Jobs, pay and daily life in Starkville, 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.
Starkville is a city in Mississippi with 25,721 residents. The median household earns $42,125 a year and the median rent is $916 a month, which is 26.1% 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 Starkville compares. Among the 60 largest places in Mississippi, Starkville is #15 by population, #59 for homeownership (#1 = highest), #5 for college degrees (#1 = most), #44 for household income (#1 = highest). Its county, Oktibbeha County, is #24 of 82 counties for average pay ($47,613).
Starkville has 25,721 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.9% of the population of Mississippi. It covers 28 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 926 people per square mile. The median age is 26.0, 33% younger than the state median (26.0 against 38.6).
The median gross rent is $916 a month (rent plus utilities), 4% below the state median ($916 against $954). Over a year that is 26.1% 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 $299,900, which is 7.1 times the median household income ($42,125); a ratio above 5 usually means buying is out of reach without savings or a second income. 34.0% of households own their home, 51% below the state average (34.0% 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 Oktibbeha County was 3.2%. 63.0% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Oktibbeha County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 84.2% drive alone, 1.1% use public transit, 1.1% walk, 7.1% work from home. 9.6% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 34% below the state average (9.6% against 14.4%).
50.5% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 101% above the state share (50.5% against 25.1%). 7.0% of residents were born outside the United States, 185% above the state share (7.0% against 2.4%). The poverty rate is 30.7%, 62% above the state rate (30.7% against 18.9%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 82°F (28.0°C), and the coolest is Jan at 42°F (5.6°C). About 1,453 mm (57 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Feb is the wettest month (149 mm) and Nov the driest (100 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: West Point (14 miles, rent 19% lower); Columbus (24 miles, similar rent); Amory (41 miles, rent 9% lower); Philadelphia (51 miles, rent 14% lower). Rent differences are against Starkville; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Mississippi (241) →State guide: MississippiCountry guideOktibbeha 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 | 34.6% |
| Retail trade | 14.1% |
| Manufacturing | 11.3% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 11.1% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 6.0% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 5.8% |
| Public administration | 4.5% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 3.8% |
| Construction | 3.4% |
| Other services | 3.1% |
| Information | 1.3% |
| Wholesale trade | 0.8% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.2% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Starkville 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oktibbeha County | 51,771 | $2,639 million | $50,974 | 20,428 | 1,092 | $47,613 | +0.5% | 3.2% | 22,756 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation and food services | 3,418 | 29.5% | $18,584 | 1.84 |
| Retail trade | 2,339 | 20.2% | $28,754 | 1.15 |
| Health care and social assistance | 1,729 | 14.9% | $42,693 | 0.59 |
| Manufacturing | 920 | 7.9% | $67,518 | 0.55 |
| Administrative and waste services | 647 | 5.6% | $29,329 | 0.54 |
| Finance and insurance | 477 | 4.1% | $69,289 | 0.58 |
| Construction | 429 | 3.7% | $49,831 | 0.40 |
| Wholesale trade | 377 | 3.3% | $54,613 | 0.47 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 365 | 3.2% | $66,703 | 0.59 |
| Real estate and rental | 315 | 2.7% | $38,918 | 0.99 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 222 | 1.9% | $16,849 | 0.65 |
| Educational services | 197 | 1.7% | $27,056 | 0.47 |
| Information | 149 | 1.3% | $73,138 | 0.39 |
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 | 84.2% |
| Public transit | 1.1% |
| Walk | 1.1% |
| Work from home | 7.1% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 9.6% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $42,125 |
| Income per person | $33,393 |
| Median gross rent per month | $916 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 26.1% |
| Median home value | $299,900 |
| Homeowners | 34.0% |
| Poverty rate | 30.7% |
| 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 | 26.0 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 92.6% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 50.5% |
| Born abroad | 7.0% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 63.0% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 5.6 | 42 | 123 |
| Feb | 7.9 | 46 | 149 |
| Mar | 12.6 | 55 | 132 |
| Apr | 17.2 | 63 | 141 |
| May | 21.9 | 71 | 119 |
| Jun | 26.4 | 80 | 111 |
| Jul | 28.0 | 82 | 120 |
| Aug | 27.8 | 82 | 108 |
| Sep | 24.7 | 76 | 102 |
| Oct | 18.4 | 65 | 105 |
| Nov | 11.6 | 53 | 100 |
| Dec | 7.4 | 45 | 143 |
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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Point | MS | 14 mi | 9,900 | $38,064 | $746 |
| Columbus | MS | 24 mi | 23,348 | $42,235 | $897 |
| Amory | MS | 41 mi | 6,500 | $52,901 | $834 |
| Philadelphia | MS | 51 mi | 6,996 | $50,788 | $791 |
| Kosciusko | MS | 52 mi | 6,933 | $40,085 | $814 |
| Tupelo | MS | 56 mi | 37,791 | $66,257 | $976 |
| Grenada | MS | 61 mi | 12,375 | $46,303 | $802 |
| New Albany | MS | 72 mi | 7,663 | $51,332 | $973 |
| Northport | AL | 72 mi | 31,218 | $80,913 | $982 |
| Oxford | MS | 74 mi | 26,411 | $64,451 | $1,071 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
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vs
25,721 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$916 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 26.1% of the median household income.
$42,125 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.2% (BLS county, Oktibbeha County (latest month 2026M09)).
Mississippi. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.