This Coast city is the best place to live in Mississippi for 2026, US News & World Report says
A Mississippi Coast city is the best place to live in the state in 2026, beating the state’s capital, a recent ranking said.
With stunning Gulf views, a slow pace of life and low cost of living, Gulfport was named the Magnolia State’s best city to live in for 2026, according to a U.S. News & World Report ranking.
While the city came in first place for Mississippi, it ranked low nationally at 487th, U.S. News & World Report said.
Jackson and Hattiesburg also stood out as top places to live in the Magnolia State, coming in at 2nd and 3rd, respectively, the ranking found.
Here’s what to know about the top three Mississippi cities to live in for 2026.
1. Gulfport
Mississippi’s second-largest city, Gulfport, is known for sunny beaches, great fishing and being a hub for creatives. If you’re looking to make the move to Gulfport, here are some details to know, according to U.S. News & World Report:
- Population: 75,021
- Median age: 36
- Median household income: $49,058
- Unemployment rate: 4.51%, close to the national average of 4.5%
- Average commute time: 19 minutes
- Median home value: $173,340
- Median rent: $851
2. Jackson
Jackson, the capital of Mississippi, is the second-best place to live in the state for 2026, according to U.S. News & World Report. The city is the most populated in the state, and it’s known for its Civil Rights history and music heritage. Here’s what to know if you’re thinking about moving to Jackson in 2026, according to the outlet:
- Population: 143,903Median age: 35
- Median household income: $45,064
- Unemployment rate: 4.46%
- Average commute time: 18 minutes
- Median home value: $131,509
- Median rent: $728
3. Hattiesburg
Located in Southeast Mississippi, Hattiesburg — also known as Hub City — came in third for the state’s best cities to live in for 2026, according to U.S. News & World Report’s ranking. Here’s some information to know if you’re considering relocating to Hattiesburg:
- Population: 49,130
- Median age: 28
- Median household income: $45,128
- Unemployment rate: 4.84%
- Average commute time: 14 minutes
- Median home value: $168,618
- Median rent: $756
How did media company conduct ranking?
U.S. News & World Report used categorized data from Applied Geographic Solutions and its internal resources into the following five indexes to determine which cities are the best to live in, analysts said:
- Quality of life
- How comfortably residents could live in each city
- Desirability of each city
- Job market
- Net migration
