Meridian earns a D, ranked 80th of 99 in Mississippi, mostly because of health and incomes. Residents are less healthy than 98% of U.S. towns on CDC estimates. The median household income is $37K, and 34% of residents live below the poverty line. What it does well: it has 8 miles of trail. 34% of residents live below the poverty line in Meridian, against 21% in Mississippi’s towns and 9.6% across U.S. towns. Its National Register listings include Grand Opera House and Highland Park. Among 101 Mississippi towns, just 1 have a higher share of working residents who work in town than Meridian.

WeakestD⁻Health DJobs & income

What makes Meridian stand out

Where Meridian beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.

Highland Park Dentzel Carousel and Shelter Building

History

Settled in 1854

41 places on the National Register

A history going back 172 years.

Including Hayley Williams and Sela Ward.

Highland Park Dentzel Carousel and Shelter Building · National Register of Historic Places

Meridian’s story

172 years in pictures

Highland Park Dentzel Carousel and Shelter Building is a National Historic Landmark, the National Register’s top tier. Its 41 National Register listings are more than in 96% of Mississippi towns with a listing.

Census counts: 2,709 in 1870, a peak of 49,374 in 1960, 35,052 in 2020. The archive holds 18 old photos and papers going back to 1839 and 3 maps from 1921 on.

1854Meridian is settled

Explore the history →

How Meridian grades

Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Mississippi), ordered by how far Meridian is from typical.

How grading works

HealthOchsner Rush Hospital 1.1 miles awayD⁻Open →Jobs & incomeDOpen →Cost of livingC⁺Open →SchoolsBOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 7.7 of 20; 13.9% of households have no car; 1.1% of workers walk, bike or ride transitB⁻Open →Hazard riskcold waves tops the listB⁻Open →

Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.

Outdoors12% conserved landB⁺Open →History68 notable people born hereBOpen →Civic life4.4 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsC⁻Open →

Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.

Climate–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 39.4–Open →

How TownRatings grades towns →

Getting set up

Moving to Meridian: who provides what

Who provides power, water and the rest in Meridian, and how to reach them.

The full setup list →

PowerMississippi Power15.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA

WaterNorth Lauderdale W/A, Inc water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA

Internet6 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC

Trash & dumpBy addressTown’s hauler · day by addressTown site

SchoolsMeridian Public School District Lauderdale County School District2 districts serve Meridian; which school depends on your address and gradeNCES

Register to voteIn personMississippi has no online registration; you can register in person until 30 days before Election Day or by mail (postmarked 30 days before).vote.gov

Who runs elections hereLauderdale County RegistrarLauderdale County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2023

ZIP codes39305, 39307, 3930139305 35% · 39307 33% · 39301 32%Census 2020

EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.

The data

Ordered by what stands out in Meridian.

Meridian draws workers from Collinsville and beyond, is healthier than towns with similar incomes and has homes that are cheap against local pay.

HealthD⁻

For health, Meridian earns a D−

Against the 1,535 U.S. towns with household incomes like Meridian’s, it is less healthy than 80%, so its D− isn’t only a matter of income.

20% of Meridian adults have diabetes. Meridian beats the Mississippi average on 2 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 16. 37% of Meridian adults worry about having enough food.

3%healthier than U.S. townsD⁻Health Grade

	Meridian	Mississippi towns	U.S. towns
Diabetes (CDC PLACES)	20%	16%	12%
Food insecurity (CDC PLACES)	37%	24%	14%
High blood pressure (CDC PLACES)	51%	45%	35%
Get no exercise (CDC PLACES)	41%	36%	25%

31 measures vs. Mississippi

2 better13 too close to call16 worse

What stands out	Meridian	MS
Fewer binge drinkers	11%	13.6%
Fewer adults who have had cancer	6.8%	7.6%
More adults facing a utility shut-off	20.1%	11.2%

Ochsner Rush Hospital

1.1 mi away · emergency room

3 of 3

care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health

11th

percentile among MS towns

Full pageMeridian’s health reportOpen the page

Everyday habitsMore smokers Hospitals & doctors nearby1.1 miles to an ER · Ochsner Rush Hospital How adults are doingMore adults in fair or poor health Every CDC estimateBetter than MS on 2 of 31

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

SchoolsB

Meridian’s schools rank ahead of 55% of Mississippi districts

Its public schools are run by the Meridian Public Schools. Two of its 18 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.

