Jackson, Mississippi

What advice would you give to someone who is moving to Jackson, MS?

Learn The different areas of Jackson. They are very different , you have the north, south and the dangerous West .

There are a lot of good people here and a lot of things to do in the surrounding areas. There's a lot of negativity from some folks about it because they haven't learned how to use the resources around. Jackson is a great place. It's centrally located in the great springboard for other areas such as Memphis, New Orleans and Birmingham etc. Jackson and the surrounding area is filled with history, churches, activities, and fun to do for those who have the intelligence to go look for adventures.

My biggest advice is find a good church home there you will meet people who can help you find things to do as well as for your support while you're here. Have fun and enjoy.

Why do people live in Jackson Mississippi?

Jackson gets a bad rap but there’s a lot of reasons to live here. As mentioned in other answers, family is probably the biggest. If you were born here or married someone from here, you typically stay here.

But beyond that, the restaurant scene is top notch, it doesn’t really get cold, you’ve got the Reservoir and the Trace right next to you, Madison (on the outskirts of Jackson) is one of the top cities in America for families, and you’re less than three hours from both New Orleans and Memphis if you want to get away for a fun weekend.

The cost of living is also VERY low. You can get a house for a third of what you’d pay in any other capital city.

The people are also worth staying for. Southern hospitality is a real thing. Once you’ve lived here for a while, it’s hard to give it up.

And if you’re a doctor, nurse, or lawyer, Jackson is a GREAT place to live. Soooo many work opportunities.

Moving to Jackson

If you want to live in Jackson and stay in either NE Jackson or the Fondren/Belhaven area, the crime is lower than the rest of the city but it is still there. Also, living in the city limits of Jackson will cause your car tag to be more expensive. (Depending on how new your car is)

If you have children, then I would recommend one of the suburbs because the school system is exponentially better. If it is just you and you want to be in walking distance to restaurants, bars and the like, then definitely Fondren/Belhaven. They have a new (only a couple years old) apartment/restaurant/bar area called The District of Eastover that is nice. If you want an apartment out of Jackson, any of the ones in Ridgeland off of Rice Rd or any of the ones in Flowood off of Lakeland Dr would be where I would start. Good luck on your search!!

Moving to Jackson

Most of the people who shit on Jackson have not spent an appreciable amount of time there, and you’ll often find that a lot of what they say has racist undertones. It’s a city and there is crime like any other city. Most of the time it’s between people who know each other and have poor conflict-resolution skills. City management has been historically poor, leading to really bad roadways. Improvements are starting to be made here, but yes, it’s bad.

I lived in Belhaven for 4 years and LOVED it. Never felt unsafe. Everyone is so welcoming, all the neighbors know each other, and they put on some really fun events. One year someone decided to put together a grilled cheese festival in the park. Belhaven is also developing a town center and is about to get a brewery right in the neighborhood. It is one of the most architecturally diverse neighborhoods in the country with some beautiful old houses; it’s a popular area for college professors, lawyers, doctors, and med students. There’s an annual festival with live music and food. It was just so so so much fun. Fondren and Eastover are other popular neighborhoods. Jackson has some awesome restaurants, too. I loved that we had everything we needed in a 2 mile radius and I was able to walk basically everywhere if I wanted. For a city that’s “falling apart,” I sure didn’t have trouble selling my home for well above asking price when it was time to leave.

The outlying cities are standard suburbs and they’re okay too if that’s what you’re looking for. I have plenty of friends who decided to go that route but many of them have lived in their houses for years and don’t know their neighbors at all. There seems to be much less of a sense of community there. I don’t know where you’re moving from but there is a lot less to do in this state than many others. The suburbs feel a lot more rural and the culture is a lot more homogenous.

Pro's and Con's of Living in Jackson Mississippi