Longino House · National Register of Historic Places
Monticello’s story
211 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1912.
4 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1815Monticello is settled
MonticelloMS
A town of 1,378, settled in 1815.
New Orleans Great Northern Railroad Depot · Photo: Jfoakes · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
1,378
2025 Census estimate · −4.7% since 2020
Typical home
$113K
+2.5% in a year
Household income
$34K
median
Median age
41.1
years
Jobs based here
1,081
A job hub
Is Monticello a good place to live?
The best of Monticello’s subject grades is a B+ for cost of living; the weakest is a D− for incomes. Monticello’s average trip to work is 34 minutes, above both Mississippi’s towns (23 minutes) and U.S. towns (25 minutes). Of the 102 Mississippi towns we compare, none has a higher July high than Monticello. CDC estimates put its residents' health behind 97% of the country. Monticello has 4 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them Johnson-White House and Lawrence County Courthouse. Monticello has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Monticello stand out
Where Monticello beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Jobs vs. working residents
Jobs here1,081
Residents who work503
Work
A regional job hub: more jobs per worker than 94% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023.
Typical home value
Monticello$113K
Mississippi$195K
Cost of livingB+
2.6 years of income buys a home
More affordable than 74% of U.S. towns
Zillow Home Value Index; area median household income, Census ACS.
Small town
1,378 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
How Monticello grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Mississippi), ordered by how far Monticello is from typical.
Jobs & income$34K median household incomeD−Open →HealthLawrence County Hospital Cah 1.1 miles awayD−Open →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listC−Open →Cost of livingB+Open →SchoolsCOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 7.9 of 20; 10.1% of households have no car; 0% of workers walk, bike or ride transitCOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors1 mile of trailC+Open →History6 notable people born hereBOpen →Civic life3.3 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsC−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
ClimateMild winters, 92° summer afternoons–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 41.1; 18% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Monticello: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Monticello, and how to reach them.
PowerEntergy Mississippi13.9¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterTown of Monticello water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet3 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Monticello’s trash rules yet
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.govWho runs elections hereLawrence County RegistrarLawrence County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2023
ZIP code3965439654 100%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 Monticello.
HealthD−
Monticello’s grade for health is a D−
49% of Monticello adults have high blood pressure, where Mississippi’s towns sit at 45% and U.S. towns at 35%. 41% of Monticello adults get no exercise outside work. Monticello beats the Mississippi average on 0 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 13.
3%healthier than U.S. townsD−Health Grade
| Monticello | Mississippi towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 49% | 45% | 35% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 41% | 36% | 25% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 16% | 12% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 27% | 19% |
31 measures vs. Mississippi
0 better18 too close to call13 worse
| What stands out | Monticello | MS |
|---|---|---|
| More adults with COPD | 11.8% | 8.6% |
| More adults who have had a stroke | 5.8% | 4.5% |
| More adults with heart disease | 9.5% | 7.5% |
Lawrence County Hospital Cah
1.1 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
SchoolsC
Monticello’s schools rank behind 70% of Mississippi districts
Its public schools are run by the Lawrence County School District.
30%of MS districts it outscoresCSchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monticello ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–5 | Grades K–5 | 397 | C+ |
| Lawrence County High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 529 | C |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MS on state tests and graduation
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D−
A job hub: Monticello has 2.1 jobs for every working resident and draws in 1,012 commuters
Most working residents leave Monticello for work: only 14% work in town. 25% of residents live below the poverty line in Monticello. Jobs based in Monticello fell to 1,081 in 2023, 506 fewer than in 2013.
14%work in town
| Monticello | Mississippi towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 25% | 21% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 14% | 19% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Monticello14%
Brookhaven13%
Jackson8%
McComb4%
Hattiesburg4%
30 mi
median commute distance
1,081
jobs based in Monticello
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
C
Walkability grade: more walkable than 32% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
HousingCost of living grade B+
Homes in Monticello are worth about $113K, by Zillow’s estimate
The typical Monticello home is worth about $113,000, up 2.5% in a year, 42% below the Mississippi typical home.
