Hattiesburg vs Meridian
Hattiesburg, Mississippi versus Meridian, Mississippi: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Meridian edges out Hattiesburg on overall objective livability (49 vs 43 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Hattiesburg | Meridian |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $41k | $33k |
| Cost of Living | $46k | $47k |
| Home Value | $147k | $98k |
| Monthly Rent | $936 | $824 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.94% | 1.30% |
| Income Tax | 5.00% | 5.00% |
| Sales Tax | 7.06% | 7.06% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 10.67% | 11.20% |
| Unemployment | 7.8% | 8.6% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 49°F | 47°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 82°F | 82°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 61.6 in | 58.6 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.9 in | 0.5 in |
| Sunny Days | 254 days | 256 days |
| Summer Humidity | 72°F | 71°F |
| Comfortable Days | 89 days | 74 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 65.4 | 70.9 |
| Air Quality | 55 AQI | 42 AQI |
| School Quality | 55.4 | 40.1 |
| Violent Crime | 3352/100k | 0/100k |
| Property Crime | 4479/100k | 0/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 48,466 | 34,990 |
| Median Age | 28.5 | 37.9 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.56 | 0.48 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.84 | 0.87 |
| Political Leaning | R+11 | R+16 |
| White (%) | 40.2% | 29.8% |
| Black (%) | 51.5% | 65.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 3.7% | 1.9% |
| Asian (%) | 0.8% | 1.1% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.8% | 2.3% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 16 min | 18 min |
| Walkability | 9.4/20 | 7.6/20 |
| Airport Distance | 106 mi | 138 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 83.8% | 77.8% |
| Amenities Nearby | 27.85 | 13.72 |
| Park & Nature Access | Limited | Limited |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Hattiesburg or Meridian more affordable?
- Hattiesburg has the lower cost of living: its index is $46k, compared with Hattiesburg's $46k and Meridian's $47k. Median rent is $936 in Hattiesburg versus $824 in Meridian.
- Is Hattiesburg or Meridian safer?
- Meridian has the lower violent crime rate. Hattiesburg reports 3352/100k and Meridian reports 0/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Hattiesburg or Meridian?
- The median home value is $147k in Hattiesburg and $98k in Meridian, so homes are more affordable in Meridian.