55%of MS districts it outscoresBSchool Grade

School	Level	Students	Letter
Northeast Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–4	Grades PK–4	730	B⁻
Meridian High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12	Grades 9–12	1,253	C⁻

Full pageMeridian’s schools pageOpen the page

The districtsMeridian Public Schools Vs. the neighborsBehind its 2 graded neighbors Every school18 schools · Northeast Elementary School Questions“Are Meridian’s schools good?”

NCES · EDFacts · graded within MS on state tests and graduation

Work & commuteJobs & income grade D

More than half of Meridian’s working residents work in town

24,482 jobs are based in Meridian, 2.1 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in. The average commute takes 18.9 minutes, against 25.6 across Mississippi.

56% of Meridian’s working residents work right in town. The average trip to work in Meridian is 19 minutes. Since 2013, Meridian has lost 2,546 jobs, to 24,482 in 2023.

56%work in town

	Meridian	Mississippi towns	U.S. towns
Average trip to work	19 minutes	23 minutes	25 minutes
Median household income	$37,000	$50,000	$80,000
Work from home	5.1%	5.4%	11%

Where working residents work

In Meridian56%

Jackson3%

Laurel1%

Hattiesburg1%

Marion1%

4 mi

median commute distance

24,482

jobs based in Meridian

A job hub

jobs vs. working residents

B−

Walkability grade: more walkable than 46% of U.S. towns

Full pageMeridian’s work & commute pageOpen the page

The jobs here24,482 jobs based here · A job hub Where people work56% work in Meridian Commute times19 minutes · The average commute How far they goHalf commute less than 4 miles

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

HousingCost of living grade C⁺

Homes in Meridian are worth about $109K, by Zillow’s estimate

At 2.2 years of the Meridian area’s $50K median household income, the typical home (about $109K) costs less against local pay than in 83% of Mississippi towns; that ratio is one input to its C+ for cost of living.

The typical Meridian home is worth about $109,000, up 1.3% in a year, 44% below the Mississippi typical home. 49% of households own their home in Meridian.

$109KZillow home value

	Meridian	Mississippi towns	U.S. towns
Households that own their home	49%	62%	73%
Median rent	$910 a month	$900 a month	$1,185 a month

Typical home value

Meridian$109K

Mississippi$195K

+1.3%

value change, 1 year

homes sold in May

Full pageMeridian’s housing & cost-of-living pageOpen the page

Prices over the yearsUp 1.3% in a year Years of income to buyA typical home costs 3.0 years of income Rents$910 a month · Median rent Vs. the neighborsAhead of 1 of its 2 graded neighbors

Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center

OutdoorsB⁺

Conserved land covers 11.6% of Meridian

8.1 miles of trail in 9 parks and preserves. The biggest park or preserve is Q V Sykes Park, at 72 acres.

#46for trails in MS

11.6%

conserved · 4,019 of 34,727 acres

8.1 mi

of trails · 0.1 per sq mi

Biggest places to walk	Trails	Acres
1. Q V Sykes Park	0.8 mi	72
2. Velma Young Park	0.3 mi	11
3. Highland Park	—	43

Full pageMeridian’s outdoors pageOpen the page

Trail map8.1 miles of trail, mapped Pick a walk0.8 miles of trail · Q V Sykes Park Conserved land11.6% conserved · 4,019 acres protected Questions“Where can I hike in Meridian?”

Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US

Climate

Meridian has mild winters and hot summers

Meridian has mild winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. Meridian’s July high is 91°F.

91°summer high

Typical low → high °F

Winter37–59°

Spring52–76°

Summer69–91°

Fall52–77°

Nov 12

typical first frost

Mar 16

typical last frost

+0.7°

vs. the 20th-century average

91°

typical summer high

Full pageMeridian’s climate pageOpen the page

A year of weatherJuly highs 91°, January lows 35°Rain & snow56″ of rain a year · Snow is almost unheard of Heating & coolingBoth heating and cooling Then and now+0.7° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Safety

Crime reported in Meridian

Meridian's reported crime rate is above Mississippi's. Among 57 Mississippi towns, just 5 have a higher violent crime rate than Meridian. Most reported incidents are property crimes.

