Is Pearl, MS a Good Place to Live?
Pearl is a small city of 27,255 in Mississippi, with a median household income of $56,838 and a 5.3% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 91 (US average = 100), which is 9% below the national average.
Strengths: Pearl stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, solid school ratings (B), short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Pearl is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Pearl 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: 90.7Pearl's overall cost of living index is 90.7, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Pearl costs roughly 9% less than the average American city.
| Metric | Pearl, MS | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $157,100 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,101 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 61.0% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $56,838 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Crime data for Pearl is not currently available from the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program. Not all local agencies report to the UCR each year.
Schools & Education
Pearl is served primarily by Pearl Public Schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14.3:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Pearl, MS | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Pearl Public Schools | — |
| Elementary Schools | 3 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 14.3:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 25.7% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 88.5% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Pearl sees average highs of 57.4°F in January and 92.1°F in July, with 57.3 inches of annual precipitation and 1.0 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Pearl, MS |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 57.4°F |
| Average High — July | 92.1°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 57.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 1.0" |
Demographics
| Metric | Pearl, MS | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 27,255 | — |
| Median Age | 36.0 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.3% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 25.1 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 60.0% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 32.6% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 4.1% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 1.8% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 22.1% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 15.3% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Pearl
Pearl, MS is covered by 1 ZIP code: