Jobs, pay and daily life in West Hattiesburg, 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 08/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
West Hattiesburg is a city in Mississippi with 6,715 residents. The median household earns $39,366 a year and the median rent is $978 a month, which is 29.8% of the median household income. It is part of the Hattiesburg, MS metropolitan area, where BLS counts 62,230 jobs.
How West Hattiesburg compares. Among the 60 largest places in Mississippi, West Hattiesburg is #57 by population, #56 for homeownership (#1 = highest), #51 for household income (#1 = highest), #19 for remote work (#1 = most). Its county, Lamar County, is #43 of 82 counties for average pay ($44,276).
West Hattiesburg has 6,715 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.2% of the population of Mississippi. It covers 2 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 2,783 people per square mile. The median age is 28.8, 25% younger than the state median (28.8 against 38.6). It is a census-designated place: a community the Census Bureau counts as a unit, without a city government of its own, so services such as police, roads and zoning usually come from the county.
The median gross rent is $978 a month (rent plus utilities), about the same as the state median ($978 against $954). Over a year that is 29.8% 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 $213,700, which is 5.4 times the median household income ($39,366); a ratio above 5 usually means buying is out of reach without savings or a second income. 42.3% of households own their home, 40% below the state average (42.3% against 70.0%). A low ownership share points to a rental-heavy market with more apartments and shorter stays.
The Hattiesburg, MS metropolitan area has 62,230 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $37,750 a year, 26% below the national median ($37,750 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (7,970 jobs, median $36,700); food preparation and serving related (7,250 jobs, median $23,780); sales and related (6,940 jobs, median $28,720). The area is most specialised in healthcare practitioners and technical (1.6 times) and food preparation and serving related (1.3 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are healthcare practitioners and technical ($64,620) and office and administrative support ($36,700). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Lamar County was 2.9%. 64.0% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Lamar County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 76.7% drive alone, 0.0% use public transit, 2.3% walk, 7.3% work from home. 11.8% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 19% below the state average (11.8% against 14.4%).
30.6% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 22% above the state share (30.6% against 25.1%). 9.1% of residents were born outside the United States, 275% above the state share (9.1% against 2.4%). The poverty rate is 38.5%, 104% above the state rate (38.5% against 18.9%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 82°F (27.6°C), and the coolest is Jan at 46°F (8.0°C). About 1,525 mm (60 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Jun is the wettest month (149 mm) and Oct the driest (92 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: Hattiesburg (4 miles, similar rent); Petal (9 miles, rent 7% higher); Columbia (26 miles, rent 18% lower); Laurel (30 miles, rent 7% lower). Rent differences are against West Hattiesburg; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Mississippi (240) →State guide: MississippiCountry guideLamar CountyMississippi rankings
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There are 240 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.
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| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail Salespersons | 2,600 | 1.67 | $28,410 | $21,950 | $37,670 | -20% |
| Registered Nurses | 2,190 | 1.62 | $76,270 | $62,210 | $96,520 | -22% |
| Cashiers | 2,110 | 1.71 | $26,040 | $19,780 | $32,390 | -21% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 1,960 | 1.27 | $22,550 | $18,260 | $28,010 | -28% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 1,460 | 0.85 | $25,410 | $22,340 | $30,900 | -29% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 1,280 | 1.24 | $36,700 | $29,880 | $47,040 | -18% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 1,100 | 0.97 | $31,040 | $26,510 | $39,450 | -17% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 1,070 | 0.91 | $34,260 | $28,670 | $45,400 | -15% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 1,010 | 1.11 | $21,830 | $15,080 | $39,220 | -38% |
| Cooks, Fast Food | 1,010 | 3.92 | $23,470 | $18,740 | $27,690 | -24% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 850 | 1.39 | $38,810 | $27,940 | $64,150 | -22% |
