Very AffordableSafer than AverageBay Waveland School District
The Bay St. Louis bridge from above · Frank Kovalchek from Anchorage, Alaska, USA / CC BY 2.0Mississippi - Bay St. Louis - NARA - 23941647 (cropped) · Unknown authorUnknown author or not provided / Public domainHancockCountyCourthouse14Sept07 · Infrogmation of New Orleans / CC BY-SA 3.0
Bay St. Louis is a small town of 9,788 in Mississippi, with a median household income of $63,508
and a 9.2% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 89 (US average = 100), which is
11% below the national average.
Strengths:
Bay St. Louis stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (A-), a well-educated population.
Trade-offs:
Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Bay St. Louis is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Bay St. Louis city data on this page comes from official government sources —
the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 89.3
Bay St. Louis's overall cost of living index is 89.3,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Bay St. Louis costs roughly 11% less than the average American city.
Metric
Bay St. Louis, MS
National Avg
Median Home Value
$225,800
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$995
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
76.3%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$63,508
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Safer than Average
Bay St. Louis's violent crime rate is 119.3 per 100,000 residents
— 69% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
119.3 /100k
Property Crime
2357.6 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Bay St. Louis is served primarily by Bay Waveland School District.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 12.7:1
(better than the national average of ~16:1).
Metric
Bay St. Louis, MS
National Avg
School District
Bay Waveland School District
—
Elementary Schools
2
—
Middle Schools
1
—
High Schools
1
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
12.7:1
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
36.4%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
93.3%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Bay St. Louis sees average highs of 59.4°F in January
and 88.5°F in July,
with 65.0 inches of annual precipitation
.
Bay St. Louis's cost of living index is 89, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Bay St. Louis roughly 11% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $225,800 and median rent is $995/month.
Bay St. Louis's violent crime rate is 119.3 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 2357.6 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Bay St. Louis are operated by Bay Waveland School District.
The district has 2 elementary, 1 middle, and 1 high schools.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 12.7:1. 36.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Bay St. Louis, MS has a population of 9,788, a median household income of $63,508, and an unemployment rate of 9.2%.
It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Bay St. Louis averages 59.4°F in January and 88.5°F in July. Annual rainfall is 65.0 inches
.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Bay St. Louis, MS is covered by 1 ZIP code: 39520.
The population of Bay St. Louis, Mississippi is 9,788 with a median age of 51.6. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Bay St. Louis: cost of living index 89 (100 = US average), median home $225,800, median household income $63,508, crime index 64 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated A-. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Bay St. Louis side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.
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