The Town FilesGulf Hills, Mississippi
Community in Jackson County · population 8,526 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $203,700
- Household income
- $72,839
- Jan low / Jul high
- 44° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 39
- Median age
- 35.1
Gulf Hills is a community of 8,526 people in Jackson County, Mississippi. The median home is worth $203,700, above the typical Mississippi town ($124,700). It ranks more seaside character than 98% of Mississippi towns, better for families than 91% of Mississippi towns, hipper than 89% of Mississippi towns.
- #2 in 24 Small Towns in Mississippi With the Mildest Winters
- #5 in The 20 Best Small Towns for Families in Mississippi
- #8 in The 25 Best Small Towns for First-Time Home Buyers in Mississippi
- #29 in The 50 Most Affordable Seaside Small Towns in America
- #40 in The 50 Most Affordable Seaside Places in America
How Gulf Hills 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 Gulf Hills is worth $203,700, above the typical Mississippi town ($124,700). Homes cost about 2.8 times the median household income of $72,839, which is more affordable than 56% of Mississippi towns. Median rent is $1,401 a month. 71.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Gulf Hills | Typical Mississippi town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $203,700 | $124,700 |
| Median rent | $1,401 | $820 |
| Median household income | $72,839 | $45,965 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.8× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 71.1% | 65.3% |
| Median year built | 1996 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.7% | — |
Who lives in Gulf Hills
| People | Gulf Hills | Typical Mississippi town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.1 | 37.3 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.7% | 16.6% |
| Under 18 | 22.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 37.0% | 19.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.9% | 22.9% |
| Veterans | 12.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.1% | — |
| Work from home | 15.9% | 4.0% |
| Average commute | 26.3 min | 23.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.1% | 83.3% |
Weather in Gulf Hills
July highs average 89.7°F and January lows 43.6°F. About 66.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.3 inches of snow (typical Mississippi town: 0.5 in). Expect about 52 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 11 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
39 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Gulf Hills since 1950, compared with 31 for the typical Mississippi town. 8 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on April 13, 1980 about 6.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 30, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 26 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on January 24, 1997.
Severe weather in Jackson County since 1996
Jackson County has been included in 36 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| 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 Jackson County
Jackson County had 51,303 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $59,641 a year. Unemployment was 3.3% in 2023; in Gulf Hills itself the ACS puts it at 6.2%.
Towns near Gulf Hills
- Ocean Springs, MS2.3 mi · 18,429 people · home $259,400
- St. Martin, MS3.0 mi · 7,811 people · home $172,400
- Latimer, MS4.6 mi · 6,720 people · home $189,400
- Gulf Park Estates, MS4.7 mi · 5,972 people · home $212,500
- D'Iberville, MS5.1 mi · 12,721 people · home $210,100
- Biloxi, MS7.4 mi · 49,449 people · home $225,100
- Gautier, MS9.2 mi · 19,024 people · home $166,400
- Vancleave, MS11.6 mi · 5,592 people · home $247,400
Gulf Hills questions
Is Gulf Hills, Mississippi a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Gulf Hills scores better for retirees than 58% of Mississippi towns and quieter than 30%. 13.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.1).
How much does a house cost in Gulf Hills?
The median owner-occupied home in Gulf Hills is valued at $203,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $72,839, so homes cost about 2.8 times income. Median rent is $1,401 a month.
What is the weather like in Gulf Hills?
July highs average 89.7°F and January lows 43.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 66.8 inches of precipitation a year and 0.3 inches of snow.
Does Gulf Hills get tornadoes?
39 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Gulf Hills since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on April 13, 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)