	Meridian	Mississippi towns	U.S. towns
Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025)	5.4 per 1,000 residents	2.2	1.6
Property crimes per 1,000 (2025)	16.4 per 1,000 residents	17.3	9.9

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

Meridian5.4

Mississippi2.2

U.S.3.3

Property crime per 1,000 residents

Meridian16.4

Mississippi13.1

U.S.15.5

179

violent crimes reported in 2025

544

property crimes reported in 2025

Full pageMeridian’s safety reportOpen the page

Violent crime by type5.4 violent crimes per 1,000 Crime over the yearsCrime over the years Vs. the neighbors2 bordering towns Questions“Is Meridian, MS safe?”

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police

Who lives here

An age mix much like Mississippi’s

34.3% of residents live below the poverty line, against 18.9% across Mississippi, which weighs on its D for jobs and income. Only 48.7% of households own their home, against 70% across Mississippi.

No broad age group is more than 4 points off the Mississippi average. Meridian has lost 4.8% of its people since 2020, down to 33,370 in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. 22% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 25% across Mississippi.

39.4median age · MS 38.6

	Meridian	Mississippi towns	U.S. towns
Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+	22%	25%	29%
Median age	39.4 years	37 years	40.5 years
Under 18	24%	24%	22%

MeridianMississippiUnited States

MSU.S.

Ages · share of residents

13%

Education · adults 25 and older

No diploma15%

High school31%

Some college20%

Associate’s12%

Bachelor’s12%

Graduate10%

Women and men · all residents

53% women, 47% men

About 88 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±1.1 points). Across Mississippi, 51.5% of residents are women. Among residents 25 to 34, 60% are women (MS 51%). Median age: women 39.7, men 38.5.

Ages and education in Meridian
	Meridian	MS	U.S.
Under 10	12.5%	12.1%	11.6%
10 to 17	11.2%	11.2%	10.3%
18 to 24	9.2%	9.8%	9.1%
25 to 34	12.7%	12.6%	13.7%
35 to 44	11.9%	12.6%	13.2%
45 to 54	11.4%	12%	12.2%
55 to 64	12.9%	12.6%	12.7%
65 to 74	10.8%	10.4%	10.2%
75 and older	7.4%	6.8%	7%
No diploma	14.9%	12.9%	10.4%
High school	31.4%	29.9%	26%
Some college	19.7%	21.2%	19.1%
Associate’s	12.2%	10.9%	8.8%
Bachelor’s	12.1%	15.3%	21.6%
Graduate	9.7%	9.9%	14.1%

Full pageMeridian by the numbersOpen the page

Ages39.4 median age · 18% are 65 or older Schooling22% have a four-year degree Homes49% own their home · Homeowners Income$37K a year · Median household income

Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates

Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B⁻

Meridian faces a moderate natural-hazard risk, led by cold waves

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 50% of U.S. communities. Since 1979, 126 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Meridian.

50risk score of 100

FEMA risk score

Cold wavesInland floodingTornadoes

126

paid flood claims since 1979

federal disasters paid out here

Full pageMeridian’s hazards pageOpen the page

What it facesModerate risk Flood claims126 paid flood claims · Since 1979 Past disasters9 federal disasters · Paid out in Meridian Get ready0.9 events a year, on average · Ready for cold waves

FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Meridian

20pages on Meridian

The big questions

SchoolsBBeat 55% of MS districts · 18 schools Safety5.4 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthD⁻Better than MS on 2 of 31 CDC measures Cost of livingC⁺$109K typical home · up 1.3% in a year Work & commuteD$37K median household income · 24,482 jobs here Natural hazardsB⁻FEMA risk higher than 50% of U.S. communities · cold waves

Out and about

OutdoorsB⁺8 mi of trails · 12% conserved land PlacesAttractions5 nearby · Meridian Museum of Art under 1 mi LibraryC⁻Meridian-Lauderdale County Public Library CollegesMeridian Community College, in town

The story

HistoryBSettled 1854 · 41 on the National Register Famous people68 born in Meridian Town Hall & politicsOne full-time town employee per 83 residents Climate91° summer highs · 1″ of snow

Day to day

News3 recent stories about Meridian WeatherHandbookZIP code 39301, 39302, 39303 Town SquareNeighbors

After high school

Colleges nearby

1 within 15 miles of the center of Meridian

Meridian Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · MeridianIn town$4,078 in-state tuition

About 7 of every 100 Meridian residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Mississippi.

