Jobs, pay and daily life in Meridian, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Meridian is a city in Mississippi with 34,137 residents. The median household earns $36,562 a year and the median rent is $910 a month, which is 29.9% of the median household income. We could not match it to a metropolitan area in the BLS wage tables, so metro pay data is not shown.
How Meridian compares. Among the 60 largest places in Mississippi, Meridian is #8 by population, #57 for household income (#1 = highest), #49 for homeownership (#1 = highest), #43 for college degrees (#1 = most). Its county, Lauderdale County, is #28 of 82 counties for average pay ($47,153).
Meridian has 34,137 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 1.2% of the population of Mississippi. It covers 54 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 635 people per square mile. The median age is 39.4, about the same as the state median (39.4 against 38.6).
The median gross rent is $910 a month (rent plus utilities), 5% below the state median ($910 against $954). Over a year that is 29.9% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $107,900, which is 3.0 times the median household income ($36,562); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 48.6% of households own their home, 31% below the state average (48.6% against 70.0%). A low ownership share points to a rental-heavy market with more apartments and shorter stays.
In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Lauderdale County was 3.5%. 53.6% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Lauderdale County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 79.1% drive alone, 0.1% use public transit, 1.0% walk, 5.1% work from home. 8.8% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 39% below the state average (8.8% against 14.4%).
21.8% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 13% below the state share (21.8% against 25.1%). 2.4% of residents were born outside the United States, about the same as the state share (2.4% against 2.4%). The poverty rate is 34.3%, 81% above the state rate (34.3% against 18.9%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 82°F (27.7°C), and the coolest is Jan at 44°F (6.7°C). About 1,452 mm (57 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Feb is the wettest month (145 mm) and Sep the driest (97 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Philadelphia (37 miles, rent 13% lower); Laurel (55 miles, similar rent); Kosciusko (70 miles, rent 11% lower); Starkville (75 miles, similar rent). Rent differences are against Meridian; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Mississippi (241) →State guide: MississippiCountry guideLauderdale CountyMississippi rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 241 federal postings open in Mississippi (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
No metropolitan wage table is matched to this city. Employment shares of residents by industry (ACS):
| Industry ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 27.8% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 13.1% |
| Retail trade | 11.8% |
| Manufacturing | 10.8% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 8.9% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 7.1% |
| Public administration | 5.5% |
| Other services | 4.9% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 4.0% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 2.4% |
| Construction | 2.2% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.4% |
| Information | 0.2% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Meridian lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lauderdale County | 71,504 | $4,841 million | $67,697 | 31,040 | 1,889 | $47,153 | -0.4% | 3.5% | 27,981 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 6,209 | 24.2% | $53,805 | 1.40 |
| Retail trade | 4,266 | 16.6% | $33,491 | 1.38 |
| Accommodation and food services | 3,703 | 14.4% | $19,978 | 1.31 |
| Manufacturing | 2,058 | 8.0% | $63,304 | 0.81 |
| Administrative and waste services | 1,709 | 6.7% | $30,958 | 0.94 |
| Wholesale trade | 1,495 | 5.8% | $62,326 | 1.22 |
| Construction | 1,049 | 4.1% | $56,049 | 0.64 |
| Educational services | 836 | 3.3% | $85,046 | 1.30 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 779 | 3.0% | $55,779 | 0.59 |
| Finance and insurance | 773 | 3.0% | $69,627 | 0.61 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 627 | 2.4% | $41,414 | 0.67 |
| Professional and technical services | 547 | 2.1% | $59,506 | 0.25 |
| Management of companies | 538 | 2.1% | $82,842 | 1.03 |
| Real estate and rental | 278 | 1.1% | $42,674 | 0.58 |
| Utilities | 239 | 0.9% | $86,867 | 2.03 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 222 | 0.9% | $21,189 | 0.43 |
| Information | 220 | 0.9% | $53,337 | 0.38 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 106 | 0.4% | $54,803 | 0.42 |
| Mining, oil and gas | 7 | 0.0% | $75,678 | 0.06 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 79.1% |
| Public transit | 0.1% |
| Walk | 1.0% |
| Work from home | 5.1% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 8.8% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $36,562 |
| Income per person | $25,094 |
| Median gross rent per month | $910 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 29.9% |
| Median home value | $107,900 |
| Homeowners | 48.6% |
| Poverty rate | 34.3% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | n/a |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | n/a |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Flat 4.00%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 39.4 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 85.1% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 21.8% |
| Born abroad | 2.4% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 53.6% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 6.7 | 44 | 121 |
| Feb | 9.1 | 48 | 145 |
| Mar | 13.4 | 56 | 138 |
| Apr | 17.6 | 64 | 136 |
| May | 22.2 | 72 | 107 |
| Jun | 26.4 | 80 | 122 |
| Jul | 27.7 | 82 | 127 |
| Aug | 27.3 | 81 | 121 |
| Sep | 24.5 | 76 | 97 |
| Oct | 18.7 | 66 | 97 |
| Nov | 12.2 | 54 | 100 |
| Dec | 8.3 | 47 | 141 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia | MS | 37 mi | 6,996 | $50,788 | $791 |
| Laurel | MS | 55 mi | 17,679 | $47,661 | $909 |
| Kosciusko | MS | 70 mi | 6,933 | $40,085 | $814 |
| Starkville | MS | 75 mi | 25,721 | $42,125 | $916 |
| Brandon | MS | 76 mi | 25,542 | $92,783 | $1,382 |
| Petal | MS | 78 mi | 11,294 | $74,750 | $1,047 |
| Columbus | MS | 79 mi | 23,348 | $42,235 | $897 |
| Canton | MS | 80 mi | 10,811 | $38,337 | $989 |
| Flowood | MS | 81 mi | 10,587 | $83,880 | $1,430 |
| Pearl | MS | 82 mi | 27,737 | $61,695 | $1,175 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
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34,137 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$910 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 29.9% of the median household income.
$36,562 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.5% (BLS county, Lauderdale County (latest month 2026M09)).
Mississippi. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.