City profile · Mississippi · Census ACS 2023

Ripley, MS

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

5,415
Residents
$56,641
Median income
$132,500
Median home
$842
Median rent (state)

Ripley - the verdict

Nationally, Ripley sits in the 30th percentile for household income among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS.

30th
percentile, household income
21st
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: Ripley, MS

Ripley is a small town in Mississippi, home to 5,415 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $56,641 per year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 18.0%. Ripley's housing stock carries a median value of $132,500, and the median resident age is 40.0 years. 18.4% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 61.5% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 10 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Building Boom), up 150% from five years earlier. NOAA climate normals record an annual average temperature of 59.8°F with 57.6 inches of precipitation per year and 1.6 inches of snowfall.

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). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $842 per month. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Mississippi's average monthly utility costs around $223 (state average). The average commute for Ripley workers runs 23.0 minutes, with 91.9% driving alone and 0.7% working from home. Natural-hazard exposure scores 43.8 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Low).

Population

5,415 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Mississippi

Median Household Income

$56,641 /yr

Poverty 18.0%

Cost of Living Index (state)

87.0 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Mississippi average

How does Ripley compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 30% higher than other cities
Home value 21% 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

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 Ripley'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.

30thIncome percentile

30th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Ripley's home value compares nationally

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

$132,500 Among the most affordable more affordable than 79% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Ripley $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 - Ripley, MS Ripley, MS's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Ripley, 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 Ripley, MS median $56,641/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%
Ripley, 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 Ripley, MS. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 18.4%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 18.0%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 61.5%

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

Population
5,415
Median Income
$56,641
Median Home Value
$132,500
Median Age
40.0
Poverty Rate
18.0%
Labor force participation
61.5%
Bachelor's Degree+
18.4%

Climate

Avg Temperature
59.8°F
Annual Precipitation
57.6"
Annual Snowfall
1.6"

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 →
5,350 residents5,400 residents5,450 residents 202020212022202320242025 5,443 residents 5,377 residents ▼ -1.2%
Ripley's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
10
housing units authorized
Single-Family
10
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1.8
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 4
2020 11
2021 13
2022 11
2023 11
2024 10

Permit volume increased 150% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
23.0 minutes
Drive Alone
91.9%
Carpool
7.4%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.0%
Work from Home
0.7%

Based on 2,639 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 Ripley 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
43.8 / 100
Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Mississippi

Forest
5,365 people
Leakesville
5,564 people
Vancleave
5,196 people
Pontotoc
5,717 people
Columbia
5,804 people
Saltillo
4,962 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Ripley's 5,415 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Cocoa West, FL
5,416 people
Algona, IA
5,414 people
Ashton-Sandy Spring, MD
5,418 people
North Hills, NY
5,419 people
Chelsea, MI
5,420 people
Hyde Park, UT
5,410 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Ripley's $56,641 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Sherwood, MI
$56,645 median income
Kingman, KS
$56,655 median income
Overton, NE
$56,625 median income
Rockford, OH
$56,625 median income
Cove, TX
$56,625 median income
East Lake-Orient Park, FL
$56,623 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Ripley, 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 Ripley, MS - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 60.0% 19.1% 6.2% 14.5% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 12.1% White 60.0% Black or African American 19.1% Asian 0.0% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.3% Some other race 6.2% Two or more races 14.5% 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 Ripley 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
Ripley (this city) 5,415 $56,641
Forest 5,365 $51,082
Leakesville 5,564 $65,745
Vancleave 5,196 $71,000
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MS NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Ripley, MS?

What is the population of Ripley, MS? +

Ripley, MS counts 5,415 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Median annual household income in Ripley runs $56,641, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Ripley? +

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

Homes in Ripley carry a median value of $132,500, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Ripley? +

The average annual temperature in Ripley runs 59.8°F, 57.6 inches of precipitation, and 1.6 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

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

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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.