Prices by family income, graduation and earnings →

Get outside

8 miles of trails in Meridian

11.6% of the town is conserved land, across 9 parks and preserves.

Map of trails and conserved land in Meridian

ConservedTrails

Q V Sykes Park0.8 mi of trails · 72 acres

Directions

Velma Young Park0.3 mi of trails · 11 acres

Directions

Highland Park43 acres

Directions

Landmarks

41 places in Meridian on the National Register of Historic Places.

All landmarks →

Highland Park Dentzel Carousel and Shelter BuildingBuilt 1880 · National Historic Landmark

MerrehopeBuilt 1858

Grand Opera HouseBuilt 1890

Highland ParkBuilt 1909

Famous people from Meridian

68 notable people were born in Meridian.

See all 68 →

Hayley WilliamsAmerican singer · born 1988

Sela WardAmerican actress, author, and producer · born 1956

Jimmie RodgersAmerican country singer · 1897–1933

Fred PhelpsAmerican pastor and activist · 1929–2014

Maryon Pittman AllenAmerican politician · 1925–2018

Rodney HoodAmerican basketball player · born 1992

About Meridian

City in Mississippi, United States

Official town website ↗

Meridian is the eighth most populous city in the U.S. state of Mississippi, with a population of 35,052 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Lauderdale County and the principal city of the Meridian, Mississippi Micropolitan Statistical Area. Along major highways, the city is 93 mi (150 km) east of Jackson; 154 mi (248 km) southwest of Birmingham, Alabama; 202 mi (325 km) northeast of New Orleans, Louisiana; and 231 mi (372 km) southeast of Memphis, Tennessee. Established in 1860, at the junction of the Mobile and Ohio Railroad and Southern Railway of Mississippi, Meridian built an economy based on the railways and goods transported on them, and it became a strategic trading center. …

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Established: 1854
Area: 55 sq mi
Elevation: 344 ft
ZIP code: 39301, 39302, 39303
Area code: 601

Meridian’s neighbors

2 towns share a border with Meridian.

Explore the map →

MarionNellieburgMeridian

Marion

NE · 1% of Meridian workers commute here

Visit

Nellieburg

Visit

How the neighbors grade

Town	MS rank	Overall	Cost	Safety	Schools	Health
Meridian	#80	D	C⁺	—	B	D⁻
Marion	—	—	C⁻	—	A	C
Nellieburg	—	—	B⁻	—	B	C⁻

Marion and Nellieburg have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. Meridian, Marion and Nellieburg report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Meridian with a neighbor →

Questions about Meridian

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Meridian, MS a good place to live?

Meridian grades D overall, better than 7% of U.S. towns and #80 of 99 in Mississippi. It grades D− for health and B for schools. Health is its weak spot, with a D−.

Is Meridian, MS expensive?

That is 2.2 years of the area's median household income ($49,822 across the Meridian, MS area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C+.

What is Meridian, MS known for?

68 notable people were born here, including Hayley Williams and Sela Ward.

Post to Meridian

Check your email

MeridianMS

Is Meridian a good place to live?

What makes Meridian stand out

172 years in pictures

How Meridian grades

Moving to Meridian: who provides what

The data

For health, Meridian earns a D−

Meridian’s schools rank ahead of 55% of Mississippi districts

More than half of Meridian’s working residents work in town

Where working residents work

Homes in Meridian are worth about $109K, by Zillow’s estimate

Typical home value

Conserved land covers 11.6% of Meridian

Meridian has mild winters and hot summers

Typical low → high °F

Crime reported in Meridian

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

Property crime per 1,000 residents

An age mix much like Mississippi’s

Ages · share of residents

Education · adults 25 and older

Women and men · all residents

Meridian faces a moderate natural-hazard risk, led by cold waves

Everything we know about Meridian

Colleges nearby

8 miles of trails in Meridian

Landmarks

Famous people from Meridian

About Meridian

Meridian’s neighbors

Questions about Meridian