City profile · Mississippi · Census ACS 2023

Olive Branch, MS

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

46,538
Residents
$98,421
Median income
$269,900
Median home
$1,274
Median rent (state)

Olive Branch - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Olive Branch lands in the 77th percentile for household income and the 44th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

77th
percentile, household income
60th
percentile, home value
44th
percentile, median rent
44th
percentile, safety
📝 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: Olive Branch, MS

46,538 people live in Olive Branch, Mississippi - a small city by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Olive Branch households earn a median of $98,421 annually, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 4.2%. Typical homes in Olive Branch are valued around $269,900, and the median resident age is 37.6 years. 31.1% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 67.0% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 172 residential building permits were authorized in Olive Branch (Construction Slowdown), down 45% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Olive Branch reports a comparatively low crime rate: per-100,000 total crime stands at 1557.9 in FBI UCR data, below the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA climate normals record an annual average temperature of 61.8°F with 59.2 inches of precipitation per year and 1.5 inches of snowfall.

Living costs in Mississippi run below the national norm: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Mississippi scores 87.0 (Well Below Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,274 per month. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Mississippi run around $223, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Commute times here average 22.8 minutes, with 81.9% driving alone and 7.7% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 89.0 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very High).

Population

46,538 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Mississippi

Median Household Income

$98,421 /yr

Poverty 4.2%

Cost of Living Index (state)

87.0 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Mississippi average

How does Olive Branch compare to other US cities?

Olive Branch measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 77% higher than other cities
Home value 60% pricier than other cities
Median rent 44% pricier than other cities
Safety 44% safer than other cities

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

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at Mississippi, Olive Branch ranks #26 of 56 Mississippi cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Olive Branch's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Mississippi, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

77thIncome percentile
44thSafety percentile

77th percentile nationally for median household income · 44th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Olive Branch's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Olive Branch's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 56 Avg. percentile National median
Olive Branch's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Olive Branch's home value compares nationally

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

$269,900 40th percentile more affordable than 40% 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%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Olive Branch $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 - Olive Branch, MS Olive Branch, MS's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Olive Branch, 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 Olive Branch, MS median $98,421/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%
Olive Branch, 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 Olive Branch, MS. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 31.1%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 4.2%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 67.0%

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

Population
46,538
Median Income
$98,421
Median Home Value
$269,900
Median Age
37.6
Poverty Rate
4.2%
Labor force participation
67.0%
Bachelor's Degree+
31.1%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1557.9
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
199.2
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1358.7
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
61.8°F
Annual Precipitation
59.2"
Annual Snowfall
1.5"

Schools

Total Schools
14
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
46,000 residents46,500 residents47,000 residents47,500 residents48,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 46,569 residents 47,563 residents ▲ +2.1%
Olive Branch's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
172
housing units authorized
Single-Family
172
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
3.7
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 311
2020 284
2021 237
2022 126
2023 131
2024 172

Permit volume decreased 45% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
22.8 minutes
Drive Alone
81.9%
Carpool
8.8%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.2%
Work from Home
7.7%
Other
1.4%

Based on 24,168 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 Olive Branch sits in

Cost of Living Index
87.0
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,274/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
89.0 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Mississippi

Hattiesburg
48,507 people
Biloxi
49,011 people
Tupelo
37,825 people
Southaven
55,531 people
Meridian
34,466 people
Greenville
28,833 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Olive Branch's 46,538 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Attleboro, MA
46,499 people
Salina, KS
46,432 people
Gallatin, TN
46,667 people
Farmington, NM
46,339 people
Prescott, AZ
46,744 people
Los Banos, CA
46,776 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Olive Branch's $98,421 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Oak Hills, CA
$98,424 median income
New Prague, MN
$98,424 median income
Bangor, CA
$98,438 median income
Hillside Lake, NY
$98,438 median income
Amalga, UT
$98,438 median income
Willow Grove, PA
$98,402 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Olive Branch, 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 Olive Branch, MS - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 56.6% 33.6% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 5.6% White 56.6% Black or African American 33.6% Asian 2.5% American Indian 0.2% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 2.9% Two or more races 4.2% 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 Olive Branch 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
Olive Branch (this city) 46,538 $98,421
Hattiesburg 48,507 $44,140
Biloxi 49,011 $55,958
Tupelo 37,825 $66,314
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MS FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Olive Branch, MS?

What is the population of Olive Branch, MS? +

The population of Olive Branch, MS stands at 46,538 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Olive Branch, MS? +

Olive Branch households earn a median of $98,421 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Olive Branch? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Olive Branch; 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.

Is Olive Branch, MS safe? +

Olive Branch has a total crime rate of 1557.9 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Olive Branch, MS? +

Olive Branch's median home value sits at $269,900, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Olive Branch? +

The average annual temperature in Olive Branch runs 61.8°F, 59.2 inches of precipitation, and 1.5 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, 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.