The Town FilesCarthage, Mississippi
City in Leake County · population 4,901 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $154,800
- Household income
- $42,254
- Jan low / Jul high
- 34° / 92°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 43
- Median age
- 35.6
Carthage is a city of 4,901 people in Leake County, Mississippi. The median home is worth $154,800, above the typical Mississippi town ($124,700). It ranks better for cycling than 97% of Mississippi towns, better transit than 94% of Mississippi towns, better for first-time buyers than 88% of Mississippi towns.
How Carthage 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 Carthage is worth $154,800, above the typical Mississippi town ($124,700). Homes cost about 3.7 times the median household income of $42,254, which is more affordable than 15% of Mississippi towns. Median rent is $705 a month. 65.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Carthage | Typical Mississippi town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $154,800 | $124,700 |
| Median rent | $705 | $820 |
| Median household income | $42,254 | $45,965 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.7× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 65.4% | 65.3% |
| Median year built | 1979 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Carthage
| People | Carthage | Typical Mississippi town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.6 | 37.3 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.7% | 16.6% |
| Under 18 | 27.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.6% | 19.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 29.7% | 22.9% |
| Veterans | 8.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 8.9% | — |
| Work from home | 23.1% | 4.0% |
| Average commute | 29.6 min | 23.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 74.3% | 83.3% |
Weather in Carthage
July highs average 92.1°F and January lows 33.5°F. About 57.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.2 inches of snow (typical Mississippi town: 0.5 in). Expect about 77 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 64 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
43 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Carthage since 1950, compared with 31 for the typical Mississippi town. 10 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on November 22, 1992 about 4.9 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 3 deaths and 38 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on January 9, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 25 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on May 2, 2010.
Severe weather in Leake County since 1996
Leake County has been included in 27 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| February 6, 2026 | Winter Storm | DR-4899: Severe Winter Storm |
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3640: Severe Winter Storm |
| August 12, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4727: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes. |
| October 22, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4626: Hurricane Ida |
| August 28, 2021 | Hurricane | EM-3569: Hurricane Ida |
Jobs and pay in Leake County
Leake County had 5,416 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $39,257 a year. Unemployment was 3.2% in 2023; in Carthage itself the ACS puts it at 7.8%.
Public schools in Carthage
4 public schools with 1,847 students, about 14.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| LEAKE CENTRAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | K-5 | 862 | 13.3 |
| LEAKE CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 602 | 15.8 |
| LEAKE CENTRAL JUNIOR HIGH | 6-8 | 383 | 14.7 |
| LEAKE CO CAREER & TECHNICAL CENTER | 9-12 | — | — |
Towns near Carthage
- Pearl River, MS17.4 mi · 3,822 people · home $61,200
- Kosciusko, MS21.9 mi · 7,114 people · home $112,400
- Philadelphia, MS24.0 mi · 7,118 people · home $97,300
- Forest, MS26.8 mi · 5,430 people · home $141,100
- Morton, MS28.5 mi · 3,711 people · home $84,200
Carthage questions
Is Carthage, Mississippi a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Carthage scores better for retirees than 80% of Mississippi towns and quieter than 66%. 20.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.6).
How much does a house cost in Carthage?
The median owner-occupied home in Carthage is valued at $154,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $42,254, so homes cost about 3.7 times income. Median rent is $705 a month.
What is the weather like in Carthage?
July highs average 92.1°F and January lows 33.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 57.8 inches of precipitation a year and 0.2 inches of snow.
Does Carthage get tornadoes?
43 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Carthage since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on November 22, 1992. 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)