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These Are The 10 Hardest Working Places In Mississippi

By Chris Kolmar
May. 18, 2016
Last Modified and Fact Checked on: Jan. 30, 2026

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Discover the 10 Hardest Working Places in Mississippi (2026)

Mississippi, known for its rich history and vibrant culture, continues to be a land of opportunity in 2026. The state is home to hardworking individuals who embody the spirit of dedication and perseverance, striving to improve their lives and those of their families.

While every community in Mississippi showcases a strong work ethic, certain areas stand out as the hardest working places in the Magnolia State. This ranking reflects the commitment to long hours, professional development, and community contribution.

Leading this industrious list is Madison, recognized as the hardest working place in Mississippi. With a population driven by ambition and a relentless work ethic, residents here often blend their professional lives with their personal pursuits.

Curious about which other cities are known for their dedication? Below are the top contenders that exemplify hard work and determination. Make sure to arrive early and stay late if you hope to keep pace with these ambitious locales:

  1. Madison
  2. Byram
  3. Brandon
  4. Ridgeland
  5. Clinton
  6. Olive Branch
  7. Flowood
  8. Southaven
  9. Hernando
  10. Pontotoc

Yazoo City, take note! There’s much to learn from your neighboring cities about hard work and community engagement.

For more insights into Mississippi’s job market, check out:

How We Determined the Hardest Working Places in the Magnolia State

At Zippia, we rely on comprehensive data to tackle tough questions. For this analysis, we utilized the most recent American Community Survey data to create a reliable ranking.

We examined a range of criteria to identify which areas sustain a strong work ethic, including:

  • Average hours worked per week
  • Average commute times
  • Workers per household (employed labor force divided by the number of households)
  • Labor force participation rates
  • Percentage of adults with a college degree

Our methodology indicates that those who invest years in education, actively seek employment, work extensive hours, and endure lengthy commutes exemplify the hardworking spirit worthy of recognition.

After compiling data from all 61 locations across Mississippi, we ranked each city from 1 to 61 based on these criteria, with 1 representing the “hardest working” designation. The final rankings led to the recognition of Madison as the hardest working place in Mississippi.

Explore the detailed chart below to understand the rankings and why each location earned its status.

1. Madison

Source: Wikipedia

Population: 24,871 College Graduates: 64.4%
Average Hours Worked Per Week: 40.7 Workers Per Household: 1.5

2. Byram

Population: 11,609 College Graduates: 31.2%
Average Hours Worked Per Week: 39.1 Workers Per Household: 1.6

3. Brandon

Population: 22,616 College Graduates: 38.0%
Average Hours Worked Per Week: 39.6 Workers Per Household: 1.4

4. Ridgeland

Population: 24,209 College Graduates: 49.5%
Average Hours Worked Per Week: 41.1 Workers Per Household: 1.3

5. Clinton

Population: 25,486 College Graduates: 41.5%
Average Hours Worked Per Week: 38.8 Workers Per Household: 1.5

6. Olive Branch

Population: 34,543 College Graduates: 26.7%
Average Hours Worked Per Week: 40.9 Workers Per Household: 1.5

7. Flowood

Population: 8,218 College Graduates: 42.4%
Average Hours Worked Per Week: 40.1 Workers Per Household: 1.3

8. Southaven

Population: 50,389 College Graduates: 21.0%
Average Hours Worked Per Week: 40.4 Workers Per Household: 1.5

9. Hernando

Population: 14,723 College Graduates: 26.8%
Average Hours Worked Per Week: 39.9 Workers Per Household: 1.3

10. Pontotoc

Population: 5,754 College Graduates: 19.0%
Average Hours Worked Per Week: 39.0 Workers Per Household: 1.5

Detailed List of Hardest Working Places in Mississippi

City Rank Population College Graduates Average Hours Worked Per Week Workers Per Household
Madison 1 24,871 64.4% 40.7 1.5
Byram 2 11,609 31.2% 39.1 1.6
Brandon 3 22,616 38.0% 39.6 1.4
Ridgeland 4 24,209 49.5% 41.1 1.3
Clinton 5 25,486 41.5% 38.8 1.5
Olive Branch 6 34,543 26.7% 40.9 1.5
Flowood 7 8,218 42.4% 40.1 1.3
Southaven 8 50,389 21.0% 40.4 1.5
Hernando 9 14,723 26.8% 39.9 1.3
Pontotoc 10 5,754 19.0% 39.0 1.5
Ocean Springs 11 17,446 36.4% 38.5 1.3
Biloxi 12 44,527 23.8% 41.0 1.4
Petal 13 10,675 29.2% 39.5 1.3
Long Beach 14 15,224 26.5% 40.1 1.4
Diamondhead 15 8,275 43.5% 40.1 1.1
Oxford 16 20,200 50.5% 34.2 1.3
Richland 17 7,012 15.7% 38.2 1.4
Tupelo 18 35,345 28.5% 38.8 1.2
Canton 19 13,321 20.8% 39.4 1.3
Senatobia 20 8,063 25.8% 38.2 1.3
Bay St. Louis 21 10,313 32.5% 39.9 1.1
Gautier 22 18,581 21.2% 39.7 1.3
Pearl 23 26,105 19.1% 39.6 1.3
Batesville 24 7,436 30.9% 39.8 1.0
Jackson 25 173,631 26.0% 37.9 1.3
D’Iberville 26 10,161 15.7% 38.0 1.4
Starkville 27 24,457 47.6% 35.7 1.2
Hattiesburg 28 46,629 32.2% 35.8 1.3
New Albany 29 8,291 20.8% 39.2 1.3
Cleveland 30 12,318 29.1% 35.9 1.3
Horn Lake 31 26,486 11.9% 39.5 1.5
Pascagoula 32 22,239 18.3% 39.6 1.2
Gulfport 33 69,913 20.1% 38.9 1.2
Philadelphia 34 7,446 19.0% 40.6 1.2
Vicksburg 35 23,559 22.7% 38.6 1.1
Meridian 36 40,809 21.5% 38.1 1.2
Grenada 37 12,951 16.2% 37.4 1.3
Indianola 38 10,426 20.2% 38.5 1.3
McComb 39 12,771 17.3% 39.1 1.1
Ripley 40 5,349 14.1% 38.4 1.2
Laurel 41 18,720 16.7% 39.3 1.2
Forest 42 5,719 15.7% 39.4 1.2
Corinth 43 14,797 21.3% 39.3 1.1
Brookhaven 44 12,499 19.5% 38.3 1.0
Natchez 45 15,563 21.9% 38.6 1.0
Picayune 46 10,838 18.7% 36.5 1.1
Greenville 47 33,518 20.0% 38.8 1.2
Louisville 48 6,498 22.7% 38.9 1.1
Columbus 49 23,483 21.1% 37.4 1.2
Kosciusko 50 7,302 21.2% 39.1 1.0
Amory 51 7,197 18.1% 38.3 1.1
West Point 52 11,200 19.1% 38.1 1.2
Clarksdale 53 17,497 19.5% 37.3 1.1
Columbia 54 6,446 13.0% 41.9 0.9
Booneville 55 8,775 16.2% 37.9 1.1
Greenwood 56 15,873 19.2% 39.0 1.0
Waveland 57 6,463 11.6% 39.3 1.2
Moss Point 58 13,690 13.9% 38.5 1.2
Holly Springs 59 7,585 12.6% 36.4 1.1
Aberdeen 60 5,492 16.5% 37.3 1.0
Yazoo City 61 11,462 13.0% 36.2 1.2
Never miss an opportunity that’s right for you.

Author

Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.

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