Median Income
$23,875
household / year
Median Home Value
$72,300
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$549
gross / month
Cost of Living
84
national avg = 100

Is Shaw, MS a Good Place to Live?

Shaw is a small town of 1,615 in Mississippi, with a median household income of $23,875 and a 8.1% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 84 (US average = 100), which is 16% below the national average.

Strengths: Shaw 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 Shaw is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Shaw 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: 84.4

Shaw's overall cost of living index is 84.4, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Shaw costs roughly 16% less than the average American city.

Metric Shaw, MS National Avg
Median Home Value $72,300 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $549 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 57.3% 65.9%
Median Household Income $23,875 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Safer than Average

Shaw's violent crime rate is 323.2 per 100,000 residents — 15% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
323.2 /100k
Property Crime
1743.5 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Shaw is served primarily by West Bolivar Consolidated School District. The student-to-teacher ratio is 11.5:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Shaw, MS National Avg
School District West Bolivar Consolidated School District —
Elementary Schools 2 —
Middle Schools N/A —
High Schools 3 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 11.5:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 16.3% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 76.2% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Shaw sees average highs of 51.3°F in January and 92.0°F in July, with 59.3 inches of annual precipitation and 1.9 inches of snow per year.

MetricShaw, MS
Average High — January51.3°F
Average High — July92.0°F
Annual Precipitation59.3"
Annual Snowfall1.9"

Demographics

MetricShaw, MSNational Avg
Population1,615—
Median Age38.338.9
Unemployment Rate8.1%3.7%
Avg Commute Time21.1 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)6.9%59.3%
Black or African American90.7%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino2.5%18.9%
Asian0.0%6.3%
Under 1828.0%22.2%
65 and over21.9%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Skene, MS 7 mi Boyle, MS 8 mi Cleveland, MS 10 mi Renova, MS 13 mi Indianola, MS 13 mi

ZIP Codes in Shaw

Shaw, MS is covered by 1 ZIP code:

38773

Shaw vs Other Cities

Shaw, MS vs Skene, MS Shaw, MS vs Boyle, MS Shaw, MS vs Cleveland, MS Shaw, MS vs Renova, MS Shaw, MS vs Indianola, MS

Frequently Asked Questions

Shaw's cost of living index is 84, where 100 is the national average. That makes Shaw roughly 16% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $72,300 and median rent is $549/month.
Shaw's violent crime rate is 323.2 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1743.5 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Shaw are operated by West Bolivar Consolidated School District. The district has 2 elementary, several middle, and 3 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 11.5:1. 16.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Shaw, MS has a population of 1,615, a median household income of $23,875, and an unemployment rate of 8.1%. 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.
Shaw averages 51.3°F in January and 92.0°F in July. Annual rainfall is 59.3 inches with about 1.9 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Shaw, MS is covered by 1 ZIP code: 38773.
The population of Shaw, Mississippi is 1,615 with a median age of 38.3. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Shaw: cost of living index 84 (100 = US average), median home $72,300, median household income $23,875, crime index 84 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B-. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Shaw side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.