Petal, MS

Census Place

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2023 Population

11,195

1.34% 1-year growth

US Senator

Roger Wicker

Republican Party

US Senator

Cindy Hyde-Smith

Republican Party

2023 Median Age

37.2

2.76% 1-year increase

2023 Poverty Rate

13.3%

4.56% 1-year decrease

2023 Median Household Income

$72,845

17.6% 1-year growth

2023 Median Property Value

$161,400

9.2% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

5,078

2.86% 1-year growth

About

In 2023, Petal, MS had a population of 11.2k people with a median age of 37.2 and a median household income of $72,845. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Petal, MS grew from 11,047 to 11,195, a 1.34% increase and its median household income grew from $61,957 to $72,845, a 17.6% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Petal, MS are White (Non-Hispanic) (76.8%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (16.6%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (2.89%), White (Hispanic) (1.74%), and Other (Hispanic) (1.29%).

None of the households in Petal, MS reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

99% of the residents in Petal, MS are U.S. citizens.

In 2023, the median property value in Petal, MS was $161,400, and the homeownership rate was 72.3%.

Most people in Petal, MS drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 21.6 minutes. The average car ownership in Petal, MS was 2 cars per household.

United States Mississippi Forrest County, MS Hattiesburg, MS South Region--Forrest, Lamar, Marion & Perry Counties PUMA, MS

Population & Diversity

Petal, MS is home to a population of 11.2k people, from which 99% are citizens. As of 2023, 1.55% of Petal, MS residents were born outside of the country (173 people).

In 2023, there were 4.63 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (8.6k people) in Petal, MS than any other race or ethnicity. There were 1.86k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 324 Two+ (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

99%

2023 Citizenship

98.4%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 99% of Petal, MS residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Petal, MS was 98.4%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Petal, MS compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Petal, MS

White (Non-Hispanic)
8.6k ± 646
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
1.86k ± 578
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
324 ± 149

3.54%

Hispanic Population

396 people

3.54% of the people in Petal, MS are hispanic (396 people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Petal, MS as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the Place level, so we are showing data for Mississippi.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
16,383 ± 3,134 people
India
5,084 ± 1,749 people
Guatemala
3,926 ± 1,537 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Mississippi was Mexico, the natal country of 16,383 Mississippi residents, followed by India with 5,084 and Guatemala with 3,926.

Foreign-Born Population

1.55%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

173 people

1.9%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

210 people

As of 2023, 1.55% of Petal, MS residents (173 people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.8%. In 2022, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Petal, MS was 1.9%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Petal, MS compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
301 ± 119
Gulf War (1990s)
145 ± 104
Gulf War (2001-)
137 ± 85

Petal, MS has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.08 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Petal, MS employs 5.08k people. The largest industries in Petal, MS are Health Care & Social Assistance (868 people), Educational Services (661 people), and Retail Trade (589 people), and the highest paying industries are Utilities ($113,693), Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($63,523), and Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($58,676).

Males in Mississippi have an average income that is 1.39 times higher than the average income of females, which is $46,477. The income inequality in Mississippi (measured using the Gini index) is 0.452, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

5.08k

2023 Value

± 589

2.86%

1 Year growth

± 16.3%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Petal, MS grew at a rate of 2.86%, from 4.94k employees to 5.08k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Petal, MS, are Sales & Related Occupations (601 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (530 people), and Education Instruction, & Library Occupations (508 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Petal, MS.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Mississippi (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

5.08k

2023 Value

± 589

2.86%

1 Year growth

± 16.3%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Petal, MS grew at a rate of 2.86%, from 4.94k employees to 5.08k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Petal, MS, are Health Care & Social Assistance (868 people), Educational Services (661 people), and Retail Trade (589 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Petal, MS, though some of these residents may live in Petal, MS and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$42,934

Median earning men ± $5,293

$34,699

Median earning women ± $8,607

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($65,147), Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($60,815), and Educational Services, & Health Care & Social Assistance ($59,167).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Construction ($45,417), Other Services Except Public Administration ($42,500), and Educational Services, & Health Care & Social Assistance ($41,938).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Mississippi.

Y-Axis

1.38%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 1.17M people employed in Mississippi. This represents a 1.38% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 12.5%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Mississippi.

Civics

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Mississippi went to Donald J. Trump with 60.9% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (38%), followed by Robert Kennedy (0.439%).

Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith are the senators currently representing the state of Mississippi. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Mississippi is currently represented by 4 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

Voting results are not available for Petal, MS. Showing the available data for Mississippi.

2024 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (60.9%)
Republican Party
Kamala Harris (38%)
Democratic Party
Robert Kennedy (0.439%)
Independent Party

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Mississippi went to Donald J. Trump with 60.9% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (38%), followed by Robert Kennedy (0.439%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Mississippi for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Mississippi

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Mississippi.

Roger Wicker

Senator from Mississippi

Assumed office on December 31, 2007
Appointed to the seat following the resignation of Trent Lott.

Cindy Hyde-Smith

Senator from Mississippi

Assumed office on April 9, 2018
Appointed to the seat following the resignation of Thad Cochran.

Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith are the senators currently representing Mississippi.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Mississippi over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from Mississippi

Mississippi is currently represented by 4 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Mississippi have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

Completions

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Mississippi.

Measure

In 2022, 1.04% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.852% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Mississippi.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2022 were High School or Equivalent (690k), Some college (543k), and Secondary Education (397k).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Petal, MS was $161,400 in 2023, which is 0.532 times smaller than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $147,800 to $161,400, a 9.2% increase. The homeownership rate in Petal, MS is 72.3%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 65%.

People in Petal, MS have an average commute time of 21.6 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Petal, MS is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Petal, MS is $72,845. In 2023, the place with the highest median household income in Petal, MS was Census Tract 101.01 with a value of $97,949, followed by Census Tract 103 and Census Tract 104, with respective values of $65,000 and $51,128.

Housing

Property

$161,400

Median Property Value 2023

±$9,908

$2,733

Median Property Taxes

±$401

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Petal, MS the largest share of households pay taxes in the $800 - $1,499 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Petal, MS compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

72.3%

Homeownership

2023

67%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 72.3% of the housing units in Petal, MS were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 68.9%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Petal, MS compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 101.01
Census Tract 103
Census Tract 104

In 2023, the place with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Petal, MS was Census Tract 101.01 with a value of $97,949, followed by Census Tract 103 and Census Tract 104, with respective values of $65,000 and $51,128.

The following map shows all of the places in Petal, MS colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$72,845

Median Household Income

± $7,586

3.78k

Number of Households

± 455

In 2023, the median household income of the 3.78k households in Petal, MS grew to $72,845 from the previous year's value of $61,957.

The following chart displays the households in Petal, MS distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Petal, MS is from Mississippi.

0.452

2022 Wage GINI in Mississippi

0.45

2021 Wage GINI in Mississippi

In 2022, the income inequality in Mississippi was 0.452 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.553% growth from 2021 to 2022, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for Mississippi was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Mississippi in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Mississippi across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2023

Drove Alone (83.7%)
Carpooled (10.1%)
Worked At Home (3.37%)

In 2023, 83.7% of workers in Petal, MS drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (10.1%) and those who worked at home (3.37%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

21.6 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Petal, MS have a shorter commute time (21.6 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 2.69% of the workforce in Petal, MS have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Petal, MS compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Petal, MS distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Petal, MS have 2 cars.

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

13.3% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Petal, MS (1.47k out of 11.1k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females < 5 and then Females 55 - 64.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Petal, MS is White, followed by Hispanic and Black.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

90.1% of the population of Petal, MS has health coverage, with 45.2% on employee plans, 20.6% on Medicaid, 10% on Medicare, 11.7% on non-group plans, and 2.49% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Forrest County, MS see 1172 patients per year on average, which represents a 1.74% increase from the previous year (1152 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 2360 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 229 patients per year.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

Data is only available at the country level. Showing data for Forrest County, MS.

1,172 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Forrest County, MS

Primary care physicians in Forrest County, MS see an average of 1,172 patients per year. This represents a 1.74% increase from the previous year (1,152 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Forrest County, MS in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 24.2% under 18 years, 23.8% between 18 and 34 years, 36.8% between 35 and 64 years, and 15.2% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 45.2% were men and 54.8% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

9.9%

Uninsured

45.2%

Employer Coverage

20.6%

Medicaid

10%

Medicare

11.7%

Non-Group

2.49%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Petal, MS grew by 0.766% from 9.83% to 9.9%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Petal, MS changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

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