Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Prentiss’ average trip to work is 34 minutes, above both Mississippi’s towns (23 minutes) and U.S. towns (25 minutes). Only 1 of the 100 Mississippi towns we compare have a lower median household income than Prentiss. Prentiss has 3 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them Jefferson Davis County Courthouse and 1907 House. Prentiss has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Where Prentiss beats most towns.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Census counts: 640 in 1910, a peak of 1,789 in 1970, 976 in 2020. The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 1907 and 3 maps from 1970 on.
3 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Prentiss, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Prentiss.
Most working residents leave Prentiss for work: only 10% work in town. 27% of Prentiss residents live below the poverty line, where Mississippi’s towns sit at 21% and U.S. towns at 9.6%. Since 2013, Prentiss has lost 69 jobs, to 966 in 2023.
| Prentiss | Mississippi towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 27% | 21% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 10% | 19% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Its public schools are run by the Jeff Davis County School District. One of its 2 schools is below, with why it’s listed.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jeff Davis County Middle SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 262 | – |
NCES · EDFacts
The typical Prentiss home is worth about $83,000, up 2% in a year, 57% below the Mississippi typical home. The median rent in Prentiss is $822 a month.
| Prentiss | Mississippi towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $822 a month | $905 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 64% | 62% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Prentiss has mild winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. Prentiss’ July high is 92°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 63% of U.S. communities. Since 1990, 2 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Prentiss.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
56% of adults have high blood pressure in Prentiss. Among 102 Mississippi towns, just 6 have a higher share of adults who have diabetes than Prentiss. 45% of adults have obesity in Prentiss.
| Prentiss | Mississippi towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 16% | 12% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 56% | 45% | 35% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 10% | 13% | 16% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 42% | 36% | 25% |
| What stands out | Prentiss | MS |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 10.1% | 13.6% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 84.4% | 79.7% |
| More adults who have had a stroke | 7.1% | 4.5% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
None within 15 miles of Prentiss; the nearest are
About 7 of every 100 Prentiss residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Mississippi.
Where Prentiss’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
5 notable people were born in Prentiss.
Town in Mississippi, United States
Prentiss is a town in and the county seat of Jefferson Davis County, Mississippi, United States. As of the 2020 census, Prentiss had a population of 976. Prentiss is located on the Longleaf Trace, Mississippi's first recreational rail trail.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Prentiss has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
5 notable people were born here, including Clyde Otis and Vincent Davis.