The Town FilesOkolona, Mississippi
City in Chickasaw County · population 2,513 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $92,200
- Household income
- $26,042
- Jan low / Jul high
- 33° / 92°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 32
- Median age
- 35.5
Okolona is a city of 2,513 people in Chickasaw County, Mississippi. The median home is worth $92,200, below the typical Mississippi town ($124,700). It ranks easier by car than 91% of Mississippi towns, more of a college town than 79% of Mississippi towns.
How Okolona 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 Okolona is worth $92,200, below the typical Mississippi town ($124,700). Homes cost about 3.5 times the median household income of $26,042, which is more affordable than 20% of Mississippi towns. Median rent is $582 a month. 42.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Okolona | Typical Mississippi town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $92,200 | $124,700 |
| Median rent | $582 | $820 |
| Median household income | $26,042 | $45,965 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.5× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 42.9% | 65.3% |
| Median year built | 1971 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Okolona
| People | Okolona | Typical Mississippi town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.5 | 37.3 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.3% | 16.6% |
| Under 18 | 21.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 8.6% | 19.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 43.2% | 22.9% |
| Veterans | 8.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.4% | — |
| Work from home | 3.5% | 4.0% |
| Average commute | 22.7 min | 23.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 80.2% | 83.3% |
Weather in Okolona
July highs average 92.4°F and January lows 32.5°F. About 59.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.2 inches of snow (typical Mississippi town: 0.5 in). Expect about 76 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 62 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
32 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Okolona since 1950, compared with 31 for the typical Mississippi town. 15 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 29, 1963 about 8.1 miles from the town center and killed 3. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 18 deaths and 194 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on March 15, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 36 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on April 27, 2011.
Severe weather in Chickasaw County since 1996
Chickasaw County has been included in 23 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for tornado, 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 |
| October 22, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4626: Hurricane Ida |
| August 28, 2021 | Hurricane | EM-3569: Hurricane Ida |
| April 16, 2020 | Severe Storm | DR-4536: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Chickasaw County
Chickasaw County had 4,497 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $38,490 a year. Unemployment was 4.2% in 2023; in Okolona itself the ACS puts it at 13.8%.
Public schools in Okolona
4 public schools with 517 students, about 9.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| OKOLONA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | K-5 | 225 | 10.2 |
| OKOLONA HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 161 | 14.6 |
| OKOLONA MIDDLE SCHOOL | 6-8 | 131 | 9.4 |
| OKOLONA VOC COMPLEX | 9-12 | — | — |
Towns near Okolona
- Verona, MS12.9 mi · 2,792 people · home $118,300
- Amory, MS15.3 mi · 6,666 people · home $162,000
- Houston, MS16.5 mi · 3,797 people · home $122,800
- Aberdeen, MS16.5 mi · 4,961 people · home $87,600
- Tupelo, MS18.4 mi · 37,923 people · home $212,800
- Pontotoc, MS22.6 mi · 5,640 people · home $155,800
- Saltillo, MS26.1 mi · 4,922 people · home $204,900
- Fulton, MS26.6 mi · 4,542 people · home $158,600
Okolona questions
Is Okolona, Mississippi a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Okolona scores better for retirees than 52% of Mississippi towns and quieter than 32%. 19.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.5).
How much does a house cost in Okolona?
The median owner-occupied home in Okolona is valued at $92,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $26,042, so homes cost about 3.5 times income. Median rent is $582 a month.
What is the weather like in Okolona?
July highs average 92.4°F and January lows 32.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 59.3 inches of precipitation a year and 0.2 inches of snow.
Does Okolona get tornadoes?
32 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Okolona since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on April 29, 1963. 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)