The Town FilesWesson, Mississippi
Town in Copiah County · population 1,833 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties
- Median home
- $168,500
- Household income
- $65,179
- Jan low / Jul high
- 39° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 46
- Median age
- 21.1
Wesson is a town of 1,833 people in Copiah County, Mississippi. The median home is worth $168,500, above the typical Mississippi town ($124,700). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 89% of Mississippi towns, more of a college town than 89% of Mississippi towns, better for young professionals than 83% of Mississippi towns.
How Wesson 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 Wesson is worth $168,500, above the typical Mississippi town ($124,700). Homes cost about 2.6 times the median household income of $65,179, which is more affordable than 66% of Mississippi towns. Median rent is $1,125 a month. 60.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Wesson | Typical Mississippi town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $168,500 | $124,700 |
| Median rent | $1,125 | $820 |
| Median household income | $65,179 | $45,965 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.6× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 60.3% | 65.3% |
| Median year built | 1976 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Wesson
| People | Wesson | Typical Mississippi town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 21.1 | 37.3 |
| Age 65 and over | 10.6% | 16.6% |
| Under 18 | 22.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.7% | 19.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 27.5% | 22.9% |
| Veterans | 3.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.5% | — |
| Work from home | 9.9% | 4.0% |
| Average commute | 30.2 min | 23.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 81.0% | 83.3% |
Weather in Wesson
July highs average 90.4°F and January lows 39.3°F. About 61.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.2 inches of snow (typical Mississippi town: 0.5 in). Expect about 78 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 33 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
46 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wesson since 1950, compared with 31 for the typical Mississippi town. 15 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on January 23, 1969 about 9.9 miles from the town center and killed 11. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 11 deaths and 163 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on December 28, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 52 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on May 25, 1973.
Severe weather in Copiah County since 1996
Copiah County has been included in 28 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 Copiah County
Copiah County had 6,434 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $40,976 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Wesson itself the ACS puts it at 5.2%.
Public schools in Wesson
1 public school with 858 students, about 14.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| WESSON ATTENDANCE CENTER | K-12 | 858 | 14.5 |
Towns near Wesson
- Brookhaven, MS8.7 mi · 11,674 people · home $121,900
- Hazlehurst, MS11.3 mi · 3,619 people · home $110,500
- Monticello, MS19.2 mi · 1,441 people · home $126,700
- Crystal Springs, MS20.2 mi · 4,862 people · home $113,000
- Terry, MS28.7 mi · 1,304 people · home $162,100
- Summit, MS29.3 mi · 1,505 people · home $113,600
Wesson questions
Is Wesson, Mississippi a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Wesson scores better for retirees than 42% of Mississippi towns and quieter than 16%. 10.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 21.1).
How much does a house cost in Wesson?
The median owner-occupied home in Wesson is valued at $168,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $65,179, so homes cost about 2.6 times income. Median rent is $1,125 a month.
What is the weather like in Wesson?
July highs average 90.4°F and January lows 39.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 61.6 inches of precipitation a year and 0.2 inches of snow.
Does Wesson get tornadoes?
46 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wesson since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on January 23, 1969. 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)