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Compare towns

Wesson vs Decatur

91 miles apart. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (2.8× in Decatur) and growth since 2010 (+10.4 pts in Decatur).

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Wesson, MSA college townMississippi · 2,250 people
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Decatur, MSA college townMississippi · 1,929 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.

WessonA college town
College town1 collegeCopiah-Lincoln Community College History6 historic places6 places on the National Register Health64% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Wesson →
DecaturA college town
College town1 collegeEast Central Community College SchoolsBetter than 75%of MS districts All about Decatur →
The biggest differences

Where they differ most

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

Jobs per worker2.8×
Decatur is more of a job hub
Decatur 1.16Wesson 0.41
Growth since 2010+10.4 pts
Decatur has grown faster since 2010
Decatur +5.6%Wesson -4.8%
Average commute9 min
Decatur has the shorter commute
Wesson 30 minDecatur 22 min
Street grid+70%
Wesson has the more walkable street grid
Wesson 27.1Decatur 15.9
★ 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
B−WessonBetter than 50% of districts in the state A−DecaturBetter than 75% of districts in the state
Health
C+WessonHealthier than 36% of U.S. towns BDecaturHealthier than 59% 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.

Wesson$1,020/mo
Typical home $179K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.52% · or rent about $1,125/mo · Housing →
Decatur$1,020/mo
Typical home $174K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.74% · or rent about $835/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
WessonDecatur
Snow a year0″0″
January low39°F33°F
July high90°F93°F
Growing season (days)245d222d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)49th53rd
Outdoors & history
WessonDecatur
Trails1 mi—
Conserved land0%—
National Register places61
Archive photos—12
Famous people born here52
Community
WessonDecatur
Library hours a week32 hrs40 hrs
Colleges in town11
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

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

91 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

WessonMSDecaturMS
Wesson ↔ Decatur91 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.

WessonDecatur
People
Population 2,250Highest 1,929Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -4.8%Lowest +5.6%Highest
Median age 21.1±2.8Lowest 45% below MS 21.7±0.9Highest 44% below MS
Decatur and Wesson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 22.8%±5.9Highest MS: 23.3% 17.7%±5.1Lowest MS: 23.3%
Wesson and Decatur are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 10.6%±2.9Highest MS: 17.2% 9.4%±3.5Lowest MS: 17.2%
Wesson and Decatur are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 14.7%Lowest MS: 25.1% 21.3%Highest MS: 25.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 25.5%±4.4Lowest MS: 6.1% 34.8%±5.9Highest MS: 6.1%
Decatur and Wesson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $65,179±$17kHighest 15% above MS $50,128±$7kLowest 11% below MS
Wesson and Decatur are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $168,500±$39kHighest about the MS average $128,900±$38kLowest 24% below MS
Wesson and Decatur are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,125±$186Highest 18% above MS $835±$116Lowest 12% below MS
Wesson and Decatur are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $883Lowest 27% below MS $957Highest 21% below MS
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 40.3%±11.7Highest MS: 51.3% 36.5%±16.4Lowest MS: 51.3%
Wesson and Decatur are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 27.5%Highest MS: 18.9% 20.7%Lowest MS: 18.9%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 60.3%Highest MS: 70% 58.1%Lowest MS: 70%
Typical home builtmedian year 1976Lowest 10 yrs older than MS 1985Highest 1 yr older than MS
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 30 minHighest 18% above MS 22 minLowest 16% below MS
Work from home 9.9%±8.3Highest MS: 5.9% 2%±1.4Lowest MS: 5.9%
Wesson and Decatur are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 6.1%Lowest 9.3%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 37.8 miHighest 24.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.41Lowest 1.16Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Brookhaven (16%)Newton (16%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in DecaturFew work in Wesson
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%
Trailsmapped miles 0.5 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.1 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Highest 0Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 27.1Highest 15.9Lowest
Schools
School district —NEWTON COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT
High school in town —Newton County High School
Students per teacherat that high school — 11.8
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.

Wesson neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Wesson’s Town Square.

Decatur neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Decatur’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Bordering Wesson

B
+ Compare
Beauregard419 people · $87K homes

Towns like Wesson

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Poplarville2,847 people · $168K homes
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Blue Mountain1,232 people · $80K homes
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Marion2,030 people · $194K homes
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Purvis1,914 people · $168K 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.

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