Guest, Sign inJoin
Compare towns

Purvis vs Caledonia

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

×
Purvis, MSA regional job hubMississippi · 1,914 people
×
Caledonia, MSKnown for its schoolsMississippi · 1,414 people
Swap order
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.

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

Purvis$1,430/mo
Typical home $241K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.83% · or rent about $939/mo · Housing →
Caledonia$1,450/mo
Typical home $261K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.39% · or rent about $1,042/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
PurvisCaledonia
Snow a year0″1″
January low—33°F
July high—92°F
Growing season (days)—222d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)46th60th
Outdoors & history
PurvisCaledonia
Trails0 mi2 mi
Conserved land23.2%31.5%
Archive photos12—
Famous people born here9—
Community
PurvisCaledonia
Library hours a week50 hrs24 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined10

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.

PurvisMSCaledoniaMS
Purvis ↔ Caledonia186 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.

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

Purvis neighborsTown Square →
T Weaver · 1w

Purvis School Spirit

1 neighbor in Purvis can answer.

Caledonia neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Caledonia’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Purvis and Caledonia

One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.

Towns like Purvis

P
+ Compare
Pelahatchie1,423 people · $158K homes
+ Compare
Tylertown2,024 people · $117K homes
S
+ Compare
Shannon1,383 people · $131K homes
+ Compare
Quitman2,161 people · $119K homes

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.

Post to Purvis

We’ll email a one-tap link to publish your post. No password, and nothing is public until you click it.
Already a member? Sign in