City profile · Mississippi · Census ACS 2023

Indianola, MS

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Indianola - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

9,360
Residents
$39,275
Median income
$119,100
Median home
$842
Median rent (state)

Indianola - the verdict

Nationally, Indianola sits in the 7th percentile for household income among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS.

7th
percentile, household income
17th
percentile, home value
1st
percentile, median rent
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Indianola, MS

Mississippi's Indianola is a small town, with 9,360 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Indianola households earn a median of $39,275 annually, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 21.6%. Home values in Indianola run a median of $119,100, and the median resident age is 35.4 years. About 24.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 48.3% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 5 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Rapid Growth), up 25% from five years earlier.

Living costs in Mississippi run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Mississippi at 87.0 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Well Below Average). A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $842 per month statewide. Monthly utility costs average around $223 across Mississippi, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Natural-hazard exposure scores 69.6 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Moderate).

Population

9,360 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Mississippi

Median Household Income

$39,275 /yr

Poverty 21.6%

Cost of Living Index (state)

87.0 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Mississippi average

How does Indianola compare to other US cities?

Where Indianola sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 7% higher than other cities
Home value 17% pricier than other cities
Median rent 1% pricier than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Indianola against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Mississippi only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Mississippi-relative analysis

Median Gross Rent places Indianola near the bottom of Mississippi's cities

Among the 395 Mississippi cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Indianola ranks #207 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Indianola only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#226 of 345
34th percentile in Mississippi
Median Gross Rent
#207 of 395
0th percentile in Mississippi
Median Home Value
#145 of 348
58th percentile in Mississippi
Poverty Rate
#151 of 393
61st percentile in Mississippi
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#102 of 394
74th percentile in Mississippi

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Mississippi only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

7thIncome percentile

7th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Indianola's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$119,100 Among the most affordable more affordable than 83% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). This entry sits in this band. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Indianola $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Indianola, MS Indianola, MS's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Indianola, MS-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Indianola, MS median $39,275/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Indianola, MS's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Indianola, MS. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 24.2%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 21.6%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 48.3%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
9,360
Median Income
$39,275
Median Home Value
$119,100
Median Age
35.4
Poverty Rate
21.6%
Labor force participation
48.3%
Bachelor's Degree+
24.2%

Schools

Total Schools
4
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
8,500 residents9,000 residents9,500 residents10,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 9,433 residents 8,637 residents ▼ -8.4%
Indianola's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Rapid Growth
Total Permits (2024)
5
housing units authorized
Single-Family
5
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.5
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 4
2020 11
2021 7
2022 15
2023 7
2024 5

Permit volume increased 25% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
84.9%
Carpool
9.1%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
1.1%
Work from Home
4.2%
Other
0.7%

Based on 3,457 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Mississippi - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$135
avg/month
Natural Gas
$50
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$38
avg/month
Total Utilities
$223
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Mississippi state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Mississippi state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Indianola sits in

Cost of Living Index
87.0
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$842/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
69.6 / 100
Moderate
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Mississippi

Diamondhead
9,338 people
Booneville
9,060 people
West Point
9,967 people
Bay St. Louis
9,971 people
Yazoo City
10,270 people
Flowood
10,384 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Indianola's 9,360 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Denham Springs, LA
9,362 people
Roxborough Park, CO
9,365 people
Fallon, NV
9,371 people
Coral Hills, MD
9,372 people
Helotes, TX
9,372 people
Groton, CT
9,343 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Indianola's $39,275 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Roxboro, NC
$39,283 median income
Sedgwick, AR
$39,286 median income
St. Johns, IL
$39,286 median income
Dupont, WV
$39,286 median income
North Wilkesboro, NC
$39,288 median income
Libby, MT
$39,261 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Indianola, MS Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Indianola, MS - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 17.9% 80.9% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 0.1% White 17.9% Black or African American 80.9% Asian 0.3% American Indian 0.2% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.0% Two or more races 0.7% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Indianola compares to nearby Mississippi cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Indianola (this city) 9,360 $39,275
Diamondhead 9,338 $86,208
Booneville 9,060 $50,112
West Point 9,967 $35,055
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MS NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Indianola, MS?

What is the population of Indianola, MS? +

9,360 people live in Indianola, MS according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Indianola, MS? +

Indianola households earn a median of $39,275 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Indianola? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Indianola; the closest available measure is the Mississippi state average, a cost of living index of 87.0 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Mississippi vary by metro area.

What is the median home value in Indianola, MS? +

The median home value in Indianola is $119,100, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.