5 Small Towns In Mississippi To Put Down Roots In

The State of Mississippi is a great place to live, and people are discovering this secret. Mississippi's population has grown by over 4% since 2000. In comparison with the rest of the United States, the cost of living in the State of Mississippi is more than 10% lower. The average commute time in Mississippi is also lower than the nation's average commute time. If you're considering taking advantage of all that Mississippi has to offer, you may be thinking about moving to a small town. Here are some quaint small towns in Mississippi where you can enjoy living a Southern charmed life.

1. Oxford

Oxford is a beautiful college town, home to University of Mississippi. With a population of over 20,000, the city is also known for its historic district, Oxford Square, where residents frequent charming boutiques and locally owned restaurants, museums, and galleries. The city continues to grow, however, with a new high school building, new hotels, and a new regional health-care facility. Residents enjoy cultural events each year like the Double Decker Arts Festival and the Oxford Blues Festival. Oxford schools are known for excellence. The ACT state average for 11th graders in 2015 was 17.6. In Oxford, however, the 11th grader's average was 20.8. During the last week of January, 2015, the average listing price for a home in Oxford was almost $350,000. That's an increase of over 5% from the first week of January. Oxford is also ranked as one of MS top ten safest cities, with .41 violent crimes per one thousand and 10.8 property crimes per one thousand.

2. Bay St. Louis

Bay St. Louis has been listed as "one of the coolest small towns in America." This small coastal town has a population that just exceeds 10,000. A great advantage of this small town is its proximity to larger coastal cities. The town lies within 17 miles of Gulfport and 29 miles of Biloxi. Each year in Old Town Bay St. Louis, residents enjoy the Arts Alive festival. The festival combines the best music, art, literature, and food in the area. During the month of January, 2016, the average list price of a Bay St. Louis home increased over 17%. During the last week of January, the average listing price was $198,255. Bay High School has the fourth highest graduation rate in the State and earned a bronze medal by U.S. News and World Report Magazine as one of the "U.S. News Best High Schools."

3. Madison

Madison is a great choice if you're looking to live in Central Mississippi in a suburb outside of the Capital City. Those who work in Jackson have only a 25 minute commute. The City of Madison has been recognized by Family Circle Magazine as one of the "Top Ten Towns for Families in America." Residents look forward to the Grits and Glow Bazaar at the end of April, which features antiques and crafts from local artisans in the Madison, Canton, and Jackson area. At the end of January, 2016, the average listing for a home in the city of Madison was $401,302. That's an increase of over 5% from the beginning of the same month. Concerning education, It's no mystery why the school district's theme is “Madison County Schools: Mark of Excellence!” Madison County School District is the top scoring county school district in the state. The district has an "A" rating from the Mississippi Department of Education's statewide accountability model. Like Oxford, Madison also rates as one of MS "top ten safest cities," with .56 violent crimes per one thousand and 8.6 property crimes per one thousand.

4. Clinton

Ranked by the Mississippi Department of Education with a state accountability level of "A," the Clinton Public School District is one of the greatest advantages of living in the Clinton community. Like Madison, Clinton is another great suburb for those who work in Jackson yet want to live in a smaller town. It's only a 20 minute commute to downtown Jackson from Clinton. And there's always entertainment happening in historic Olde Towne Clinton on the brick streets. Two popular festivals include The Firefly Festival, an open-air artist showcase and the Brick Streets Festival. Residents also enjoy the Annual Brick Street Vintage & Classic Car Cruise-In and the Annual Caterpillar Parade. During the month of January, the average listing price in Clinton increased over $10,000.

5. Petal

Petal is a smaller town with a population right over 10,000, but it's only eight minutes from Hattiesburg if you need to commute for work. It's one of the safest towns in Mississippi, with as low as .18 violent crimes per one thousand and property crimes as low as 6.88 per one thousand. For the last week of January, 2016, the average listing price for a home in Petal was $151,113. This stayed steady during the month of January. Citizens of Petal enjoy the annual Fall Festival that features art, talent, and food from the locals in Hinton Park. Petal has excellent schools too. On the 3rd Grade Reading Summative Assessment that was administered in Spring 2015 to all third graders in MS public schools, Petal had a pass rate of almost 94%, compared to the State's pass rate of 85%.