Meridian, Mississippi Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Meridian, MS Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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C
Health Below average
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D
Income Well below average
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D
Education Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population
| Metric | Meridian | Mississippi Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 31,814 | 2,946,497 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 583.7 | 60.8 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -1.79% | -0.18% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 36.5 | 36.7 | 37.3 |
| Households | 13,598 | 1,145,227 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Meridian declined by 11.3% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 31,814 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Meridian is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 22.2% of residents. That is about the same share as Mississippi.
- Gen Z 13–28 7,073 22.2% on par
- Millennials 29–44 6,130 19.3% -1.1 pts
- Gen X 45–60 6,038 19.0% -0.4 pts
- Boomers 61–79 5,430 17.1% -0.7 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below Mississippi, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 54.2% of the people living in Meridian and men 45.8%.
- Women 54.2% Mississippi 51.5%
- Men 45.8% Mississippi 48.5%
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Economy
Meridian has a the economy index of D, which means it is barely prosperous.
| Metric | Meridian | Mississippi Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $34,659 | $56,669 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 2.71% | 4.27% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 8.2% | 5.7% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Meridian is about 39% lower than in Mississippi.
Housing
| Metric | Meridian | Mississippi Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $131,006 | $130,069 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $909 | $954 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 47.5% | 70.0% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Meridian is about 12.0 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $909 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Meridian spend about 31 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 129 hours, about 5.4 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Meridian | Mississippi Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 15.5 | 21.5 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 31.1 | 43.0 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 129 | 179 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $4,011 | $5,558 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 5.6% | 5.9% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 6,320 | 6,176 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 1,685 | 914 | 1,355 |
The average commute time in Meridian is 16 minutes, shorter than the 22 minutes in Mississippi.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Meridian has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | Meridian | Mississippi Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.7% | 21.7% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.18 | 2.49 | 2.53 |
Health
Meridian has a health index of C, which means it is somewhat healthy.
| Metric | Meridian | Mississippi Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 73.7 | 74.7 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 26.1% | 23.5% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 23.3% | 22.1% | 19.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Meridian, Mississippi.
How big is Meridian, Mississippi by population?
About 31,814 people live in Meridian, Mississippi, in 13,598 households of 2.2 people on average. The median age is 36.5, close to the U.S. median of 37.3.
How densely populated is Meridian, Mississippi?
Averaged over its land area, Meridian, Mississippi has 584 people per square mile, a density typical of a mix of suburbs, small towns and farmland. That is about 6.8 times the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in Meridian, Mississippi?
The median home costs 3.8 times the median household income ($131,006 against $34,659), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $909 a month takes about 31% of the median household's income, above the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is it hard to find a job in Meridian, Mississippi?
Unemployment in Meridian, Mississippi is 8.2%, well above the U.S. rate of 5.2%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
How educated are people in Meridian, Mississippi?
17.7% of adults in Meridian, Mississippi hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 6), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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