Located in the southern region of the United States, Mississippi is home to 2.9 million residents. Outside of the Mississippi Delta area, much of the land is still heavily forested, and the state’s largest city and capital is Jackson. This mostly rural state remains heavily dominated by industrial farms and a large catfish aquaculture industry. The state also has a growing tourism sector along the Mississippi River and Gulf Coast due to its legalized gambling and large casino resorts. If you’d like to live in The Magnolia State, here are the 15 safest cities in Mississippi so that you can make the best choice.
Related: Check out our Mississippi Public Records guide.
Our list was compiled based on FBI violent crime stats and proprietary backgroundchecks.org research data. Rates are normalized per 100,000 residents with the state average being 278 for violent crime and 2,921 for property crime. This is calculated by taking (# of crimes/population) * 100,000.
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#1 Petal
Located in Forrest County, the city of Petal is home 10,400 residents. This community lies on the banks of the Leaf River, features a new 70-acre park with mountain bike trails, and has been named by Sports Illustrated as “Sports Illustrated Sportstown for Mississippi.” Petal is the safest city in the state, with a violent crime rate of 18.8, and the chance of being affected by property crime here just .06%.
#2 Brandon
A city in Rankin County, Brandon is home to 21,700 residents. Also the county seat and considered an eastern suburb of Jackson, the community is known for its Black Rose Theatre Company and is the site of several historic properties. Another safe place to call home, the violent crime rate here is 27.2, and residents of Brandon have a 1% of being involved in a property crime.
#3 Long Beach
Located in Harrison County, the city of Long Beach is home to 14,700 residents. This coastal community lies just west of Gulfport on the Gulf Coast, was formerly known as the “Radish Capital of the World”, and is the site of the Gulf Coast campus of the University of Southern Mississippi. The violent crime rate in Long Beach is 33, and the chance of being affected by property crime here is 2.1%.
#4 Oxford
A city in Lafayette County, Oxford has a current population of 20,800 residents. Also the county seat, the community was founded in 1837, is home to the University of Mississippi (“Ole Miss”), and was named by USA Today as one of the top six college towns in the country. The violent crime rate here is 41.2, and residents of Oxford have a 1% chance of being involved in a property crime.
#5 Madison
Located in Madison County, the city of Madison is home 24,800 residents. Considered a suburb of Jackson, the community was named for James Madison, has the highest income of any city in the state, and is the site of several university satellite campuses. The violent crime rate in Madison is 56.8, and the chance of being affected by property crime here is .08%.
#6 Byram
A city in Hinds County, Byram is home to 7,300 residents. Considered a southern suburb of Jackson, the community was incorporated for a second time in 2009, encompasses 20.1 square miles and is served by the Hinds County School District. The violent crime rate here is 60.1, and the chance of being involved in a property crime in Byram is 2.2%.
#7 Horn Lake
Located in DeSoto County, the city of Horn Lake is home 26,000 residents. This fast-growing community lies just south of the Tennessee state line, is considered a suburb of Memphis, and is the site of both the “Elvis Ranch” and a plant owned by Newly Weds Foods. The violent crime rate here is 90.3, and residents of Horn Lake have a 2.5% chance of being affected by property crime.
#8 Brookhaven
A city in Lincoln County, Brookhaven is home to 12,500 residents. Also the county seat, the community was founded in 1818, encompasses 7.3 square miles of land, and is served by the Brookhaven School District and a statewide magnet arts high school. The violent crime rate in Brookhaven is 111.6, and the chance of being involved in a property crime here is 1.8%.
#9 Clinton
Located in Hinds County, the city of Clinton is home to 25,200 residents. The community is considered a suburb of Jackson and is the site of both Mississippi College, a private university, and the headquarters of Skytel, a wireless company. The violent crime rate here is 117.3, and residents of Clinton have a 2.5% chance of being affected by property crime.
#10 Pearl
A city in Rankin County, Pearl is home to 25,000 residents. Another suburb of Jackson, the community lies on the eastern banks of the Pearl River, has several parks and walking trails, and has its own minor league baseball team called the Mississippi Braves. The violent crime rate in Pearl is 129.3, and the chance of being involved in a property crime here is 2.4%.
#11 Ridgeland
Located in Madison County, the city of Ridgeland is home to 24,000 residents. The community is just north of Jackson, lies adjacent to the Ross Barnett Reservoir, and is the site of the headquarters of tech company Bomgar. The violent crime rate here is 154.8, and residents of Ridgeland have a 2.8% chance of being affected by property crime.
#12 Gulfport
The largest city on our list, Gulfport has a current population of 67,700 residents. This Harrison County coastal community is a major tourist destination, with casinos, speedboat races, and fishing tournaments. It is also home to the U.S. Navy Atlantic Fleet Seabees, which is its largest employer. The violent crime rate in Gulfport is 175.9, and the chance of being involved in a property crime here is 4.5%.
#13 Ocean Springs
Located in Jackson County, the city of Ocean Springs is home to 17,400 residents. The community is just 2 miles east of Biloxi, has a reputation as an arts community, and has a thriving seafood industry from the Gulf of Mexico. The violent crime rate here is 194.2, and residents of Ocean Springs have a 3.1% chance of being affected by property crime.
#14 Olive Branch
A city in DeSoto County, Olive Branch is home to 33,400 residents. Just south of the Tennessee state line, the community is considered a suburb of Memphis, encompasses 36.9 square miles, and is served by the DeSoto County School District. The violent crime rate in Olive Branch is 205, and the chance of being involved in a property crime here is 2.9%.
#15 Hattiesburg
Located in Forrest and Lamar counties, the city of Hattiesburg has a current population of 47,500 residents. The county seat of Forrest County, the community is home to both the University of Southern Mississippi and William Carey University as well as the largest National Guard Training base in the eastern U.S. The violent crime rate here is 252.5, and residents of Hattiesburg have a 5.7% chance of being affected by property crime.
