Mississippi · 61 places of 5,000+
Fastest-growing cities in Mississippi, 2020 to 2024
Short answer
- Fastest
- +11.8%
- Growing
- 23
- Shrinking
- 38
The 20 fastest-growing
Pass Christian grew fastest, from 5,749 in July 2020 to 6,429 in July 2024, +11.8%. It is the 56th largest of the 61 places ranked. 23 places grew and 38 shrank or held flat; the median change was -1.3%.
By raw numbers the biggest gain was in Southaven, +2,646 people. At the other end, Cleveland changed by -8.6%. Growth is measured between the July 2020 and July 2024 estimates for places with 5,000 or more residents in 2024, so fast growth from a small base can outrank larger absolute gains.
- 01Pass Christian+11.8%
- 02Bay St. Louis+11.6%
- 03Hernando+7.3%
- 04Pontotoc+7.2%
- 05Richland+6.4%
- 06Flowood+5.5%
- 07D'Iberville+5.4%
- 08Oxford+5.1%
- 09Pearl+5.0%
- 10Southaven+4.8%
- 11Petal+4.2%
- 12Ocean Springs+3.2%
- 13Brandon+2.9%
- 14Long Beach+2.4%
- 15Gulfport+2.4%
- 16Booneville+2.1%
- 17Olive Branch+1.7%
- 18Madison+1.6%
- 19New Albany+1.3%
- 20Picayune+1.2%
Dots: the 20 places in the chart. Orange pin: Pass Christian, ranked first.
All 61 places of 5,000+ ranked
| # | Place | 2024 | Since 2020 | County |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pass Christian | 6,429 | +11.8% | Harrison County |
| 2 | Bay St. Louis | 10,526 | +11.6% | Hancock County |
| 3 | Hernando | 18,542 | +7.3% | DeSoto County |
| 4 | Pontotoc | 6,046 | +7.2% | Pontotoc County |
| 5 | Richland | 7,607 | +6.4% | Rankin County |
| 6 | Flowood | 10,853 | +5.5% | Rankin County |
| 7 | D'Iberville | 13,399 | +5.4% | Harrison County |
| 8 | Oxford | 26,801 | +5.1% | Lafayette County |
| 9 | Pearl | 28,458 | +5.0% | Rankin County |
| 10 | Southaven | 57,493 | +4.8% | DeSoto County |
| 11 | Petal | 11,538 | +4.2% | Forrest County |
| 12 | Ocean Springs | 18,954 | +3.2% | Jackson County |
| 13 | Brandon | 25,870 | +2.9% | Rankin County |
| 14 | Long Beach | 17,217 | +2.4% | Harrison County |
| 15 | Gulfport | 74,621 | +2.4% | Harrison County |
| 16 | Booneville | 9,367 | +2.1% | Prentiss County |
| 17 | Olive Branch | 47,365 | +1.7% | DeSoto County |
| 18 | Madison | 28,210 | +1.6% | Madison County |
| 19 | New Albany | 7,729 | +1.3% | Union County |
| 20 | Picayune | 12,017 | +1.2% | Pearl River County |
| 21 | Senatobia | 8,428 | +0.9% | Tate County |
| 22 | Starkville | 25,844 | +0.6% | Oktibbeha County |
| 23 | Gautier | 19,055 | +0.2% | Jackson County |
| 24 | Brookhaven | 11,654 | -0.0% | Lincoln County |
| 25 | Ridgeland | 24,576 | -0.2% | Madison County |
| 26 | Tupelo | 37,775 | -0.4% | Lee County |
| 27 | Hattiesburg | 48,522 | -0.5% | Forrest County +1 |
| 28 | Horn Lake | 26,574 | -0.6% | DeSoto County |
| 29 | Forest | 5,364 | -1.1% | Scott County |
| 30 | Canton | 10,777 | -1.2% | Madison County |
| 31 | Diamondhead | 9,391 | -1.3% | Hancock County |
| 32 | Natchez | 14,233 | -1.4% | Adams County |
| 33 | Ripley | 5,359 | -1.5% | Tippah County |
| 34 | Laurel | 17,508 | -1.7% | Jones County |
| 35 | Batesville | 7,356 | -2.0% | Panola County |
| 36 | Philadelphia | 6,938 | -2.1% | Neshoba County |
| 37 | Waveland | 7,043 | -2.2% | Hancock County |
| 38 | Pascagoula | 21,476 | -2.2% | Jackson County |
| 39 | Biloxi | 48,144 | -2.6% | Harrison County |
| 40 | Corinth | 14,219 | -2.7% | Alcorn County |
| 41 | Louisville | 5,899 | -2.7% | Winston County |
| 42 | Moss Point | 11,791 | -2.8% | Jackson County |
| 43 | Byram | 12,656 | -2.9% | Hinds County |
| 44 | West Point | 9,758 | -3.3% | Clay County |
| 45 | Columbia | 6,534 | -3.4% | Marion County |
| 46 | Amory | 6,412 | -3.7% | Monroe County |
| 47 | Meridian | 33,549 | -3.8% | Lauderdale County |
| 48 | Grenada | 12,138 | -4.1% | Grenada County |
| 49 | Kosciusko | 6,774 | -4.4% | Attala County |
| 50 | McComb | 11,762 | -4.8% | Pike County |
| 51 | Clinton | 26,617 | -4.8% | Hinds County |
| 52 | Columbus | 22,820 | -4.9% | Lowndes County |
| 53 | Yazoo City | 9,913 | -6.1% | Yazoo County |
| 54 | Clarksdale | 13,861 | -6.2% | Coahoma County |
| 55 | Vicksburg | 20,032 | -6.7% | Warren County |
| 56 | Greenwood | 13,627 | -6.9% | Leflore County |
| 57 | Holly Springs | 6,472 | -6.9% | Marshall County |
| 58 | Jackson | 141,449 | -7.6% | Hinds County +2 |
| 59 | Indianola | 8,702 | -7.8% | Sunflower County |
| 60 | Greenville | 27,015 | -8.4% | Washington County |
| 61 | Cleveland | 10,183 | -8.6% | Bolivar County |
Questions people ask
What is the fastest-growing city in Mississippi?
Pass Christian, up 11.8% from July 2020 to July 2024 among places of 5,000+, to 6,429 residents.
Which Mississippi city added the most people?
Southaven, which gained 2,646 residents from July 2020 to July 2024.
How many Mississippi cities are shrinking?
38 of 61 places of 5,000+ had the same or fewer residents in July 2024 than in July 2020.
Why use places of 5,000 or more?
Small towns can swing by double-digit percentages from a few new homes, and Census estimates for them carry more uncertainty. The 5,000 floor keeps the ranking to places where a percentage means something.
Sources and data as of
Data as of: Census Vintage 2024 population estimates, 2024 Gazetteer land area and internal points, SAIPE 2023 median household income.
How every number is computed: methodology. Spotted a wrong figure? Report an error.