Moving to Hattiesburg, Mississippi: 10 Things You Need to Know

When people hear I’m a real estate agent in Mississippi, they picture a sleepy little Southern town where nothing much happens. Then they actually visit Hattiesburg.

My mother and her first cousin used to fish off the monkey cages at the Hattiesburg Zoo back when my great-grandparents lived on Hardy Street and my great-grandfather actually kept bees in the backyard. In 2025, that zoo—the one that started as a modest collection of animals in not-so-great accommodations—achieved a long-term goal by earning accreditation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums must meet the highest animal care and welfare standards while providing a fun, safe, educational family experience. And with the recent addition of Serengeti Springs Water Park, the Hattiesburg Zoo is now a world-class facility with high ropes courses and is one of the best places to visit in Mississippi.

The transformation of the Hattiesburg Zoo pretty much sums up what’s happened to this city.

Four generations of my family have called this place home. My grandmother bought in Lamar Park back in the 1960s from David Cox. I grew up in that house, graduated from Oak Grove High School in 1985, and after a brief detour to Sumrall (we built a house in Westbrook), Hurricane Katrina pushed us back to Oak Grove in 2005 to be closer to family. My daughter became the third generation of our family to graduate from Oak Grove. I’m not going anywhere.

So when I tell you about Hattiesburg, I’m not pulling from a Google search. I’ve watched this city evolve for decades—from the old Cloverleaf mall on HWY 49 to Turtle Creek Mall in Oak Grove in the early 90s, to the Highway 98 corridor exploding with medical facilities, shops, and restaurants. If you’re thinking about moving here, here’s what you actually need to know.

1. This Is a Real City, Not a Small Town

Let’s get this out of the way: Hattiesburg has 48,400 residents in the city proper and over 171,000 in the metro area. We’re the 5th largest city in Mississippi, and we’ve been one of the 16th fastest-growing metro areas in the country, with nearly 16% population growth over five years.

This is a post-Civil War timber community that grew into a railroad hub, then a military town with Camp Shelby, and now a medical and university center. We have two major hospitals (Forrest General with its Level II Trauma Center and Merit Health Wesley), two universities (USM and William Carey), and restaurants that would hold their own in any city.

That said, your commute will average 15.9 minutes. So you get real city amenities without real city traffic. If it takes us longer than 10-15 minutes to get somewhere, we think that’s a long time.

2. The Cost of Living Will Shock You (In a Good Way)

The cost of living here runs about 22.6% below the national average. Here’s what that actually looks like:

Housing prices typically range from $225,000 to $400,000, with a median around $269,000. Rent averages about $1,200–$1,500 monthly. Utilities run about 8% lower than average, groceries about 3% lower, and gas around 7% lower.

For retirees, Mississippi’s tax structure is particularly attractive—Social Security benefits, pension income, and withdrawals from IRAs and 401(k)s are all exempt from state income tax. Property tax rates in Forrest County hover around 0.81% and in Lamar County around 0.76%. There’s no estate or inheritance tax either.

3. Local Schools Are the Real Deal

The Hattiesburg metro area has several excellent school districts, and families have real choices depending on what they’re looking for. Here’s a factual overview:

Petal School District is currently ranked #1 in Mississippi by Niche, with an A+ rating. Petal High School was ranked #1 in the Hattiesburg Metro Area and #4 in the state by U.S. News & World Report. The district has a 99% graduation rate and 73% math proficiency (compared to 47% statewide).

Lamar County School District includes Oak Grove, Sumrall, and Purvis schools. It ranks in the top 20% of Mississippi districts with 61% math proficiency and a 90% graduation rate. Oak Grove High School ranks #18 in the state. Three generations of my family graduated from Oak Grove, so I’m obviously biased—but the numbers back it up.

Forrest County School District ranks in the top 30% of Mississippi districts and includes schools like Dixie Attendance Center. The district has an 11:1 student-teacher ratio, lower than the state average.

Forrest County Agricultural High School is unique—it’s the only independently functioning agricultural high school in Mississippi. Established in 1911 on 320 acres, it has its own farm and ranch and was listed as a Mississippi landmark in 1996. Students come from across Mississippi and even other states for this one-of-a-kind experience.

Hattiesburg Public School District serves students in the city proper. Several elementary schools including Rowan and Woodley have earned A ratings, and Hattiesburg High School earned a B rating. The district has made significant improvements over the years and offers programs like the Hattiesburg STEAM Academy.

USM’s DuBard School offers specialized programs for children with language and learning differences.

