The Town FilesBay St. Louis, Mississippi
City in Hancock County · population 9,284 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $260,200
- Household income
- $67,442
- Jan low / Jul high
- 42° / 89°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 51
- Median age
- 53.3
Bay St. Louis is a city of 9,284 people in Hancock County, Mississippi. The median home is worth $260,200, above the typical Mississippi town ($124,700). It ranks better for a vacation home than 100% of Mississippi towns, more seaside character than 99% of Mississippi towns, more upscale than 94% of Mississippi towns.
- #5 in The 21 Best Small Towns to Retire in Mississippi
- #5 in The 15 Quietest Small Towns in Mississippi
- #7 in 24 Small Towns in Mississippi With the Mildest Winters
- #14 in The 20 Best Small Towns for Families in Mississippi
- #15 in The 25 Most Walkable Small Towns in Mississippi
- #44 in 50 Small Towns in America With the Least Snow
How Bay St. Louis ranks
Percentile among Mississippi towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Mississippi towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Bay St. Louis is worth $260,200, above the typical Mississippi town ($124,700). Homes cost about 3.9 times the median household income of $67,442, which is more affordable than 11% of Mississippi towns. Median rent is $1,179 a month. 76.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Bay St. Louis | Typical Mississippi town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $260,200 | $124,700 |
| Median rent | $1,179 | $820 |
| Median household income | $67,442 | $45,965 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.9× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 76.7% | 65.3% |
| Median year built | 1995 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 13.9% | — |
Who lives in Bay St. Louis
| People | Bay St. Louis | Typical Mississippi town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 53.3 | 37.3 |
| Age 65 and over | 28.2% | 16.6% |
| Under 18 | 13.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 38.3% | 19.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 14.5% | 22.9% |
| Veterans | 10.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.7% | — |
| Work from home | 15.6% | 4.0% |
| Average commute | 27.1 min | 23.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.1% | 83.3% |
Weather in Bay St. Louis
July highs average 88.5°F and January lows 41.6°F. About 65.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical Mississippi town: 0.5 in). Expect about 48 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 17 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
51 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bay St. Louis since 1950, compared with 31 for the typical Mississippi town. 11 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on May 19, 1980 about 0.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 10, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 29 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on May 25, 2010.
Severe weather in Hancock County since 1996
Hancock County has been included in 33 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 3, 2026 | Tropical Storm | DR-4930: Tropical Storm Arthur |
| February 6, 2026 | Winter Storm | DR-4899: Severe Winter Storm |
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3640: Severe Winter Storm |
| June 10, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4790: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| October 22, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4626: Hurricane Ida |
Jobs and pay in Hancock County
Hancock County had 14,399 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $62,168 a year. Unemployment was 3.3% in 2023; in Bay St. Louis itself the ACS puts it at 7.8%.
Public schools in Bay St. Louis
4 public schools with 1,843 students, about 12.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| BAY HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 499 | 11.9 |
| SOUTH HANCOCK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-5 | 494 | 12.7 |
| NORTH BAY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | 2-5 | 476 | 14.0 |
| Bay Waveland Middle School | 6-8 | 374 | 12.1 |
Towns near Bay St. Louis
- Waveland, MS2.8 mi · 7,210 people · home $218,900
- Diamondhead, MS4.1 mi · 9,529 people · home $259,600
- Pass Christian, MS7.1 mi · 5,686 people · home $270,900
- Long Beach, MS11.9 mi · 16,780 people · home $215,200
- Gulfport, MS18.5 mi · 72,926 people · home $174,600
- Nicholson, MS23.2 mi · 2,833 people · home $97,400
- Picayune, MS23.5 mi · 11,885 people · home $157,100
- Pearl River, LA23.6 mi · 2,565 people · home $235,200
Bay St. Louis questions
Is Bay St. Louis, Mississippi a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Bay St. Louis scores better for retirees than 86% of Mississippi towns and quieter than 76%. 28.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 53.3).
How much does a house cost in Bay St. Louis?
The median owner-occupied home in Bay St. Louis is valued at $260,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $67,442, so homes cost about 3.9 times income. Median rent is $1,179 a month.
What is the weather like in Bay St. Louis?
July highs average 88.5°F and January lows 41.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 65.0 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Bay St. Louis get tornadoes?
51 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bay St. Louis since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on May 19, 1980. The typical Mississippi town has had 31.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)