Jackson 67 Good
Jackson Livability #67 ranked city in Mississippi#9,815 ranked city in the USARanks better than 66% of areas

Pros and Cons of Living in Jackson

PROS
  • Commute

    High scores in the commute category could indicate that this area offers short commute times to work and readily available public transportation options.

  • Cost Of Living

    Residents in this area benefit from an affordable cost of living. This includes goods and services, transportation, housing, utilities, groceries and healthcare.

  • Housing

    The housing category in this area boasts higher than average scores, likely influenced by a positive home affordability ratio, robust appreciation rates or elevated home values.

CONS
  • Amenities

    It appears that many amenities may not be conveniently situated within walking distance, potentially necessitating the use of a vehicle or public transit.

  • Employment

    The combination of low income levels and high unemployment rates contributes to a low score in the employment category, which could make it challenging to secure well-paying jobs.

  • Health & Safety

    Factors like poor air quality and the absence of essential health-related facilities like hospitals, clinics, nursing homes and pharmacies could have played a role in the low score in this category.

  • Schools

    Factors such as lower than average graduation rates, lackluster reading and math scores and the limited accessibility of local elementary and high schools could contribute to the low schools score.

  • Ratings

    Polls and surveys done by AreaVibes among area residents did not yield positive feedback when it came to the walkability of amenities, safety, nearby parks and the overall sense of community.

New Real Estate Listings in Jackson Area
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What's it like Living in Jackson?

Located in the state of Mississippi, Jackson is a medium-sized city with a population of 163,778 people. With a total of 82%, the Black or African American racial group makes up the majority of the population in Jackson. The next most represented races are 16% White and 0% Asian. Single men and women might be happy to hear that in Jackson, only 40% of the population is married. Not a fan of sitting in traffic during your commute to work? Jackson offers shorter work commutes, with an average one-way commute time taking only 21 minutes, far lower than the national average of 26 minutes.

Whether you’re moving to a new city to be closer to family, friends or for a new job, living in Jackson could be a positive experience compared to other cities in Mississippi if you know where to look. Don't forget to determine what matters most to you in a neighborhood. Consider factors such as safety, proximity to work or school, access to amenities (like parks, fitness facilities, grocery stores, restaurants), public transportation options, community atmosphere and the overall vibe you're looking for. To help you find the best places to live in and around Jackson, AreaVibes has created a livability score using key metrics like crime, cost of living, commute, education and more.

Using data and statistics Jackson has received a livability score of 63 out of 100. This score is ranked in the 54th percentile when compared to all other cities. If we probe a little deeper into each category within the livability score, we see that Jackson has higher than average grades for the following: housing (B). The bad news for Jackson, there are some categories for which it does not rank well, this includes: amenities (F), crime (F), education (F) and employment (F).

For home buyers, real estate will be the largest purchase they will ever make and it will also be their most valuable asset. For renters, the monthly rent paid on their Jackson apartments will most likely be their largest expense. Based on tangible metrics like home and rental affordability and appreciation rates, housing in this area has received a score that is well above the average of every other US city. A thriving real estate market can also generate strong local economic activity and job creation.

Assuming that Jackson meets all of your requirements like low crime rates, good schools and great local amenities, the next most important item to examine is the affordability of real estate in Jackson. Everything else becomes a lot less important if it turns out that home prices in Jackson are simply unattainable. Median real estate prices in Jackson come in at $91,400, which is 13.5% lower than the Mississippi average. The home price to income ratio compares the median home prices to the median household income. In Jackson, the home price to income ratio is 2.3, which is 11.5% lower than the Mississippi average.

Best Places to Live in and Around Jackson

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How Do You Rate The Livability In Jackson?

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Compare Jackson, MS Livability

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      Jackson transportation information

      Statistic Jackson Mississippi National
      Average one way commute21min24min26min
      Workers who drive to work81.7%84.7%76.4%
      Workers who carpool11.9%9.7%9.3%
      Workers who take public transit0.8%0.4%5.1%
      Workers who bicycle0.1%0.1%0.6%
      Workers who walk1.6%1.5%2.8%
      Working from home3.5%2.2%4.6%
      Source: The Jackson, MS data and statistics displayed above are derived from the United States Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS).