Jobs, pay and daily life in Picayune, 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.
Picayune is a city in Mississippi with 11,900 residents. The median household earns $41,213 a year and the median rent is $931 a month, which is 27.1% 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 Picayune compares. Among the 60 largest places in Mississippi, Picayune is #35 by population, #59 for long commutes (#1 = fewest), #55 for college degrees (#1 = most), #47 for household income (#1 = highest). Its county, Pearl River County, is #70 of 82 counties for average pay ($41,138).
Picayune has 11,900 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.4% of the population of Mississippi. It covers 18 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 660 people per square mile. The median age is 41.8, 8% older than the state median (41.8 against 38.6).
The median gross rent is $931 a month (rent plus utilities), about the same as the state median ($931 against $954). Over a year that is 27.1% 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 $157,100, which is 3.8 times the median household income ($41,213); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 58.8% of households own their home, 16% below the state average (58.8% against 70.0%).
In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Pearl River County was 3.2%. 55.7% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Pearl River County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 77.7% drive alone, 0.0% use public transit, 2.7% walk, 5.9% work from home. 29.2% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 102% above the state average (29.2% against 14.4%).
16.2% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 36% below the state share (16.2% against 25.1%). 2.1% of residents were born outside the United States, 13% below the state share (2.1% against 2.4%). The poverty rate is 20.6%, 9% above the state rate (20.6% against 18.9%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 82°F (27.8°C), and the coolest is Jan at 50°F (10.2°C). About 1,600 mm (63 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Aug is the wettest month (187 mm) and Nov the driest (82 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: Slidell (18 miles, rent 48% higher); Bogalusa (20 miles, rent 18% lower); Diamondhead (22 miles, rent 69% higher); Eden Isle (23 miles, rent 43% higher). Rent differences are against Picayune; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Mississippi (241) →State guide: MississippiCountry guidePearl River 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 | 24.6% |
| Retail trade | 17.9% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 9.1% |
| Other services | 8.0% |
| Manufacturing | 7.8% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 7.3% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 6.8% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 6.0% |
| Construction | 6.0% |
| Information | 2.1% |
| Public administration | 2.1% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.7% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.6% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Picayune 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pearl River County | 57,458 | $1,530 million | $26,627 | 11,629 | 1,010 | $41,138 | +2.0% | 3.2% | 24,544 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 2,394 | 34.3% | $31,157 | 2.06 |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,418 | 20.3% | $16,421 | 1.34 |
| Manufacturing | 685 | 9.8% | $57,171 | 0.72 |
| Construction | 631 | 9.0% | $59,596 | 1.03 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 343 | 4.9% | $33,112 | 0.98 |
| Wholesale trade | 320 | 4.6% | $66,157 | 0.70 |
| Finance and insurance | 314 | 4.5% | $55,779 | 0.67 |
| Professional and technical services | 250 | 3.6% | $85,010 | 0.31 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 239 | 3.4% | $46,070 | 0.49 |
| Real estate and rental | 84 | 1.2% | $33,646 | 0.47 |
| Utilities | 76 | 1.1% | $79,818 | 1.72 |
| Mining, oil and gas | 64 | 0.9% | $63,885 | 1.46 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 57 | 0.8% | $13,393 | 0.29 |
| Information | 54 | 0.8% | $40,399 | 0.25 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 44 | 0.6% | $45,859 | 0.47 |
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 | 77.7% |
| Public transit | 0.0% |
| Walk | 2.7% |
| Work from home | 5.9% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 29.2% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $41,213 |
| Income per person | $25,878 |
| Median gross rent per month | $931 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 27.1% |
| Median home value | $157,100 |
| Homeowners | 58.8% |
| Poverty rate | 20.6% |
| 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 | 41.8 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 87.5% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 16.2% |
| Born abroad | 2.1% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 55.7% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 10.2 | 50 | 103 |
| Feb | 12.5 | 54 | 115 |
| Mar | 16.0 | 61 | 120 |
| Apr | 19.6 | 67 | 131 |
| May | 23.6 | 74 | 121 |
| Jun | 27.1 | 81 | 178 |
| Jul | 27.8 | 82 | 181 |
| Aug | 27.6 | 82 | 187 |
| Sep | 25.5 | 78 | 137 |
| Oct | 20.5 | 69 | 105 |
| Nov | 15.1 | 59 | 82 |
| Dec | 11.8 | 53 | 140 |
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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Slidell | LA | 18 mi | 28,561 | $70,497 | $1,375 |
| Bogalusa | LA | 20 mi | 10,468 | $30,749 | $767 |
| Diamondhead | MS | 22 mi | 9,338 | $87,407 | $1,571 |
| Eden Isle | LA | 23 mi | 7,683 | $78,426 | $1,328 |
| Waveland | MS | 23 mi | 7,062 | $68,693 | $927 |
| Bay St. Louis | MS | 23 mi | 10,188 | $67,442 | $1,179 |
| Covington | LA | 26 mi | 11,658 | $75,851 | $1,396 |
| Mandeville | LA | 28 mi | 12,946 | $94,405 | $1,422 |
| Long Beach | MS | 33 mi | 17,009 | $70,332 | $1,215 |
| New Orleans | LA | 37 mi | 371,853 | $56,631 | $1,251 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
11,900 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$931 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 27.1% of the median household income.
$41,213 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.2% (BLS county, Pearl River County (latest month 2026M09)).
Mississippi. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.