Population 14,314 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Bay St. Louis
Household size in Bay St. Louis
| Period | Bay St. Louis | Mississippi | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.68 | 2.66 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.48 | 2.67 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.21 | 2.64 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.20 | 2.57 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.48 | −0.09 | −0.03 |
Households in Bay St. Louis are small: just 2.20 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.68, a much bigger shift than nationally. Of the 108 Mississippi cities with 5,000+ people, only four have smaller households.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Bay St. Louis
| Period | Bay St. Louis | Mississippi | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.0 | 36.7 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 39.3 | 37.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 43.8 | 38.8 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 46.6 | 39.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +5.6 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 46.6, Bay St. Louis is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 41.0, mirroring the country. Only five of the 108 Mississippi cities with 5,000+ people are older.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Bay St. Louis
| Period | Bay St. Louis | Mississippi | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.6% | 15.8% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 17.5% | 15.8% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 24.5% | 14.7% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 16.2% | 14.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.4 pts | −1.1 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in six households in Bay St. Louis (16.2%), well above the national share of 11.6%. Bay St. Louis has a higher share of single-parent households than most Mississippi cities.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Bay St. Louis
Renters in Bay St. Louis
| Period | Bay St. Louis | Mississippi | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.0% | 29.2% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 37.6% | 31.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 33.1% | 31.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 25.2% | 30.0% | 34.8% |
| Change | −11.8 pts | +0.8 pts | +1.5 pts |
About a quarter of households in Bay St. Louis rent their homes (25.2%), below the national share of 34.8%; the rest own. Just over half of owners (52.8%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the south and least common in the north. The renter share has fallen 11.8 points since 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Bay St. Louis
| Period | Bay St. Louis | Mississippi | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 27.9% | 13.6% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 23.2% | 14.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 24.6% | 16.1% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 17.0% | 14.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −10.9 pts | +0.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Bay St. Louis: 17.0% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Vacancy is down 10.9 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Bay St. Louis
| Period | Bay St. Louis | Mississippi | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1991 | 1981 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1992 | 1983 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1994 | 1984 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1992 | 1987 | 1980 |
| Change | +1 | +5 | +6 |
Bay St. Louis has newer housing than the country as a whole: the median home was built in 1992, versus 1980 nationally. The newest homes are mostly in the north, the oldest in the southeast.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Bay St. Louis
| Period | Bay St. Louis | Mississippi | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $884 | $703 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $753 | $758 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $859 | $819 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,145 | $1,018 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$261 | +$315 | +$606 |
Rent in Bay St. Louis runs $1,145 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Still, rents here are higher than in Mississippi overall ($1,018). Rent has climbed $261 a month since 2006–10, up 30%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 29.1% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Bay St. Louis
Bachelor's degrees in Bay St. Louis
| Period | Bay St. Louis | Mississippi | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.7% | 20.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 24.0% | 21.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 20.6% | 22.8% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 29.1% | 25.8% | 35.6% |
| Change | +12.4 pts | +5.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
Nearly three in ten adults 25 and older in Bay St. Louis (29.1%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national share of 35.6%. Even so, the share is higher than in Mississippi overall (25.8%). Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 12.4 points, in line with the national trend.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Bay St. Louis
| Period | Bay St. Louis | Mississippi | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 79.9% | 80.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 82.9% | 82.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 84.9% | 84.8% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 87.3% | 87.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +7.4 pts | +6.9 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in eight adults in Bay St. Louis never finished high school, a bit more than nationally: 87.3% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. That is in line with the rest of Mississippi. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 7.4 points, as it has nationally.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Bay St. Louis
| Period | Bay St. Louis | Mississippi | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.7% | 9.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 15.0% | 11.0% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 10.2% | 7.6% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.5% | 5.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.2 pts | −3.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in Bay St. Louis: 7.5% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 3.2 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Bay St. Louis compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bay St. Louis | 2.20 | 46.6 | 16.2% | 25.2% | 17.0% | 1992 | $1,145 | 29.1% | 87.3% | 7.5% |
| Waveland | 2.17 | 39.6 | 10.8% | 39.6% | 15.5% | 2002 | $912 | 21.1% | 86.6% | 3.0% |
| Diamondhead | 2.31 | 47.2 | 7.8% | 10.8% | 10.4% | 1997 | $1,385 | 40.0% | 92.1% | 4.6% |
| DeLisle | 3.28 | 38.3 | 13.8% | 4.0% | 9.6% | 2001 | $1,103 | 32.8% | 94.5% | 3.2% |
| Lakeshore | 3.31 | 41.7 | 26.7% | 5.9% | 24.4% | 2003 | $816 | 5.2% | 91.8% | 9.7% |
| Pass Christian | 2.44 | 46.4 | 10.8% | 18.2% | 17.3% | 2001 | $1,119 | 33.8% | 91.7% | 5.0% |
| Fenton | 2.44 | 50.2 | 13.3% | 29.9% | 21.0% | 1988 | $1,017 | 5.3% | 83.9% | 11.4% |
| Kiln | 2.39 | 49.3 | 12.4% | 12.0% | 14.3% | 1993 | $909 | 13.9% | 84.5% | 4.4% |
| Long Beach | 2.49 | 40.8 | 13.4% | 34.9% | 13.4% | 1985 | $1,168 | 32.7% | 93.2% | 5.8% |
| Pearlington | 2.34 | 49.8 | 12.6% | 4.7% | 19.6% | 2004 | $829 | 11.5% | 78.2% | 4.9% |
| Gulfport | 2.55 | 39.5 | 18.1% | 39.5% | 11.3% | 1988 | $1,184 | 23.6% | 87.4% | 8.2% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Paris, KY · Port Washington, WI · Poquoson, VA · Pontotoc, MS · Fort Gratiot, MI · Fort Hunt, VA · Ponte Vedra Beach, FL · Polk City, FL · Fort Mohave, AZ · Fort Stockton, TX
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Bay St. Louis. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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