Quiet Ridge Cemetery, 2005
Pickens’s story
139 years in pictures
The archive holds 1 old photo or paper going back to 2005.
2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1887Pickens is settled
PickensMS
A town of 810, settled in 1887.
Population
810
2025 Census estimate · −12.4% since 2020
Typical home
$117K
−0.9% in a year
Household income
$30K
median
Median age
37.0
years
Jobs based here
25
A commuter town
Is Pickens a good place to live?
35% of residents live below the poverty line in Pickens, against 21% in Mississippi’s towns and 9.6% across U.S. towns. Among 100 Mississippi towns, just 1 have a lower median household income than Pickens. Pickens has 2 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them Rosedale Plantation and Casey Jones Wreck Site. Pickens has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
A shrinking town
Pickens has shrunk 30% since 2010
1,157 counted in 2010 and 920 in 2020; an estimated 810 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Pickens: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Pickens, and how to reach them.
PowerEntergy Mississippi13.9¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterBig Black W/A-Camden water system1 health-based violation in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Pickens’ 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 hereHolmes County RegistrarHolmes County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2023
ZIP code3914639146 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 Pickens.
Housing
The typical home in Pickens is valued at about $117K
The typical Pickens home is worth about $117,000, down 0.9% in a year, 40% below the Mississippi typical home.
$117KZillow home value
Typical home value
Pickens$117K
Mississippi$195K
−0.9%
value change, 1 year
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Work & commute
Pickens stands out in Mississippi and nationally, with fewer of its working residents who work locally
1% of working residents work locally in Pickens, where Mississippi’s towns sit at 19% and U.S. towns at 8%. Since 2013, Pickens has lost 56 jobs, to 25 in 2023. The average trip to work in Pickens is 32 minutes.
1%work in town
| Pickens | Mississippi towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 32 minutes | 23 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 1% | 19% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Pickens1%
Jackson10%
Canton6%
Ridgeland4%
Madison3%
31 mi
median commute distance
25
jobs based in Pickens
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
In Pickens, expect mild winters and hot summers
Pickens has mild winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. Pickens’ July high is 91°F.
91°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter37–58°
Spring53–76°
Summer70–90°
Fall53–77°
Nov 8
typical first frost
Mar 14
typical last frost
+0.4°
vs. the 20th-century average
91°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
Compared with most of Mississippi and the rest of the country, more of Pickens’ adults say their health is fair or poor
41% of Pickens adults say their health is fair or poor. Only 1 of the 102 Mississippi towns we compare have a higher share of adults who report frequent physical distress than Pickens. 43% of Pickens adults feel lonely.
| Pickens | Mississippi towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 41% | 27% | 19% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 25% | 18% | 14% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 55% | 42% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 16% | 12% |
31 measures vs. Mississippi
4 better6 too close to call21 worse
| What stands out | Pickens | MS |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 8.5% | 13.6% |
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 5.9% | 7.6% |
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 27.8% | 11.2% |
Holmes County Hospital and Clinics
15.9 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazards
Tornadoes leads a moderate hazard risk in Pickens
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 51% of U.S. communities. Since 1983, 5 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Pickens.
49risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
TornadoesInland floodingCold waves
5
paid flood claims since 1983
5
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Pickens
16pages on Pickens
The big questions
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Pickens
About 7 of every 100 Pickens residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Mississippi.
Small town
810 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
About Pickens
Town in Mississippi, United States
Pickens is a town in Holmes County, Mississippi, United States. Per the 2020 census, the population was 920.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.3 sq mi
- Elevation
- 243 ft
- ZIP code
- 39146
- Area code
- 662
Questions about Pickens
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Pickens, MS a good place to live?
Pickens has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What is Pickens, MS known for?
2 notable people were born here, including Gus Courts and Odas Nicholson.