Private school options include Presbyterian Christian School, Sacred Heart Catholic School, and Lamar Christian School.

Speaking of Mississippi schools: you may have heard about the “Mississippi Miracle.” In 2013, Mississippi ranked 49th nationally in fourth-grade reading. By 2024, we’d climbed to 8th place. When adjusted for demographics, Mississippi fourth graders now rank #1 in the nation in reading and math. Our students went from performing a full grade level behind to nearly half a grade level above the national average. It’s a remarkable turnaround driven by evidence-based literacy reforms.

4. The “Hub City” Nickname Actually Means Something

Hattiesburg earned this nickname because you can get everywhere from here:

• New Orleans: 1 hour 45 minutes (Saints games, French Quarter weekends, cruises out of the port, international airport, and Trader Joe’s)
• Gulf Coast beaches (Biloxi): About 70 miles, just over an hour (casinos and seafood)
• Gulf Shores, Alabama: 110 miles for amazing white sand beaches
• Jackson: 90 minutes (airport, Costco, amazing restaurants)
• Ocean Springs: 75 miles (charming downtown, art galleries, boutiques)
• Bay St. Louis: 80 miles (antiques, vintage shops)
• Laurel, Mississippi: Home of HOME TOWN on HGTV—worth a visit!

For flying, you’ve got options. Hattiesburg-Laurel Regional Airport handles regional flights. Gulfport-Biloxi International is 70 miles out. We use New Orleans International for almost all our flights (110 miles) but I head to the Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers when I’m flying solo and want smaller airport convenience (90 miles).

And if you want to hop a train, Amtrak’s Southern Crescent route comes through here. Round trip to New Orleans runs under $50.

5. Downtown Has Had a Genuine Renaissance

If you visited downtown Hattiesburg 20 years ago, you’d barely recognize it now.

The Pocket Museum opened during COVID in 2020 and has already welcomed over 300,000 visitors. It’s been featured in Forbes, Washington Post, Lonely Planet, and Time Out. It’s literally the smallest museum in Mississippi, tucked in an alley, and it’s become a destination.

Our Public Art Trail now has over 66 murals with a goal of becoming a “City of 100 Murals.” Travel & Leisure named Hattiesburg one of the world’s top public art destinations—alongside Berlin, Paris, and Miami. We’ve also got 44 painted utility boxes scattered around town.

The Generations Strong Wall at the Sixth Street Museum District is a stunning 375-foot commemorative wall featuring 75 backlit panels honoring inspiring African Americans from Hattiesburg. Each panel has a QR code linking to biographies. It’s free to visit and viewable day or night.

The Lucky Rabbit is a 35,000 square foot vintage market spread across two historic buildings. It opened in 2013, expanded, and now draws crowds from across the region every Saturday (9am-6pm) and Sunday (11am-5pm). If I have a free Saturday and I’m not showing property, that’s where you’ll find me.

Fun fact: Hattiesburg is the real birthplace of rock ‘n’ roll. The first recorded riffs happened here in July 1936 by the Mississippi Jook Band. There’s a Mississippi Blues Trail marker downtown.

6. We Have Serious Civil Rights History

This isn’t something that gets talked about enough: Hattiesburg was the largest site of Freedom Summer 1964 in Mississippi. We had 90+ out-of-state volunteers, 3,000 local participants, and 700 Freedom School students. Historians called Hattiesburg the “Mecca of the Freedom School world.”

You can explore this history through the 1964 Freedom Summer Trail—a 16-stop self-guided driving tour with audio. The African American Military History Museum is housed in the last remaining USO Club for Black soldiers, which opened in 1942. The Eureka School, built in 1921, is currently being transformed into a Civil Rights museum.

7. Outdoor Activities Go Way Beyond “Going Outside”

The Longleaf Trace is a 44-mile paved trail running from Hattiesburg to Prentiss. It’s perfect for biking, hiking, and even horseback riding. The views won’t disappoint—we’re not flat, but it’s peaceful.

The Hattiesburg Zoo has come a long way from the monkey cages my great-grandparents fished off. Now it’s home to 100+ species, a high ropes adventure course, and Serengeti Springs waterpark. It’s genuinely a gem.

The Pinebelt Blueways offer 54 miles of paddling on the Leaf and Bouie Rivers. Black Creek has canoe and kayak rentals. Paul B. Johnson State Park gives you 800 acres and Geiger Lake. And if you’re into geocaching, we have Mississippi’s only official GeoTour with 40+ caches.

