City profile · Mississippi · Census ACS 2023

Petal, MS

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

11,195
Residents
$72,845
Median income
$161,400
Median home
$1,047
Median rent (state)

Petal - the verdict

Petal ranks in the 53rd percentile for household income and the 84th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

53rd
percentile, household income
31st
percentile, home value
24th
percentile, median rent
84th
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: Petal, MS

Petal is a small town in Mississippi, home to 11,195 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Petal brings in $72,845 a year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 10.8%. Typical homes in Petal are valued around $161,400, and the median resident age is 37.2 years. About 29.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 57.3% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 46 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Rapid Growth), up 35% from five years earlier. Petal reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 521.5 incidents per 100,000 residents, below the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Living costs in Mississippi run below the national norm: the state registers 87.0 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Well Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,047 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $223 across Mississippi, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 78.1 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (High).

Population

11,195 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Mississippi

Median Household Income

$72,845 /yr

Poverty 10.8%

Cost of Living Index (state)

87.0 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Mississippi average

How does Petal compare to other US cities?

Here's how Petal stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 53% higher than other cities
Home value 31% pricier than other cities
Median rent 24% pricier than other cities
Safety 84% 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, Petal ranks #4 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

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

Mississippi-relative analysis

Bachelor's Degree or Higher places Petal toward the top of Mississippi's cities

Among the 394 Mississippi cities PlainCities tracks with reported bachelor's degree or higher data, Petal ranks #66 - the 83rd percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Petal only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#47 of 345
86th percentile in Mississippi
Median Gross Rent
#85 of 395
75th percentile in Mississippi
Median Home Value
#84 of 348
76th percentile in Mississippi
Poverty Rate
#254 of 393
35th percentile in Mississippi
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#66 of 394
83rd 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.

53rdIncome percentile
84thSafety percentile

53rd percentile nationally for median household income · 84th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Petal's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Petal'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 70 Avg. percentile National median
Petal'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 Petal's home value compares nationally

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

$161,400 Among the most affordable more affordable than 69% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Petal $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 - Petal, MS Petal, MS's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Petal, 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 Petal, MS median $72,845/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%
Petal, 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 Petal, MS. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 29.1%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 10.8%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 57.3%

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

Population
11,195
Median Income
$72,845
Median Home Value
$161,400
Median Age
37.2
Poverty Rate
10.8%
Labor force participation
57.3%
Bachelor's Degree+
29.1%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
521.5
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
130.4
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
391.1
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.

Schools

Total Schools
6
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
11,000 residents11,200 residents11,400 residents11,600 residents11,800 residents 202020212022202320242025 11,067 residents 11,694 residents ▲ +5.7%
Petal's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Rapid Growth
Total Permits (2024)
46
housing units authorized
Single-Family
46
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
4.1
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 34
2020 70
2021 76
2022 51
2023 89
2024 46

Permit volume increased 35% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
83.7%
Carpool
10.1%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.5%
Work from Home
3.4%
Other
2.3%

Based on 5,042 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 Petal sits in

Cost of Living Index
87.0
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,047/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
78.1 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Mississippi

Canton
10,863 people
Cleveland
10,855 people
Brookhaven
11,656 people
Picayune
11,839 people
Flowood
10,384 people
Moss Point
12,066 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Petal's 11,195 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Waipio, HI
11,196 people
Lowes Island, VA
11,199 people
Brooklyn, OH
11,203 people
Prineville, OR
11,187 people
Grand Rapids, MN
11,186 people
Sebring, FL
11,185 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Petal's $72,845 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Lansdowne, MD
$72,845 median income
Macedon, NY
$72,843 median income
Pennville, PA
$72,842 median income
Terminous, CA
$72,838 median income
Four Corners, TX
$72,853 median income
Desert Center, CA
$72,857 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Petal, 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 Petal, MS - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 78.5% 16.6% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 3.5% White 78.5% Black or African American 16.6% Asian 0.2% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 1.3% Two or more races 3.4% 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 Petal 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
Petal (this city) 11,195 $72,845
Canton 10,863 $34,812
Cleveland 10,855 $43,519
Brookhaven 11,656 $36,269
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MS FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Petal, MS?

What is the population of Petal, MS? +

11,195 people live in Petal, MS according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Median annual household income in Petal runs $72,845, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Petal? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Petal; 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 Petal, MS safe? +

Petal has a total crime rate of 521.5 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 Petal, MS? +

The median home value in Petal is $161,400, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

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