Town Hall · Meridian

Meridian, MS town hall & government

Meridian spent $50.4 million in the year to September 30, 2024, about $1,491 per resident.

Where the money goes, where it comes from, property taxes, and how to reach Meridian's government.

Town budget

Where Meridian's money goes

Spent
$50.4 million
fiscal year to September 30, 2024
Per resident
$1,491
typical Mississippi cities: $2,292
Long-term debt
$109.7 million
$3,244 per resident
Sewer & trash
$9.8 million20%
Water & other utilities
$8.9 million18%
Police
$7.9 million16%
Fire
$7.1 million14%
Roads & transportation
$5.9 million12%
Administration & buildings
$5.2 million10%
Parks & libraries
$2.6 million5%
Housing & development
$1.4 million3%
Interest on debt
$994,0002%
Paid to other governments
$104,000<1%
Other
$493,0001%

Where the money comes from

  • From the state 29%
  • Property taxes 28%
  • Fees & charges 18%
  • Utility sales 16%
  • Interest, fines & other 5%
  • Sales taxes 4%
  • Other taxes & licenses <1%
  • From other local governments <1%
Town workforce

Who works for Meridian

Full-time staff
404
67 part-time too
Average full-time pay
$54,300
a year, before benefits
Sworn police officers
55
and 72 full-time firefighters
Fire
81 full-time2 part
Police
69 full-time3 part
Roads & transportation
57 full-time4 part
Parks & libraries
31 full-time39 part
Water & other utilities
44 full-time11 part
Sewer & trash
38 full-time3 part
Administration & buildings
33 full-time1 part
Housing & development
19 full-time2 part
Courts, inspections & corrections
7 full-time
Other
25 full-time2 part

Staff on the town's payroll in March 2025. Pay is March payroll times twelve, so it's approximate.

Schools · school year 2023–24

Meridian Public School District

Meridian's K–12 school district. It is its own government, with a budget separate from the town's.

Spending per pupil
$14,452
Mississippi: $12,392
Students
4,499
in the whole district
Long-term debt
$36.9 million
at year end

Where the district's money comes from Mississippi districts overall: 33% local, 45% state, 23% federal

  • Local 30%
  • State 34%
  • Federal 37%

Of the $14,452 per pupil, $7,618 goes to classroom instruction (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to support services such as buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren't in the per-pupil figure.

Also serving Meridian: Lauderdale County School District ($11,068 per pupil).

Property tax

What homeowners in Meridian pay

Typical tax bill
$1,332
a year · Mississippi typical $1,215
Effective rate
1.23%
of home value · Mississippi 0.72%
Typical home value
$107,900
owner-occupied

The median yearly bill homeowners report, covering every local property tax on the home (town, schools, county). The effective rate is that bill divided by the median home value, so it's a rough guide, not the official tax rate.

Local

Contact Meridian's government

🏛️ Official websitemeridianms.org ↗

Town hall & decisions in Meridian →

Beyond town hall

Who represents Meridian

Meridian is represented in Congress by Senators Roger F. Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith and Representative Michael Guest. Tate Reeves is governor.

All of Meridian's representatives, with contacts →

Budget: U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments: Finance (every city and town government's revenue, spending and debt, grouped into plain categories). Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 5-year estimates.

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01