Kamper Park has tennis and pickleball courts. Golfers have several options in Forrest and Lamar Counties:

Public courses anyone can play:

• Shadow Ridge Golf Club (Hattiesburg) – premier course near Oak Grove, open to the public
• Pine Creek Golf Club (Purvis) – 18-hole public course, known as the “best-draining course in Mississippi”
• Timberton Golf Club – semi-private, open to public play

Private clubs:

• Hattiesburg Country Club – historic 18-hole course that hosted the PGA TOUR’s Magnolia Classic from 1968-1993
• Canebrake Golf Club – Jerry Pate designed par-71 course

8. The Food Scene Punches Above Its Weight

We have nearly 200 local eateries among 500+ total restaurants. Some highlights:

Crescent City Grill (chef Robert St. John), The Midtowner, Ed’s Burger Joint, Keg & Barrel (120+ beers on tap, two locations), T-Bones Records & Cafe, Patio 44, Tabella, Jutamas Thai, Half Shell Oyster House, Sully’s Tavern, Big Trouble, Petra Cafe, and Buschman Street Café to name just a few.

The Hatties[BURGER] Trail is a thing—33 local spots serving everything from classic burgers to gourmet creations.

Coffee-wise, there are so many great choices: Equinox Coffee, Grin, Magnolia Coffee, Java Moes (two locations), TBones, Café De Luna, and Mulukakao which also has amazing chocolates.

For baked goods: Loblolly Bakery (featured in the New York Times—it’s Robert St. John’s first bakery, with fresh croissants, bagels, and sausage biscuits worth pulling off the highway for),  Jody’s Bakery has been decorating beautiful cakes in Hattiesburg since 1983. (they have great casseroles too), Crooked Letter Cookies, Zelaya’s Bakery (a recent addition with fruit pastries that have gone viral on TikTok), Sugar Daddy’s Baker downtown around from the Lucky Rabbit, and you’ll find Campbell’s Cakery set up at local markets and events—she makes the best cookies you’ve ever eaten in your life.

9. Who Actually Moves Here?

In my 30 years of real estate, I’ve helped all kinds of people find homes here:

• Retirees avoiding Florida prices who want Southern warmth without the hurricanes, HOA fees, and property taxes
• Camp Shelby military families stationed at one of the largest National Guard training sites in the country (136,000 acres)
• Graduate students at USM (Brett Favre and Jimmy Buffett are alumni, by the way)
• Medical students at William Carey
• Medical residents at Merit Health and Forrest General
• Professors from both universities
• Retirees who want a central location because their kids are scattered across the South—from here you can reach Atlanta in 6 hours, Nashville isn’t far, and you can make Orlando in a day

I’ve had clients from all over the world—students and doctors who came for education or work and decided to stay. Hattiesburg has become more diverse and more interesting because of it. We also have people moving back that moved away in their youth, so the Mississippi brain drain is a thing, but in Hattiesburg you’ll find many pubs, coffee shops, restaurants, etc. that have been opened by young people who left and came back to Mississippi.

10. The Honest Downside: Summer Heat

I’m not going to sugarcoat it. Summers are long and hot—temperatures regularly exceed 85°F from May through September, and the humidity makes it feel even hotter. Locals joke that our seasons are “hot, pollen, cold, and rain” in unpredictable order.

Spring brings beautiful weather but also high pollen counts. Winter is mild (temperatures rarely drop below the 40s), though occasional cold snaps surprise people. Snow is extremely rare—under an inch per year. If we get three flakes, everything shuts down.

The extended growing season is great for gardeners, and the mild winters attract a wide range of bird species if you’re into birdwatching. But if you’re heat-sensitive, be prepared for June through August.

What South Mississippi Is—And Isn’t

One thing I always tell people: South Mississippi is very different from North Mississippi and the Delta. We’re pine forests and rolling hills, not flat cotton fields. We’re closer to New Orleans than Memphis in culture and cuisine. Don’t let stereotypes about other parts of the state color your expectations.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Moving to Hattiesburg

Ready to Explore Hattiesburg?

I’ve spent 30 years helping people find their place in this community—whether that’s a new construction home in Oak Grove, an established neighborhood close to downtown, or some acreage out in Sumrall or Purvis.

If you’re considering a move to the Hub City, I’d love to show you around. Not the sales pitch version—the real version, from someone whose family has been here since my great-grandparents were fishing at the zoo.

Beth Scharwath
RE/MAX Real Estate Partners
30 years specializing in Oak Grove and new construction
(601) 606-3001 Text me and let me know you found my website.

Have questions about specific neighborhoods, schools, or what daily life is really like here? Reach out—I’m happy to share what I know.