Tippah County
Tippah County had 7,028 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $43,336 a year. Unemployment was 2.8% in 2023; in Walnut itself the ACS puts it at 5.3%.
Public schools in Walnut
2 public schools with 773 students, about 12.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| WALNUT ATTENDANCE CENTER | K-12 | 490 | 13.2 |
| CHALYBEATE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-8 | 283 | 11.8 |
Towns near Walnut
- Middleton, TN8.4 mi · 658 people · home $122,100
- Ripley, MS14.8 mi · 5,462 people · home $117,200
- Ashland, MS16.4 mi · 551 people · home $98,800
- Blue Mountain, MS19.9 mi · 948 people · home $79,700
- Bolivar, TN22.3 mi · 5,205 people · home $150,200
- Eastview, TN23.1 mi · 763 people · home $153,300
- Corinth, MS23.3 mi · 14,622 people · home $177,100
- Selmer, TN24.1 mi · 4,446 people · home $155,900
Walnut questions
Is Walnut, Mississippi a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Walnut scores better for retirees than 2% of Mississippi towns and quieter than 58%. 12.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 29.0).
How much does a house cost in Walnut?
The median owner-occupied home in Walnut is valued at $97,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $27,159, so homes cost about 3.6 times income. Median rent is $512 a month.
What is the weather like in Walnut?
July highs average 89.6°F and January lows 29.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 57.6 inches of precipitation a year and 1.5 inches of snow.
Does Walnut get tornadoes?
27 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Walnut since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF4 on December 23, 2015. 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)