21 reasons why people moving to the Mississippi Gulf Coast

Last updated on February 19th, 2023 at 12:47 am

Considering a move, is your high-cost state just too much? Taxes, politics, and public safety causing anxiety? It’s probably time for you to consider relocating. A move to the Mississippi Gulf Coast is probably just what you need. There are at least 21 reasons people are moving to the Mississippi Gulf Coast (see below).

But why would you move to Mississippi when articles indicate the state is losing population? The time I reveal the true Mississippi Gulf Coast, you know, the place they did not want you to know about. It’s a good thing you found this article.

How about some facts first? The State of Mississippi is the poorest in the United States. Yes, without a doubt compared to New York, California and others. Yes, people are leaving the state, and there is a population decline. Want to know why? It’s young people who want to live in cities.

Young people love big metros

Young people watch TV and with the internet, they see the nightlife, pubs, and social gatherings that take place in densely populated places such as Los Angeles and New York. Many are moving to Memphis and what they believe are better job opportunities.

Even within the state of Mississippi, young people gravitate to Jackson Mississippi, the capital and largest city. There is a thing about cities that grabs the imagination of young people. Young people tend to overlook the crime rates and other flaws in large cities. For years the state legislature and other government officials have been working on the problem of young people leaving for “high-paying jobs” offered in the Cities.

Yes, there are some very low-income areas such as the Mississippi Delta area,, and others where the declining population has left churches with few partitioners. Mississippi is the 4th most rural state in the nation. Internet is finally spreading throughout the state but for a long time, large areas of farmland were without fast internet.

Young people in particular felt disconnected. They attended small schools in isolated areas. Did you know that the state of Mississippi is mostly wooded? Even with the lumber industry, the state is still close to how it was when Europeans first discovered the area.

Some people live near the poverty line but what does that mean in Mississippi?

Topics such as life expectancy and health care are often mentioned as reasons to stay away from Mississippi. Mississippi has a very low population density. Only the city of Jackson even comes close to what many would call crowded and it is not.

Some people live near the poverty line in Mississippi and at first glance, this may seem terrible. Remember most people writing articles about the high poverty rates are using federal government numbers. I am not saying that people don’t suffer in Mississippi just as they do in other states but what I will start telling you is the truth that many coastal states don’t want you to know about.

Mississippi is a wonderful place to live. Yes, I said it. People can move here and live the American Dream. The last decade has brought many improvements to living standards in the state with many more positive changes coming. This article addresses some of the reasons to move to the Mississippi Gulf Coast even if you decide this is not for you.

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A typical article about Mississippi dissected

I chose an article written by Retirepedia titled 17 pros and cons of living in Mississippi. Let’s skip the 10 pros. Let’s discuss what they call the “6 drawbacks of living in Mississippi – Cons”

• Poverty – I already mentioned there is what is considered by the U.S. government as poverty when compared to the large metros with higher costs of living.
• Obesity – Yes some people could stand to lose a few pounds. How does this affect you? Because there is a large number of obese people in the state, does this cause you to not consider moving to Mississippi or even visiting? FYI, the food is great, one reason for the problem.
• Poor health care – This is a rural state with few hospitals in rural areas but the care is good. The Mississippi Gulf Coast has many hospitals and even more clinics and urgent care facilities. I can personally attest to great medical care even when visiting the emergency room.
• Poor life expectancy – Once again, how does this affect you? This issue is a lifestyle choice. Should you not move to the Mississippi Gulf Coast because somewhere in the state of Mississippi people live to age 75? I have friends on the Gulf Coast who are well into their 80s.
• Poor public schools – I agree, some rural schools do not have to perform arts facilities. The Mississippi Gulf Coast schools are highly rated, check for yourself. Again, how does this directly affect you? You have children, great they will get a good education. If you don’t have school-age children, no impact. FYI, the schools are improving with internet access and additional resources.
• Hurricanes and Tornadoes – Ok, they have nailed it. Yes, there are hurricanes on occasion. Most do not land in Mississippi, most that do are low-intensity causing little damage. Once in a generation hurricanes will cause some damage in some areas. Insurance and great planning will prevent a catastrophe such as the one that occurred many years ago. What about fires, snow storms, earthquakes, storms, fog, no water, and lack of electrical power? Name your poison. Regardless of where you live mother nature is around to keep you on your toes.
• Lack of sports – Wow, this one prevents me from leaving crowded Los Angeles. What the writer neglected were the college sports and local high school sports. People who live in Mississippi support teams in New Orleans and Memphis. The most important point that was missed by the writer was the intense involvement in school sports. This keeps people busy with their families. And what about sports bars, they are to be found everywhere.

