The state’s name may be tricky to spell, but this list of the 10 best places to retire in Mississippi will surely leave wanting more about Mississippi!
Named after the Mississippi River, the most extensive waterway in North America, Mississippi was the 20th state of the Union. Because the Mississippi Delta was covered in rich soil from the sediment of the Mississippi River, large waterfront areas were cleared for agriculture and farming. These then became plantations mostly of cotton. In the late 1700’s and throughout the 1800’s, the state benefitted from the increased cotton prices when cotton was still the king of crops. Its plantation owners became rich and powerful citizens. However, most of these landowners were white, leaving the African-American slaves in poverty.
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Until the 1900’s, the majority of the state’s population were African-Americans. This changed during the First and Second Great Migrations. The first migration saw African-Americans migrate to burgeoning industrial cities to the north like Chicago, Philadelphia and New York. The Second Great Migration started just before the Second World War, where residents flocked to the west to bolster the defense industry.
The state has also been a victim of hurricanes, particularly Hurricanes Katrina in 2005 and Camille in 1969. Outside of the Mississippi Delta, the state has dense forests which provide outdoor enthusiasts a number of activities. However, this has not been a hindrance to some counties and cities to be declared as the best places to retire in Mississippi
Another option when retiring near the Mississippi River is the state of Louisiana. If that’s the case, then you may want to check out the 10 best places to retire in Louisiana.
Mississippi, specifically the Delta area, has been acknowledged as the birthplace of the Blues genre in music. Perhaps the most well-known celebrity from the state is none other the King of Rock N’ Roll, Elvis Presley. A Gallup poll also ranked Mississippi as the most religious state in the country. Large bays along the coastline also provide water activities such as fishing and yachting. History fans will also appreciate the well-preserved battlefield sites in the state.
To come up with the 10 best places to retire in Mississippi, Insider Monkey first determined the factors that are most important for retirees – the cost of living, physicians per capita, crime, and house values. Information from Sperling’s Best Places, Areavibes and Livability were utilized, with every county given a corresponding score on how high or low they ranked on each of the 4 factors. MarketWatch was also helpful for some of the information on their website. Scores were then added and averaged, with the top 10 counties earning a place on our list.
Let’s take a look at the 10 best places to retire in Mississippi, shall we?
10. Wayne County
Cost of living: 21.7% lower than US average
Crime Score: 43
Physicians per 100k: 58
Median House Value: $69,000
Insider Monkey score: 52.6
Wayne County is located on the state’s eastern border. Named after General Anthony Wayne, it has a population of 20,747. De Soto National Forest has parts located in Wayne County, which hikers regularly visit for leisurely hikes.
9. Simpson County
Cost of living: 21.6% lower than US average
Crime Score: 42
Physicians per 100k: 58
Median House Value: $73,200
Insider Monkey score: 53.3
A part of the Jackson, MS Metropolitan Statistical Area, Simpson County still has that laid back vibe compared to the city of Jackson. Fires have destroyed much of the antebellum feel, but several neighborhoods still have historical points of interest.
8. Amite County
Cost of living: 22.5% lower than US average
Crime Score: 36
Physicians per 100k: 31
Median House Value: $68,900
Insider Monkey score: 53.6
The county was developed primarily as an area where cotton could be grown, which benefitted the plantation owners during the cotton boom. This resulted in most of the population during this time to be African American. By the 1900’s, the majority of the residents were still African Americans, but due to the mechanization of agriculture, most of them migrated first to the North, then to the East during the Great Migration.
7. Rankin County
Cost of living: 6.2% lower than US average
Crime Score: 37
Physicians per 100k: 322
Median House Value: $155,000
Insider Monkey score: 54
As part of the Jackson, MS Metropolitan Statistical Area, Rankin has become the 4th most populous county in Mississippi, with 141,617 residents. In addition, the county has the 2nd highest doctors per capita rate in all of Mississippi, which may be due to it being a part of a large metropolitan area.
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6. Itawamba County
Cost of living: 22.7% lower than US average
Crime Score: 36
Physicians per 100k: 34
Median House Value: $81,300
Insider Monkey score: 54.6
The county was named after the Itawamba, whose English name was Levi Colbert and was the leader of the Chickasaw tribe in the area. The county is home to Pharr Mounds, which are a series of complex burial mounds dating to 200 AD. And as the place is in our 10 best places to retire in Mississippi, retirees with a passion for history might want to take note of this!
5. Chickasaw County
Cost of living: 23% lower than US average
Crime Score: 51
Physicians per 100k: 75
Median House Value: $64,600
Insider Monkey score: 55.3
Chickasaw County was named after, you guessed right, the Chickasaw Indians who lived in the area prior to settlement by the British. The county was devastated during the 19th century when cotton prices fell, leaving the cotton-based economy to collapse and reduced many of its residents to poverty. Some notable areas of interest are the Natchez Trace Parkway and the Tombigbee National Forest.
4. Alcorn County
Cost of living: 19.2% lower than US average
Crime Score: 43
Physicians per 100k: 167
Median House Value: $85,400
Insider Monkey score: 55.6
Intersected by the Tuscumbia and Hatchie rivers, Alcorn County provides water activities suited for children to adults and the elderly. Despite the whole county being a part of the Corinth Metropolitan Statistical Area, Alcorn has seen no negative effects from the urbanization of the area.
3. Union County
Cost of living: 20.4% lower than US average
Crime Score: 38
Physicians per 100k: 85
Median House Value: $80,100
Insider Monkey score: 56.6
The county’s name’s origin has been debated since the early 20th century, with some saying as Union comes from the fact that the county was formed from several large pieces of land uniting to form the present-day county. Others say that this is to commemorate the re-joining of the Confederate states to the Union after the Civil War. Despite these arguments, one thing its residents agree on is this – Union County is one of the best places to retire in Mississippi.
From Union Co. court house. New Albany, Miss. Sysid 93250. Scanned as tiff in 2009/04/16 by MDAH. Credit: Courtesy of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History
2. Prentiss County
Cost of living: 21% lower than US average
Crime Score: 39
Physicians per 100k: 91
Median House Value: $72,900
Insider Monkey score: 60
The county is located in the northeastern part of the state, and is home to 25,275 people. A part of the Natchez Trace Parkway, from the previous entry on this list, makes its way to Prentiss County. Nature lovers would love to take this historic old trail which links the rivers Cumberland, Tennessee, and Mississippi.
1. Franklin County
Cost of living: 23.4% lower than US average
Crime Score: 41
Physicians per 100k: 62
Median House Value: $65,100
Insider Monkey score: 62
Being the 4th least populous county shouldn’t get in any counties way of being the best place to retire, as is the case with Franklin County. Bisected by the Homochitto River, Franklin County was also the 4th county to be created in Mississippi. Today, it has a population of 8,118 and is home to parts of the Homochitto National Forest. With low crime and cheap housing and daily costs of living, Franklin County makes it as the best place to retire in Mississippi!
