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Caledonia vs Purvis

186 miles apart. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (7.2× in Purvis) and household income (+81% in Caledonia).

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Caledonia, MSKnown for its schoolsMississippi · 1,414 people
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Purvis, MSA regional job hubMississippi · 1,914 people
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Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

CaledoniaKnown for its schools
SchoolsBetter than 89%of MS districts Outdoors31.5% conserved land1.6 miles of trails across 1 parks and preserves Housing$261K typical home32% above the MS typical home All about Caledonia →
PurvisA regional job hub
Work1,952 jobsbased in Purvis, a regional job hub SchoolsBetter than 92%of MS districts Outdoors23.2% conserved land0.0 miles of trails across 1 parks and preserves All about Purvis →
The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Jobs per worker7.2×
Purvis is more of a job hub
Purvis 2.87Caledonia 0.40
Household income+81%
Households in Caledonia earn more
Caledonia $82,806Purvis $45,667
Growth since 2010+21.2 pts
Caledonia has grown faster since 2010
Caledonia +9%Purvis -12.2%
Property tax bill+78%
Tax bills are bigger in Purvis
Purvis $1,395Caledonia $784
Street grid2.7×
Purvis has the more walkable street grid
Purvis 47.0Caledonia 17.3
Work from home+5.6 pts
More people work from home in Caledonia
Caledonia 6.4%Purvis 0.8%
★ What stands out · Report cards

Grades and rankings, side by side

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Mississippi ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Schools
ACaledoniaBetter than 89% of districts in the state APurvisBetter than 92% of districts in the state
Health
B+CaledoniaHealthier than 74% of U.S. towns CPurvisHealthier than 30% of U.S. towns
Monthly cost

A typical home costs about the same each month

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Caledonia$1,450/mo
Typical home $261K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.39% · or rent about $1,042/mo · Housing →
Purvis$1,430/mo
Typical home $241K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.83% · or rent about $939/mo · Housing →

Within $50 a month of each other.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
CaledoniaPurvis
Snow a year1″0″
January low33°F—
July high92°F—
Growing season (days)222d—
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)60th46th
Outdoors & history
CaledoniaPurvis
Trails2 mi0 mi
Conserved land31.5%23.2%
Archive photos—12
Famous people born here—9
Community
CaledoniaPurvis
Library hours a week24 hrs50 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined01

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

186 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

CaledoniaMSPurvisMS
Caledonia ↔ Purvis186 miles apart
Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

CaledoniaPurvis
People
Population 1,414Lowest 1,914Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +9%Highest -12.2%Lowest
Median age 33.9±7.6Highest 12% below MS 31.6±4.2Lowest 18% below MS
Caledonia and Purvis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 34.2%±8.1Highest MS: 23.3% 29.5%±5.2Lowest MS: 23.3%
Caledonia and Purvis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 11.6%±1Lowest MS: 17.2% 17.5%±3.3Highest MS: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 30.1%Highest MS: 25.1% 22.4%Lowest MS: 25.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.8%±1.7Lowest MS: 6.1% 4.2%±3.7Highest MS: 6.1%
Purvis and Caledonia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $82,806±$13kHighest 47% above MS $45,667±$10kLowest 19% below MS
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $203,300±$52kHighest 20% above MS $168,100±$44kLowest about the MS average
Caledonia and Purvis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,042±$143Highest 9% above MS $939±$119Lowest about the MS average
Caledonia and Purvis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $784Lowest 35% below MS $1,395Highest 15% above MS
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 9.2%±15.6Lowest MS: 51.3% 60.8%±24.8Highest MS: 51.3%
Below poverty line 10.2%Lowest MS: 18.9% 22.8%Highest MS: 18.9%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 63.1%Lowest MS: 70% 63.7%Highest MS: 70%
Typical home builtmedian year 1986Highest same as MS 1979Lowest 7 yrs older than MS
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 23 minLowest 11% below MS 24 minHighest 5% below MS
Work from home 6.4%±4.1Highest MS: 5.9% 0.8%±1.3Lowest MS: 5.9%
Work in townworking residents 2.6%Lowest 11.8%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 14.8 miHighest 13.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.40Lowest 2.87Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Columbus (38%)Hattiesburg (39%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in PurvisFew work in Caledonia
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 31.5%Highest 23.2%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 1.6 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.6 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1 1
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 17.3Lowest 47.0Highest
Schools
School district Lowndes County School DistrictLamar County School District
High school in town Caledonia High SchoolPurvis High School
Students per teacherat that high school 12.6 12.6
Mississippi average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Caledonia neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Caledonia’s Town Square.

Purvis neighborsTown Square →
T Weaver · 1w

Purvis School Spirit

1 neighbor in Purvis can answer.

Add a town

Set another town beside Caledonia and Purvis

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Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

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