City profile · Mississippi · Census ACS 2023

Tupelo, MS

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

37,825
Residents
$66,314
Median income
$201,300
Median home
$994
Median rent (state)

Tupelo - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Tupelo lands in the 45th percentile for household income and the 7th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

45th
percentile, household income
43rd
percentile, home value
19th
percentile, median rent
7th
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: Tupelo, MS

Mississippi's Tupelo is a small city, with 37,825 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Tupelo households earn a median of $66,314 annually, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 9.3%. Tupelo's housing stock carries a median value of $201,300, and the median resident age is 38.4 years. About 35.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 59.7% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 87 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 38% from five years earlier. Tupelo's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: per-100,000 total crime stands at 4168.3 in FBI UCR data, above 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 62.1°F with 57.9 inches of precipitation per year and 0.8 inches of snowfall.

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. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $994 per month. Monthly utility costs average around $223 across Mississippi, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Natural-hazard exposure scores 81.3 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (High).

Population

37,825 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Mississippi

Median Household Income

$66,314 /yr

Poverty 9.3%

Cost of Living Index (state)

87.0 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Mississippi average

How does Tupelo compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 45% higher than other cities
Home value 43% pricier than other cities
Median rent 19% pricier than other cities
Safety 7% 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: Tupelo ranks #52 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 Tupelo'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.

45thIncome percentile
7thSafety percentile

45th percentile nationally for median household income · 7th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Tupelo's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Tupelo'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 40 Avg. percentile National median
Tupelo'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 Tupelo's home value compares nationally

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

$201,300 Among the most affordable more affordable than 57% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Tupelo $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 - Tupelo, MS Tupelo, MS's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Tupelo, 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 Tupelo, MS median $66,314/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%
Tupelo, 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 Tupelo, MS. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 35.1%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 9.3%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 59.7%

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

Population
37,825
Median Income
$66,314
Median Home Value
$201,300
Median Age
38.4
Poverty Rate
9.3%
Labor force participation
59.7%
Bachelor's Degree+
35.1%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
4168.3
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
391.0
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
3777.3
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
62.1°F
Annual Precipitation
57.9"
Annual Snowfall
0.8"

Schools

Total Schools
12
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
37,600 residents37,800 residents38,000 residents38,200 residents 202020212022202320242025 37,918 residents 38,087 residents ▲ +0.4%
Tupelo's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
87
housing units authorized
Single-Family
85
detached homes
Multifamily
2
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
2.3
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 141
2020 138
2021 101
2022 82
2023 102
2024 87

Permit volume decreased 38% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
86.7%
Carpool
6.8%
Public Transit
0.3%
Walk
0.4%
Work from Home
5.1%
Other
0.7%

Based on 17,708 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 Tupelo sits in

Cost of Living Index
87.0
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$994/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
81.3 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Mississippi

Meridian
34,466 people
Olive Branch
46,538 people
Greenville
28,833 people
Madison
27,775 people
Pearl
27,458 people
Clinton
27,418 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Tupelo's 37,825 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Longview, WA
37,836 people
Montclair, CA
37,809 people
Hilton Head Island, SC
37,805 people
Winchester, NV
37,774 people
Lewiston, ME
37,886 people
Rome, GA
37,754 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Tupelo's $66,314 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Pierce, CO
$66,313 median income
Cedar Glen West, NJ
$66,313 median income
Clarkesville, GA
$66,316 median income
Delhi, CA
$66,306 median income
Florin, CA
$66,323 median income
Cleburne, TX
$66,324 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Tupelo, 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 Tupelo, MS - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 52.7% 38.4% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 4.7% White 52.7% Black or African American 38.4% Asian 1.1% American Indian 0.5% Native Hawaiian 0.6% Some other race 3.4% Two or more races 3.3% 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 Tupelo 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
Tupelo (this city) 37,825 $66,314
Meridian 34,466 $34,657
Olive Branch 46,538 $98,421
Greenville 28,833 $36,297
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MS FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Tupelo, MS?

What is the population of Tupelo, MS? +

37,825 people live in Tupelo, MS according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

The median household income in Tupelo is $66,314 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Tupelo? +

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

Tupelo has a total crime rate of 4168.3 per 100,000 residents, which is above 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 Tupelo, MS? +

The median home value in Tupelo is $201,300, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Tupelo? +

Climate normals put Tupelo's yearly average temperature at 62.1°F, 57.9 inches of precipitation, and 0.8 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 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.