To sum up the informative article from Retirepedia and similar ones, there is little or nothing in their negative comments that should indicate that Mississippi or the Mississippi Gulf Coast are not great places to live. Most of these articles are thin and lack more content and any reasons why the items can apply to you. In other words, they may be written by bots and pushed out there as part of a larger project e.g. describe each state. Read our article, it was written by a human with substance.

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The focus of this article will be live on the Mississippi Gulf Coast

I am going to focus on the Mississippi Gulf Coast for most of this article as this is what I know about. There are three counties located at the bottom of the state bordering the Gulf of Mexico and the conditions of Louisiana and Alabama. It’s truly part of this Southern State with all of the great things you might expect such as an amazing culture, natural beauty, and smaller populations. There are many reasons why people are moving to the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

The number of people living on the Mississippi Gulf Coast is less than 450,000 which is nothing compared to crowded coastal metros. The Gulf coast is a good place to live for so many reasons. Many of the reasons that I will list below apply to other areas in Mississippi as well:

21 reasons people are moving to the Mississippi Gulf Coast

1. Lowest cost of housing in the nation
2. Your current occupational license from another state can be accepted. Apply for a permit and start working.
3. Small population, no crowding <450,000 population in three counties
4. No air pollution, and sea breezes on most days
5. Rich history established in 1699
6. Birthplace of Blues
7. Low state income tax.
8. Zero state income tax on retirement income for those over 65 including 401k, pension, etc. all retirement withdrawals
9. Cultural events e.g. Mardi Gras, St. Patrick’s parade, Veterans parades, and much more.
10. One of the most affordable states (areas) in the nation
11. Universities, higher education, and research facilities
12. Many hospitals and medical services
13. Economic growth – Alive and well, the home building continues, and new businesses
14. Low cost of living – As much as 30-50% lower than California
15. Population density per square mile is one of the lowest of any small metro area
16. Continually rated one of the best places to live by magazines and rating agencies
17. Great food culture, shrimp and seafood caught daily
18. New residents welcome
19. In search of high-quality education, this is your location, highly rated schools
20. Major employers include refiners, shipbuilding, military bases, shipping, tourism, casinos
21. The best entertainment in the South, 12 casinos with restaurants, hotels, and top entertainment
22. Great outdoor life, fishing, boating, kite surfing. Golf courses and much more
23. Strong religious culture, and many churches of all denominations.
24. The magnificent southern live oak trees dripping with Spanish moss

You get the point, there are many more reasons why the Mississippi Gulf Coast is a great place and many of these reasons apply to Mississippi in general. Before I elaborate further on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, let’s return to some of the points above which appear in news articles.

Many young people who leave eventually return to Mississippi

I have talked extensively with young people who have left Mississippi for the bright lights of the big cities and returned. Most tell their stories about how expensive everything is in the cities, particularly the coastal cities. They miss the friendly atmosphere of home, meaning the area they are from. Because they come from somewhat rural areas (even the Mississippi Gulf Coast is considered semi-rural) they see the crowding, traffic, homeless, and crime issues more than others.

These young people find it difficult to merge into the masses and make a life. Young people raised in a religious home will find Mississippi more accommodating than most big metros that tend toward anti-religious or just don’t care.

