Places › Mississippi › Gulfport

Living in Gulfport, MS

Small city in Mississippi

Gulfport is a small city in Mississippi, home to about 73,000 people, with 289,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, most trips are by car. Life moves at a slow, calm pace, and homes are a mix of apartments and houses.

Is Gulfport a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Affordable housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $188k and rents for $1,470 a month
  • Low taxes: about $803 state income tax per resident, 0.71% property tax
  • Strong healthcare: 1 top-rated (4–5★) hospital within 31 mi
  • Easy flying: MSY is 77 mi away

👎 Cons

  • Fewer graduates: 22% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher
  • Quieter on culture: few museums and attractions nearby
  • Fewer family amenities than most places
  • Smaller job market: about 289,000 people live within 31 mi

Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Gulfport ranks against your own priorities.

Key facts

Population
73,000
289,000 within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
63°F / 90°F
Average daily highs
3-bedroom home
$188k
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$1,470/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
90
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
$803
State income tax per resident · 0.71% property tax
Safety
0.9× US
Violent crime vs US (FBI 2019)
Natural disasters
12 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly hurricanes, flooding
Top-rated hospitals
1
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Adults with a degree
22%
No research university within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
MSY
77 mi away

Living in Gulfport: common questions

What is the cost of living in Gulfport?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $188k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $1,470 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are below the US average (index 90, where the US is 100).

What are taxes like in Gulfport?

Mississippi collects about $803 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 0.71% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Gulfport safe?

Violent crime is close to the national rate (0.9× in FBI 2019 data).

What is the weather like in Gulfport?

Gulfport has mild winters: winter days average around 63°F and summer days around 90°F.

Does Gulfport get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is moderate, mainly from hurricanes and flooding: 12 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.98 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Gulfport?

The nearest major airport is MSY, about 77 mi away.

How Gulfport scores

Each bar compares Gulfport with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).

🏙️City size Small city Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quiet Quiet / rural Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting around Mostly car Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or nature Nature nearby Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️Climate Mild winters Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of living Very affordable Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️Pace Slow & calm Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝Community Private AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡Housing Apartments & houses ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housing Excellent
💸Low taxes Good
💼Job market Poor
🏥Healthcare Good
🎓Education Poor
🧸Kids & family Poor
🐕Dog-friendly Below average
⛰️Outdoors Below average
🎭Culture Poor
🛡️Safety Safe
🌪️Few natural disasters Average
☀️Sunny Average
🌤️Mild summers Average
✈️Airport Good

Places like Gulfport

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Is Gulfport right for you?

Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.

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Sources: US Census ACS 2019–2023, Census State Tax Collections FY2025, Zillow 3-bedroom ZHVI, HUD Fair Market Rents, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, FBI 2019, FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, OpenFEMA disaster declarations, NOAA Normals 1991–2020, NASA POWER, CMS, NCES IPEDS 2023, IMLS, OpenStreetMap. How scores work.