The Town FilesRidgeland, Mississippi
City in Madison County · population 24,340 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $275,200
- Household income
- $66,038
- Jan low / Jul high
- 38° / 92°
- Snow a year
- 1 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 84
- Median age
- 35.7
Ridgeland is a city of 24,340 people in Madison County, Mississippi. The median home is worth $275,200, above the typical Mississippi town ($124,700). It ranks more vibrant than 100% of Mississippi towns, better for young professionals than 97% of Mississippi towns, more upscale than 97% of Mississippi towns.
How Ridgeland 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 Ridgeland is worth $275,200, above the typical Mississippi town ($124,700). Homes cost about 4.2 times the median household income of $66,038, which is more affordable than 7% of Mississippi towns. Median rent is $1,336 a month. 47.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Ridgeland | Typical Mississippi town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $275,200 | $124,700 |
| Median rent | $1,336 | $820 |
| Median household income | $66,038 | $45,965 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.2× | 2.8× |
| Homeownership | 47.3% | 65.3% |
| Median year built | 1991 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.1% | — |
Who lives in Ridgeland
| People | Ridgeland | Typical Mississippi town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.7 | 37.3 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.6% | 16.6% |
| Under 18 | 20.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 51.7% | 19.4% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.9% | 22.9% |
| Veterans | 4.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 7.2% | — |
| Work from home | 9.0% | 4.0% |
| Average commute | 21.1 min | 23.9 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.5% | 83.3% |
Weather in Ridgeland
July highs average 92.1°F and January lows 37.5°F. About 51.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 1.0 inches of snow (typical Mississippi town: 0.5 in). Expect about 83 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 32 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
84 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ridgeland since 1950, compared with 31 for the typical Mississippi town. 19 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F5, struck on March 3, 1966 about 5.6 miles from the town center and killed 57. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 61 deaths and 649 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on December 28, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 119 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on April 19, 1991.
Severe weather in Madison County since 1996
Madison County has been included in 26 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for hurricane, snowstorm, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| August 12, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4727: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes. |
| October 22, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4626: Hurricane Ida |
Jobs and pay in Madison County
Madison County had 60,205 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,426 a year. Unemployment was 2.5% in 2023; in Ridgeland itself the ACS puts it at 4.1%.
Public schools in Ridgeland
5 public schools with 3,069 students, about 12.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| RIDGELAND HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 1,000 | 14.5 |
| ANN SMITH ELEMENTARY | PK-2 | 737 | 11.9 |
| OLD TOWN MIDDLE | 6-8 | 686 | 12.3 |
| HIGHLAND ELEMENTARY | 3-5 | 596 | 12.7 |
| MADISON CO PRE SCHOOL | 15-15 | 50 | 5.6 |
Towns near Ridgeland
- Madison, MS3.9 mi · 27,747 people · home $352,900
- Flowood, MS8.0 mi · 10,202 people · home $342,200
- Jackson, MS8.0 mi · 153,701 people · home $111,700
- Gluckstadt, MS8.0 mi · 3,208 people · home $316,600
- Pearl, MS11.2 mi · 27,115 people · home $182,500
- Clinton, MS11.5 mi · 28,100 people · home $225,800
- Richland, MS13.4 mi · 7,137 people · home $125,800
- Brandon, MS14.2 mi · 25,138 people · home $278,900
Ridgeland questions
Is Ridgeland, Mississippi a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Ridgeland scores better for retirees than 39% of Mississippi towns and quieter than 13%. 14.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.7).
How much does a house cost in Ridgeland?
The median owner-occupied home in Ridgeland is valued at $275,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $66,038, so homes cost about 4.2 times income. Median rent is $1,336 a month.
What is the weather like in Ridgeland?
July highs average 92.1°F and January lows 37.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 51.3 inches of precipitation a year and 1.0 inches of snow.
Does Ridgeland get tornadoes?
84 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ridgeland since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F5 on March 3, 1966. 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)