The Town FilesBooneville, Mississippi
City in Prentiss County · population 9,126 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $136,700
- Household income
- $50,879
- Jan low / Jul high
- 29° / 89°
- Snow a year
- 1 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 28
- Median age
- 34.0
Booneville is a city of 9,126 people in Prentiss County, Mississippi. The median home is worth $136,700, above the typical Mississippi town ($124,700). It ranks easier by car than 74% of Mississippi towns, more vibrant than 70% of Mississippi towns.
How Booneville 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 Booneville is worth $136,700, above the typical Mississippi town ($124,700). Homes cost about 2.7 times the median household income of $50,879, which is more affordable than 61% of Mississippi towns. Median rent is $645 a month. 71.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Booneville | Typical Mississippi town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $136,700 | $124,700 |
| Median rent | $645 | $820 |
| Median household income | $50,879 | $45,965 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.7× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 71.7% | 65.3% |
| Median year built | 1979 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Booneville
| People | Booneville | Typical Mississippi town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.0 | 37.3 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.8% | 16.6% |
| Under 18 | 20.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.4% | 19.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 15.1% | 22.9% |
| Veterans | 5.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.8% | — |
| Work from home | 1.3% | 4.0% |
| Average commute | 19.6 min | 23.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 84.3% | 83.3% |
Weather in Booneville
July highs average 88.9°F and January lows 29.0°F. About 60.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 1.1 inches of snow (typical Mississippi town: 0.5 in). Expect about 41 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 68 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
28 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Booneville since 1950, compared with 31 for the typical Mississippi town. 11 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on February 24, 2001 about 5.9 miles from the town center and killed 6. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 8 deaths and 53 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on January 11, 2020.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 31 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on April 22, 2017.
Severe weather in Prentiss County since 1996
Prentiss County has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for hurricane, biological, severe storm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| February 6, 2026 | Winter Storm | DR-4899: Severe Winter Storm |
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3640: Severe Winter Storm |
| May 21, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4874: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| October 22, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4626: Hurricane Ida |
| August 28, 2021 | Hurricane | EM-3569: Hurricane Ida |
Jobs and pay in Prentiss County
Prentiss County had 7,229 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $41,780 a year. Unemployment was 2.8% in 2023; in Booneville itself the ACS puts it at 3.2%.
Public schools in Booneville
9 public schools with 3,101 students, about 11.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| WHEELER HIGH SCHOOL | PK-12 | 609 | 13.0 |
| ANDERSON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-4 | 545 | 14.7 |
| THRASHER HIGH SCHOOL | PK-12 | 436 | 10.9 |
| HILLS CHAPEL SCHOOL | PK-8 | 412 | 11.4 |
| R.H. LONG BOONEVILLE MIDDLE SCHOOL | 5-8 | 410 | 13.2 |
| BOONEVILLE HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 365 | 15.9 |
| JUMPERTOWN HIGH SCHOOL | PK-12 | 324 | 10.8 |
| PRENTISS CO VOC COMPLEX | 9-12 | — | — |
| NORTHEAST MS REGIONAL ALTERNATIVE | 5-12 | — | — |
Towns near Booneville
- Baldwyn, MS11.8 mi · 3,071 people · home $98,600
- Corinth, MS19.9 mi · 14,622 people · home $177,100
- Saltillo, MS20.9 mi · 4,922 people · home $204,900
- Ripley, MS21.5 mi · 5,462 people · home $117,200
- Iuka, MS23.3 mi · 3,139 people · home $124,700
- New Albany, MS28.4 mi · 7,626 people · home $161,400
- Tupelo, MS28.8 mi · 37,923 people · home $212,800
- Red Bay, AL29.2 mi · 3,232 people · home $108,200
Booneville questions
Is Booneville, Mississippi a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Booneville scores better for retirees than 23% of Mississippi towns and quieter than 38%. 14.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 34.0).
How much does a house cost in Booneville?
The median owner-occupied home in Booneville is valued at $136,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $50,879, so homes cost about 2.7 times income. Median rent is $645 a month.
What is the weather like in Booneville?
July highs average 88.9°F and January lows 29.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 60.4 inches of precipitation a year and 1.1 inches of snow.
Does Booneville get tornadoes?
28 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Booneville since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on February 24, 2001. 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)