Guest, Sign inJoin
Compare towns

Wesson vs Marion

114 miles apart. The biggest differences: growth since 2010 (+23.2 pts in Marion) and property tax bill (+76% in Marion).

×
Wesson, MSA college townMississippi · 2,250 people
×
Marion, MSOne of the healthiest townsMississippi · 2,030 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.

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 →
MarionOne of the healthiest towns
Health69% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Marion →
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.

Growth since 2010+23.2 pts
Marion has grown faster since 2010
Marion +18.4%Wesson -4.8%
Property tax bill+76%
Tax bills are bigger in Marion
Marion $1,554Wesson $883
In college+18.8 pts
Wesson is more of a college town
Wesson 25.5%Marion 6.7%
Jobs per worker2.2×
Marion is more of a job hub
Marion 0.89Wesson 0.41
Typical home built22 yrs
Wesson’s homes are older
Marion 1998Wesson 1976
Street grid+72%
Wesson has the more walkable street grid
Wesson 27.1Marion 15.8
★ What stands out · 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 →
Marion$1,030/mo
Typical home $175K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.80% · or rent about $1,057/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.

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 –MarionNot graded
Health
C+WessonHealthier than 36% of U.S. towns CMarionHealthier than 31% of U.S. towns
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
WessonMarion
Snow a year0″1″
January low39°F—
July high90°F—
Growing season (days)245d—
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)49th45th
Outdoors & history
WessonMarion
Trails1 mi—
Conserved land0%—
National Register places6—
Archive photos—1
Famous people born here51
Community
WessonMarion
Library hours a week32 hrs—
Colleges in town1—
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

114 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

WessonMSMarionMS
Wesson ↔ Marion114 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.

WessonMarion
People
Population 2,250Highest 2,030Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -4.8%Lowest +18.4%Highest
Median age 21.1±2.8Lowest 45% below MS 27.1±5.1Highest 30% below MS
Marion and Wesson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 22.8%±5.9Lowest MS: 23.3% 39.7%±11.5Highest MS: 23.3%
Marion and Wesson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 10.6%±2.9Lowest MS: 17.2% 13.5%±1.4Highest MS: 17.2%
Marion and Wesson 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% 26.8%Highest MS: 25.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 25.5%±4.4Highest MS: 6.1% 6.7%±3.7Lowest MS: 6.1%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $65,179±$17kHighest 15% above MS $46,500±$20kLowest 18% below MS
Wesson and Marion are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $168,500±$39kLowest about the MS average $193,800±$41kHighest 14% above MS
Marion and Wesson 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 $1,057±$117Lowest 11% above MS
Wesson and Marion are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $883Lowest 27% below MS $1,554Highest 28% above MS
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 40.3%±11.7Lowest MS: 51.3% 43.4%±18.2Highest MS: 51.3%
Marion and Wesson 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% 21.2%Lowest MS: 18.9%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 60.3%Highest MS: 70% 52%Lowest MS: 70%
Typical home builtmedian year 1976Lowest 10 yrs older than MS 1998Highest 12 yrs newer than MS
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 30 minHighest 18% above MS 26 minLowest 3% above MS
Work from home 9.9%±8.3Highest MS: 5.9% 2.2%±3.1Lowest MS: 5.9%
Wesson and Marion are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 6.1%Highest 1.8%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 37.8 miHighest 5.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.41Lowest 0.89Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Brookhaven (16%)Meridian (54%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in MarionFew 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 15.8Lowest
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.

Marion neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Marion’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Wesson and Marion

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

Bordering Wesson

B
+ Compare
Beauregard419 people · $87K homes

Towns like Wesson

+ Compare
Poplarville2,847 people · $168K homes
+ Compare
Decatur1,929 people · $129K homes
+ Compare
Blue Mountain1,232 people · $80K homes
+ Compare
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.

Post to Wesson

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