| Nursing Assistants | 840 | 1.44 | $30,440 | $26,870 | $35,570 | -28% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers | 840 | 1.88 | $45,910 | $27,800 | $70,690 | -5% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 830 | 1.01 | $48,200 | $35,510 | $63,600 | -18% |
| Office Clerks, General | 820 | 0.83 | $35,690 | $21,920 | $48,260 | -21% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 810 | 0.91 | $27,400 | $21,420 | $34,710 | -26% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 790 | 1.15 | $35,620 | $26,060 | $54,250 | -25% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | 680 | 1.39 | $34,750 | $26,950 | $57,450 | -21% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | 680 | 1.18 | $55,670 | $37,220 | $81,550 | -20% |
| Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | 670 | 1.57 | $49,590 | $46,300 | $61,400 | -31% |
These figures are for the whole Hattiesburg, MS metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $37,750 (US $50,980); unemployment 3.0% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 24.4% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 23.8% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 15.1% |
| Manufacturing | 8.1% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 7.7% |
| Retail trade | 6.8% |
| Other services | 6.6% |
| Construction | 2.9% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 1.8% |
| Public administration | 1.7% |
| Wholesale trade | 0.7% |
| Information | 0.4% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.0% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where West Hattiesburg 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lamar County | 65,713 | $2,777 million | $42,258 | 20,129 | 1,576 | $44,276 | -0.3% | 2.9% | 30,067 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 4,728 | 33.0% | $32,876 | 2.35 |
| Accommodation and food services | 3,212 | 22.5% | $21,140 | 1.75 |
| Administrative and waste services | 1,047 | 7.3% | $35,337 | 0.88 |
| Construction | 897 | 6.3% | $58,684 | 0.85 |
| Finance and insurance | 738 | 5.2% | $84,273 | 0.90 |
| Professional and technical services | 666 | 4.7% | $60,893 | 0.48 |
| Manufacturing | 461 | 3.2% | $73,969 | 0.28 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 452 | 3.2% | $42,578 | 0.75 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 438 | 3.1% | $62,672 | 0.51 |
| Wholesale trade | 394 | 2.8% | $64,196 | 0.50 |
| Real estate and rental | 360 | 2.5% | $49,337 | 1.15 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 270 | 1.9% | $25,665 | 0.80 |
| Management of companies | 185 | 1.3% | $120,696 | 0.55 |
| Utilities | 164 | 1.1% | $90,940 | 2.14 |
| Information | 163 | 1.1% | $68,566 | 0.43 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 122 | 0.9% | $59,916 | 0.75 |
| Mining, oil and gas | 9 | 0.1% | $74,924 | 0.12 |
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 | 76.7% |
| Public transit | 0.0% |
| Walk | 2.3% |
| Work from home | 7.3% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 11.8% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $39,366 |
| Income per person | $22,068 |
| Median gross rent per month | $978 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 29.8% |
| Median home value | $213,700 |
| Homeowners | 42.3% |
| Poverty rate | 38.5% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 87.6 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $37,750 |
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 | 28.8 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 88.6% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 30.6% |
| Born abroad | 9.1% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 64.0% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 8.0 | 46 | 119 |
| Feb | 10.5 | 51 | 140 |
| Mar | 14.4 | 58 | 143 |
| Apr | 18.4 | 65 | 126 |
| May | 22.8 | 73 | 116 |
| Jun | 26.7 | 80 | 149 |
| Jul | 27.6 | 82 | 149 |
| Aug | 27.2 | 81 | 145 |
| Sep | 24.9 | 77 | 106 |
| Oct | 19.5 | 67 | 92 |
| Nov | 13.3 | 56 | 92 |
| Dec | 9.6 | 49 | 148 |
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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hattiesburg | MS | 4 mi | 48,619 | $46,342 | $1,005 |
| Petal | MS | 9 mi | 11,294 | $74,750 | $1,047 |
| Columbia | MS | 26 mi | 6,632 | $38,507 | $806 |
| Laurel | MS | 30 mi | 17,679 | $47,661 | $909 |
| Bogalusa | LA | 47 mi | 10,468 | $30,749 | $767 |
| Picayune | MS | 57 mi | 11,900 | $41,213 | $931 |
| Diamondhead | MS | 64 mi | 9,338 | $87,407 | $1,571 |
| Gulfport | MS | 64 mi | 73,003 | $49,919 | $1,086 |
| McComb | MS | 65 mi | 12,049 | $40,707 | $873 |
| Latimer | MS | 65 mi | 6,756 | $70,237 | $1,122 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
6,715 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$978 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 29.8% of the median household income.
$39,366 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
2.9% (BLS county, Lamar County (latest month 2026M09)).
Mississippi. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.