Lake vs Union
Lake, Mississippi versus Union, Mississippi: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Lake edges out Union on overall objective livability (51 vs 40 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Lake | Union |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $56k | $40k |
| Cost of Living | $45k | $45k |
| Home Value | $82k | $108k |
| Monthly Rent | $775 | $397 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $121 | $548 |
| Property Tax Rate | — | 0.54% |
| Income Tax | 5.00% | 5.00% |
| Sales Tax | 7.06% | 7.06% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 7.33% | 8.78% |
| Unemployment | 0.0% | 14.2% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 46°F | 47°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 81°F | 81°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 59.8 in | 60.4 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.4 in | 0.4 in |
| Sunny Days | 256 days | 256 days |
| Summer Humidity | 71°F | 71°F |
| Comfortable Days | 77 days | 75 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 70.3 | 77.1 |
| Air Quality | 42 AQI | 42 AQI |
| School Quality | 35.8 | 34.9 |
| Violent Crime | 75/100k | 820/100k |
| Property Crime | 131/100k | 1434/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 512 | 2,780 |
| Median Age | 33.4 | 30.7 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.52 | 0.55 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.84 | 0.79 |
| Political Leaning | R+39 | R+39 |
| White (%) | 55.1% | 39.5% |
| Black (%) | 41.8% | 53.9% |
| Hispanic (%) | 0.0% | 0.3% |
| Asian (%) | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.1% | 6.4% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Walkability | 5.4/20 | 4.3/20 |
| Airport Distance | 171 mi | 153 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 83.0% | 72.7% |
| Amenities Nearby | 39.06 | 0.00 |
| 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 Lake or Union more affordable?
- Union has the lower cost of living: its index is $45k, compared with Lake's $45k and Union's $45k. Median rent is $775 in Lake versus $397 in Union.
- Is Lake or Union safer?
- Lake has the lower violent crime rate. Lake reports 75/100k and Union reports 820/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Lake or Union?
- The median home value is $82k in Lake and $108k in Union, so homes are more affordable in Lake.