Of course not all return at least in the near term. Fortunately, wages are rising and job opportunities are increasing in Mississippi and in particular along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. COVID caused a mini-migration of remote workers to the Mississippi Gulf Coast, some temporarily, some permanently. I have spoken to some people who came to the Gulf Coast for a working vacation. They were pleased to find high-speed internet and a pleasant environment to work from their vacation rentals. A few have indicated they may move to the Gulf Coast since they found it by vacationing there.

Another thing that writers hit on is the poverty level in the Magnolia State. As I agreed with, people living in Mississippi at the lowest income levels. In recent years the state legislature has taken steps to create new jobs and install internet throughout the state. You have to ask yourself, why is Mississippi the cheapest state for the cost of housing?

Some of the lowest costs in the nation for utilities

Mississippi residents pay some of the lowest costs in the nation for electricity, water, public transportation, food, housing costs, and almost everything else. Government fees for driver’s licenses, vehicle registrations, and other costs are among the lowest.

Because the cost of living is low in Mississippi, you can’t expect giant salaries as you would make in California. This is one reason why people return to Mississippi after going to a place like California. They see the high salaries there but do not see the high cost of living.

They find what researchers have found that the cost of living in Mississippi can be from 30% to 50% lower than in most other states. This means you can earn 30% to 50% less to have the same living standard. Many writers fail to mention this when addressing the poor in Mississippi. 

I have concluded that a married couple living on the Mississippi Gulf Coast may be able to afford to buy a house. I have seen this and I have sold a house to a couple who are living on Social Security disability. These people could not have made a long-distance move to California and afforded even an apartment. Mississippi is a conservative state where the work ethic is very much alive and strong religious values encourage strong family values. 

Mississippi’s population is changing

The state’s population in my opinion is already changing. More people are moving to the Mississippi Gulf Coast from all over the country. They have found the median home value they were looking for. Selling your home in a high-cost state and paying cash for one on the Mississippi Gulf Coast is a trend. The Mississippi Gulf Coast is the right place to relocate if you want to live in an area where people are friendly, and there are no traffic helicopters.

Mississippi today is not what it was a decade ago. This past decade along the Mississippi Gulf Coast, people have been recovering from Hurricane Katrina and in the past few years, the recovery has accelerated.

Major cities on the Mississippi Gulf Coast are small compared to high-cost states. The second largest city in the state is Gulfport with a population of only 72,000. Yet, the Mississippi Gulf Coast cities as a group offer all of the conveniences of any large metro area. Sushi bars are all over, Thai, Greek, Mexican, Indian, Italian, Cajun, Creole, Southern, Chinese, and other ethnic restaurants provide a wide variety of eating venues.

The big box stores are located on the Interstate e.g. Target, Sams Club, Walmart, Best Buy, and many more. There are Mercedes, BMW, and other luxury brand car dealers with new showrooms. 

One of the most naturally diverse areas in the nation

Keesler Air Force Base and the Navy Sea Bee base bring many people every year for education in their fields. These individuals have their first exposure to the area and some return to spend the remainder of their lives here. Others marry a local person and stay after their tours are finished. When you talk about diversity, it’s hard to imagine a more diverse group than people from all over the country living on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Yet, the local culture inspired by Cajun and Creole peoples thrives. 

While much of the nation was pulling down statues, rioting in the streets, and burning down shops, life along the Mississippi Gulf Coast went on as normal. Those of us who live here simply can’t understand why all of these negative things are happening. Mississippi continues to contribute in an outsized way to the U.S. armed forces from our population of patriotic youth. Important issues on the Mississippi Gulf Coast are not closed schools as they were in most of the country during COVID, they are about attending the high school football game. 

No need to come here for social engineering

The Mississippi gulf coast has natural diversity due to military bases, retired and others moving to the area. people from many backgrounds live and work in harmony on the Gulf Coast. Even people from California, New york, washington can come here and find kindness and frendship amoung the many residents who have adopted the rich culture of the Mississippi gulf Coast.

Speaking of schools, they are highly rated. Schools on the Gulf Coast offer manual arts training e.g. the trades. I recall years ago when I lived in California and they discontinued trade classes such as woodworking, metalworking, etc. The theory was everyone would go to college. Fortunately for me, I have met a great many tradespeople in my short time here. These people form the backbone of the Mississippi Gulf Coast in my opinion.