$113KZillow home value
Typical home value
Monticello$113K
Mississippi$195K
+2.5%
value change, 1 year
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C−
Inland flooding leads a high hazard risk in Monticello
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 72% of U.S. communities. Since 1983, 5 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Monticello.
72risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesHurricanes
5
paid flood claims since 1983
7
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Mild winters and hot summers in Monticello
Monticello has mild winters and hot summers, with plenty of rain. Monticello’s January low is 37°F.
92°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter39–62°
Spring54–78°
Summer70–92°
Fall54–79°
Nov 10
typical first frost
Mar 12
typical last frost
+0.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
92°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Who lives here
Fewer young adults than Mississippi overall
Monticello has lost 4.7% of its people since 2020, down to 1,378 in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate.
41.1median age · MS 38.6
| Monticello | Mississippi towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 18% | 25% | 29% |
| Aged 65 or older | 20% | 17% | 18% |
| Median age | 41.1 years | 37 years | 40.5 years |
| Under 18 | 24% | 24% | 22% |
MonticelloMississippiUnited States
Ages · share of residents
16%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma14%
High school35%
Some college20%
Associate’s14%
Bachelor’s12%
Graduate6%
Women and men · all residents
54% women, 46% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±7.9 points. Across Mississippi, 51.5% of residents are women. Among residents 35 to 44, 70% are men (MS 48%).
| Monticello | MS | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 13.5% | 12.1% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 10.4% | 11.2% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 9.7% | 9.8% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 4.7% | 12.6% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 15.8% | 12.6% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 16.2% | 12% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 9.8% | 12.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 14% | 10.4% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 5.8% | 6.8% | 7% |
| No diploma | 13.8% | 12.9% | 10.4% |
| High school | 34.7% | 29.9% | 26% |
| Some college | 20.3% | 21.2% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 13.6% | 10.9% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 11.7% | 15.3% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 5.8% | 9.9% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 1,400, single groups can be off by several points
OutdoorsC+
Monticello has set aside 0% of its land for conservation
1.0 miles of trail in 3 parks and preserves. The biggest park or preserve is Atwood Water Park, at 69 acres.
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 2,715 acres
1.0 mi
of trails · 0.2 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Atwood Water Park | — | 69 |
| 2. Mac Dale Ball Park | — | 5 |
| 3. Cooper's Ferry Park | 0.2 mi | 4 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Monticello
18pages on Monticello
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Monticello; the nearest are
Copiah-Lincoln Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Wesson19.2 mi$4,000 in-state tuitionUniversity of Southern MississippiUniversity or college · Public · Hattiesburg49 mi$9,998 in-state tuition
About 3 of every 100 Monticello residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Mississippi.
A job hub
Every workday, about 1,012 people come to Monticello for work
Where Monticello’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
1,081jobs based in Monticello
14%of working residents work in town
30 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Landmarks
4 places in Monticello on the National Register of Historic Places.
Famous people from Monticello
6 notable people were born in Monticello.
J
J. B. LenoirAfrican American blues guitarist and singer-songwriter · 1929–1967
J
Jim PaceAmerican racing driver · 1961–2020M
Matthew WellsAmerican football player · born 1990R
Richard Olney ArringtonAmerican judge · 1897–1963About Monticello
Town in Mississippi, United States
Monticello is a town in and the county seat of Lawrence County, Mississippi, United States. As of the 2020 census, Monticello had a population of 1,441.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 4.3 sq mi
- Elevation
- 194 ft
- ZIP code
- 39654
- Area code
- 601
Questions about Monticello
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Monticello, MS expensive?
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B+.
What is Monticello, MS known for?
6 notable people were born here, including Al Jefferson and J. B. Lenoir.