City profile · Mississippi · Census ACS 2023

Starkville, MS

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

25,611
Residents
$39,751
Median income
$265,900
Median home
$957
Median rent (state)

Starkville - the verdict

Starkville ranks in the 7th percentile for household income and the 29th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

7th
percentile, household income
59th
percentile, home value
11th
percentile, median rent
29th
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: Starkville, MS

Mississippi's Starkville is a small city, with 25,611 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Starkville households earn a median of $39,751 annually, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 18.5%. Starkville's housing stock carries a median value of $265,900, and the median resident age is 26.3 years. 50.9% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 57.1% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 66 residential building permits were authorized in Starkville (Construction Slowdown), down 39% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 2118.9 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, near the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

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 $957 per month. Monthly utility costs average around $223 across Mississippi, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. The average commute for Starkville workers runs 17.7 minutes, with 82.7% driving alone and 7.5% working from home. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 62.8 out of 100 (Moderate).

Population

25,611 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Mississippi

Median Household Income

$39,751 /yr

Poverty 18.5%

Cost of Living Index (state)

87.0 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Mississippi average

How does Starkville compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 7% higher than other cities
Home value 59% pricier than other cities
Median rent 11% pricier than other cities
Safety 29% safer than other cities

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

Zoom in to just Mississippi and the picture shifts: Starkville ranks #33 of 56 Mississippi cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile 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 Starkville'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.

7thIncome percentile
29thSafety percentile

7th percentile nationally for median household income · 29th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Starkville's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Starkville'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 34 Avg. percentile National median
Starkville'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 Starkville's home value compares nationally

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

$265,900 41st percentile more affordable than 41% 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. Starkville $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 - Starkville, MS Starkville, MS's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Starkville, 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 Starkville, MS median $39,751/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%
Starkville, 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 Starkville, MS. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 50.9%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 18.5%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 57.1%

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

Population
25,611
Median Income
$39,751
Median Home Value
$265,900
Median Age
26.3
Poverty Rate
18.5%
Labor force participation
57.1%
Bachelor's Degree+
50.9%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2118.9
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
82.9
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2036.0
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 →
25,400 residents25,500 residents25,600 residents25,700 residents25,800 residents 202020212022202320242025 25,693 residents 25,754 residents ▲ +0.2%
Starkville's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
66
housing units authorized
Single-Family
54
detached homes
Multifamily
12
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
2.6
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 109
2020 52
2021 77
2022 55
2023 90
2024 66

Permit volume decreased 39% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
17.7 minutes
Drive Alone
82.7%
Carpool
5.9%
Public Transit
0.7%
Walk
1.3%
Work from Home
7.5%
Other
1.9%

Based on 11,768 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 Starkville sits in

Cost of Living Index
87.0
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$957/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
62.8 / 100
Moderate
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Mississippi

Brandon
25,352 people
Oxford
26,086 people
Horn Lake
26,622 people
Ridgeland
24,548 people
Clinton
27,418 people
Pearl
27,458 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Starkville's 25,611 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Inkster, MI
25,602 people
Newberg, OR
25,622 people
Immokalee, FL
25,624 people
Moses Lake, WA
25,594 people
Pace, FL
25,630 people
South Bradenton, FL
25,585 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Starkville's $39,751 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Red Level, AL
$39,750 median income
Arctic, AK
$39,750 median income
Climax, GA
$39,750 median income
Plymouth, IL
$39,750 median income
Renick, MO
$39,750 median income
Monroe, OK
$39,750 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Starkville, 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 Starkville, MS - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 59.6% 32.2% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 3.4% White 59.6% Black or African American 32.2% Asian 3.7% American Indian 0.3% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 1.2% Two or more races 3.0% 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 Starkville 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
Starkville (this city) 25,611 $39,751
Brandon 25,352 $93,073
Oxford 26,086 $59,901
Horn Lake 26,622 $56,847
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MS FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Starkville, MS?

What is the population of Starkville, MS? +

The population of Starkville, MS stands at 25,611 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

The median household income in Starkville is $39,751 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Starkville? +

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

Starkville has a total crime rate of 2118.9 per 100,000 residents, which is near 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 Starkville, MS? +

The median home value in Starkville is $265,900, 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 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.