Residents of the Gulf Coast respect tradespeople and manual workers

They go out every day and fix plumbing, and electrical and build houses in the heat of the summer. Their household income is sufficient to support their families and permit saving for the future. Many of the people that I work with regularly own their businesses. They have no college debt to pay off.

Should you have children attending one of those schools that insist on teaching alternative history and some of the things on the news, no worries here. Mississippi has laws in place to prevent such departures from the task of educating children about math, English, and other critical subjects. Children learn the basics in school, not another person’s philosophy of life, sex, or another topic best left for the home. They say the pledge of allegiance and the U.S. flag fly at all of the schools.

If you consider moving to the Mississippi Gulf Coast to acquire your new home remember this is a good state and the good news is that you are welcome. When I speak to locals about working with people who want to move here, they tell me the same thing. “Tell them not to bring their problems along, we like it the way it is”. Of course, this is a paraphrase of what many have told me. I mentioned that this is a conservative area.

Conservatives outnumber liberals on the Mississippi Gulf Coast

Considering how many people have moved here from other areas you would think that perhaps the area would lean more liberal. That does not seem to be the case. Many people who move here are either conservative escaping their liberal areas or they become non-political or somewhat conservative.

Even people who tend to be liberal who move here will find the area welcoming. I read an article recently written by a self-described very liberal person who moved to the Mississippi Gulf Coast. She was told by her friends that she would not be welcome. What she reported is just the opposite. She was greeted warmly even when she expressed her liberal bent. People listen to her and she listens to them.

She reported that the area is not at all what she expected and she loves living on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. You should have gotten the point, that people who come here tend to adopt the culture here. This person clearly found enough reasons to move to the Mississippi Gulf Coast and stay here.

No, defund the police movements here

The last thing native Mississippi people want is for the area to turn into another Austin or Denver or another area that was once nice but now is crime-ridden, crowded, and full of big city problems. There are problems along the Mississippi Gulf Coast as there are in many areas. There is some crime but unlike in other areas, there has been no defunding of police here. People living on the Gulf Coast by and large admire the police departments that are part of the fabric of the communities they serve.

The Mississippi Citizen Corps supports local police efforts in many Mississippi communities. This organization is part of the Mississippi Office of Homeland Security. Just another example of the law and order culture in the state.

I have an example. While driving through Ocean Springs, a small beautiful city to get a haircut at my barber (yes barber, not hair stylist), I was pulled over for speeding. The officer was very polite and reminded me of the speed limit. I explained that I was in no rush to get my hair cut and failed to notice my speed. He gave me a warning and said “have a good day”. 

Another time, I was operating my boat near one of the casinos and I was pulled over by the sheriff for a safety inspection. I neglected to put the fire extinguisher on the boat. I was given a warning. Very nice people. You hear these stories all over the Mississippi Gulf Coast. The reason why I mention these examples is that our police are here to help us and I am not the only person who believes this.

Conclusion

I encourage you to read other similar articles on this blog. Read articles about some of our great small cities e.g. Ocean Springs, Biloxi, and more. Things to do, places to see, and many other reasons to at least visit the area. Should you desire to look for a home here, click on the article on the right in the box titled “Life can be a beach on the Mississippi Gulf”

The intent of this article is not to drive everyone who reads it toward buying a home and living on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. You may not be a good fit for the area if you don’t like our climate, beautiful beaches, and more. There are many reasons to move to the Mississippi Gulf Coast, and I have listed a few. Do me a favor and keep this place a secret from the wrong people. You know who I mean, people who want to be supported by the government, want higher taxes, and love mask requirements.

Read one of our favorite articles “Why I decided to retire in Ocean Springs Mississippi“. If you are considering retiring where you can afford to live, read this article: https://retirecoast.com/retire-by-the-beach-on-social-security-in-2022/. Read about our beautiful southern live oak trees, unique to the South.

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