These Are The 10 Best Places Places In Mississippi To Get A Job

Top 10 Best Places to Find a Job in Mississippi in 2026

Are you on the hunt for a new job in Mississippi? You’re in the right place! While many might assume that Jackson, the state capital, is the best city for job seekers, recent data reveals otherwise.

At Zippia, we analyze the facts to help you make informed career decisions. We meticulously examined various locations across Mississippi to identify the best places for employment opportunities in 2026.

After evaluating over 50 cities and towns in Mississippi, we’ve compiled a list of the top 10 spots for job hunting in the Magnolia State:

Let’s delve into how we ranked these cities and what makes them stand out for job seekers in 2026.

Methodology: How We Determined the Best Places for Jobs in Mississippi

We conducted a comprehensive analysis of employment data across Mississippi. To ensure a fair comparison, we focused on locations with a minimum population of 5,000. This yielded 53 cities to evaluate.

Each location was assessed based on several key criteria, which were then ranked from 1 to 53 (with 1 representing the best). The overall score for each city was calculated by averaging its ranks across all metrics, with the lowest score indicating the best place for jobs.

The criteria analyzed included:

Unemployment rate
Recent job growth
Projected future job growth
Median household income

Data sources for these criteria include the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and Sperling’s Best Places.

If your town isn’t featured in the top 10, don’t worry! Scroll to the end for a detailed chart and downloadable data file.

Now, let’s explore the cities that are making significant strides in job opportunities.

1. Philadelphia

Population: 7,483
Unemployment Rate: 5.10%
Recent Job Growth: 0.23%
Future Job Growth: 35.40%

2. Corinth

Population: 14,663
Unemployment Rate: 5.90%
Recent Job Growth: 0.08%
Future Job Growth: 34.30%

3. Oxford

Population: 19,022
Unemployment Rate: 4.90%
Recent Job Growth: -0.68%
Future Job Growth: 33.70%

4. Gautier

Population: 18,502
Unemployment Rate: 7.30%
Recent Job Growth: 1.82%
Future Job Growth: 36.30%

5. Grenada

Population: 13,121
Unemployment Rate: 6.70%
Recent Job Growth: 0.09%
Future Job Growth: 33.50%

6. Laurel

Population: 18,611
Unemployment Rate: 4.80%
Recent Job Growth: -0.88%
Future Job Growth: 33.40%

7. D’Iberville

Population: 9,539
Unemployment Rate: 6.30%
Recent Job Growth: -0.23%
Future Job Growth: 33.20%

8. Southaven

Population: 48,981
Unemployment Rate: 4.30%
Recent Job Growth: -1.19%
Future Job Growth: 33.30%

9. Picayune

Population: 10,982
Unemployment Rate: 6.60%
Recent Job Growth: -0.19%
Future Job Growth: 33.00%

10. Waveland

Source: Wikipedia

Population: 6,492
Unemployment Rate: 6.60%
Recent Job Growth: -0.23%
Future Job Growth: 32.90%

Detailed List of the Best Places in Mississippi for Jobs

City	Rank	Population	Unemployment Rate	Recent Job Growth	Future Job Growth
Philadelphia	1	7,483	5.10%	0.23%	35.40%
Corinth	2	14,663	5.90%	0.08%	34.30%
Oxford	3	19,022	4.90%	-0.68%	33.70%
Gautier	4	18,502	7.30%	1.82%	36.30%
Grenada	5	13,121	6.70%	0.09%	33.50%
Laurel	6	18,611	4.80%	-0.88%	33.40%
D’Iberville	7	9,539	6.30%	-0.23%	33.20%
Southaven	8	48,981	4.30%	-1.19%	33.30%
Picayune	9	10,982	6.60%	-0.19%	33.00%
Waveland	10	6,492	6.60%	-0.23%	32.90%
Diamondhead	11	8,583	6.60%	-0.23%	32.90%
Pascagoula	12	22,523	9.80%	1.82%	33.80%
Hernando	13	14,117	4.80%	-1.19%	32.80%
Forest	14	5,702	4.60%	-1.31%	32.80%
Brookhaven	15	12,549	6.20%	-0.75%	32.30%
Petal	16	10,515	6.10%	-1.17%	31.60%
Flowood	17	7,881	4.20%	-2.16%	31.50%
Biloxi	18	44,223	7.40%	-0.23%	32.10%
Richland	19	6,955	4.20%	-2.16%	31.50%
Gulfport	20	68,158	7.70%	-0.23%	31.80%
Brandon	21	21,689	4.20%	-2.16%	31.50%
Pearl	22	25,623	4.20%	-2.16%	31.50%
Pontotoc	23	5,652	6.50%	-1.18%	31.10%
Clinton	24	25,361	4.30%	-2.16%	31.40%
Meridian	25	41,056	9.20%	0.32%	31.40%
Starkville	26	23,908	6.80%	-0.94%	31.30%
Columbia	27	6,543	7.80%	-0.39%	31.40%
Canton	28	13,185	4.90%	-2.16%	30.80%
Madison	29	24,153	4.90%	-2.16%	30.80%
Ridgeland	30	23,987	4.90%	-2.16%	30.80%
Cleveland	31	12,315	8.30%	-0.66%	30.40%
Hattiesburg	32	46,284	7.60%	-1.17%	30.10%
Tupelo	33	34,827	7.60%	-1.18%	30.00%
Ripley	34	5,381	8.10%	-1.06%	29.80%
Byram	35	11,277	6.10%	-2.16%	29.60%
Booneville	36	8,788	7.40%	-1.45%	29.70%
Senatobia	37	8,071	8.00%	-1.18%	29.60%
Jackson	38	174,382	6.50%	-2.16%	29.20%
Carthage	39	5,062	7.30%	-1.94%	28.80%
Louisville	40	6,617	9.60%	-1.05%	28.30%
Columbus	41	23,604	12.90%	0.12%	27.30%
Natchez	42	15,847	6.70%	-2.29%	28.70%
Batesville	43	7,457	9.00%	-1.20%	28.60%
Waynesboro	44	5,073	8.40%	-2.01%	27.60%
Aberdeen	45	5,626	9.80%	-1.37%	27.50%
Amory	46	7,313	9.80%	-1.37%	27.50%
McComb	47	12,841	7.70%	-2.33%	27.60%
Indianola	48	10,682	11.60%	-2.03%	24.30%
Kosciusko	49	7,359	9.10%	-2.56%	25.80%
Clarksdale	50	17,906	10.80%	-2.81%	23.60%
Greenwood	51	15,298	10.90%	-3.15%	22.80%
Vicksburg	52	23,725	12.90%	-2.85%	21.40%
Greenville	53	34,259	11.80%	-3.34%	21.50%

In conclusion, Mississippi offers various opportunities across its cities. Whether you’re looking for a growing job market, lower unemployment rates, or stable income prospects, the above cities are worth considering. Explore these locations to find the right fit for your career aspirations in 2026.

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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