Small-town market profile · Mississippi
Meridian, MS area market data
Population, household spending and competition for 56 business types in the Meridian area, each scored against other small-town markets.
- Population, 2025
- 85,419
- −3.2% since 2020
- Households
- 34,652
- Median household income
- $49,822
- Median home value
- $128,100
- Jobs located here
- 35,184
- Highest market score
- 72
- Landscaping and lawn care, #47 of 399 scored small-town markets
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in the Meridian area by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of the Meridian area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
An estimated 85,419 people live in the Meridian area, in 34,652 households. Population estimates put the population change in the Meridian area from 2020 to 2025 at −3.2%, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median household income in the Meridian area is $49,822 a year, 38% below the U.S. median of $80,734.
Set against the U.S., households in the Meridian area spend the most on vehicle insurance (an index of 122, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on memberships, classes and admissions (53).
The highest Groundwork market scores in the Meridian area are for landscaping and lawn care companies (72), real estate agents and brokers (63) and chiropractors (62). The Meridian area ranks #47 of 399 scored small-town markets for landscaping and lawn care companies.
The Meridian area takes in 2 counties: Lauderdale County and Clarke County. For its number of households, the Meridian area has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for gas stations (2.1 times the U.S. rate) and the fewest for real estate agents and brokers (75% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in the Meridian area
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares the Meridian area with other small-town markets for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Score | Rank among small-town markets | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Landscaping and lawn care | 72 | #47 of 399 | 7 | 2.0 | $6.2M | 210 | 10 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 63 | #95 of 533 | 26 | 7.5 | Index only | 319 | 7 |
| Chiropractors | 62 | #116 of 426 | 6 | 1.7 | $5.4M | 226 | 3 |
| Electricians | 57 | #107 of 295 | 6 | 1.7 | $13.7M | 114 | 11 |
| Veterinarians | 57 | #146 of 398 | 10 | 2.9 | $2.5M | 93 | 7 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 57 | #157 of 476 | 11 | 3.2 | $7.4M | 157 | 20 |
| Real estate | 57 | #160 of 536 | 42 | 12.1 | Index only | 249 | 20 |
| Pet stores | 56 | #79 of 220 | 5 | 1.4 | $5M | 111 | Under 3 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 56 | #147 of 387 | 9 | 2.6 | $2.8M | 110 | 6 |
| Spas and skin care | 55 | #193 of 504 | 16 | 4.6 | $1.6M | 184 | 3 |
| Home repair trades | 54 | #207 of 526 | 26 | 7.5 | $3.2M | 130 | 37 |
| Pet businesses | 54 | #219 of 527 | 28 | 8.1 | $899K | 102 | 13 |
| Funeral homes | 53 | #159 of 365 | 10 | 2.9 | $508K | 75 | 7 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 53 | #203 of 481 | 23 | 6.6 | $1.9M | 112 | 35 |
| House cleaning | 49 | #68 of 142 | 7 | 2.0 | $6.2M | 96 | 17 |
| Car washes and detailing | 48 | #233 of 441 | 13 | 3.8 | $2.2M | 89 | 3 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | 46 | #102 of 177 | 6 | 1.7 | Index only | 193 | Under 3 |
| Laundromats | 44 | #88 of 150 | 6 | 1.7 | $9.2M | 74 | 4 |
| Roofing and gutters | 44 | #181 of 288 | 9 | 2.6 | $9.1M | 108 | 6 |
| Insurance agencies | 43 | #323 of 537 | 58 | 16.7 | $1.4M | 114 | 39 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 39 | #297 of 400 | 13 | 3.8 | $2.5M | 80 | 4 |
| Property management | 38 | #132 of 180 | 9 | 2.6 | Index only | 91 | 10 |
| Pizza | 38 | #376 of 520 | 17 | 4.9 | $6.3M | 124 | 88 |
| Hair salons | 38 | #404 of 538 | 67 | 19.3 | $384K | 89 | 8 |
| Physical therapy | 37 | #300 of 400 | 13 | 3.8 | $2.5M | 104 | 10 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 36 | #412 of 529 | 26 | 7.5 | $4.1M | 111 | 19 |
| Grocery stores | 35 | #394 of 506 | 30 | 8.7 | $6.2M | 67 | 10 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 35 | #424 of 538 | 176 | 50.8 | $610K | 92 | 52 |
| Gyms | 33 | #424 of 506 | 23 | 6.6 | $780K | 60 | 5 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 33 | #459 of 538 | 124 | 35.8 | $208K | 98 | 17 |
| Auto repair shops | 29 | #466 of 538 | 81 | 23.4 | $360K | 81 | 39 |
| Pest control | 28 | #73 of 85 | 9 | 2.6 | $4.8M | 47 | 8 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 26 | #341 of 378 | 13 | 3.8 | $1.4M | 68 | 6 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 25 | #478 of 507 | 31 | 8.9 | $3.5M | 84 | 19 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 25 | #492 of 535 | 37 | 10.7 | $485K | 73 | 11 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 24 | #355 of 387 | 12 | 3.5 | $2.4M | 79 | 15 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 24 | #411 of 458 | 24 | 6.9 | $1.4M | 76 | 46 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 24 | #486 of 538 | 332 | 95.8 | $323K | 87 | 160 |
| Gas stations | 24 | #488 of 536 | 79 | 22.8 | $1.2M | 52 | 53 |
| Auto repair and car care | 24 | #493 of 538 | 143 | 41.3 | $204K | 76 | 58 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 23 | #481 of 538 | 83 | 24.0 | $2.2M | 66 | 30 |
| Child care and preschools | 22 | #418 of 454 | 22 | 6.3 | $530K | 53 | 23 |
| Nail salons | 21 | #352 of 387 | 23 | 6.6 | $1.1M | 67 | 6 |
| Barbershops | 18 | #343 of 377 | 17 | 4.9 | $1.5M | 80 | Under 3 |
| Convenience stores | 18 | #494 of 529 | 43 | 12.4 | $4.3M | 55 | 20 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 18 | #517 of 538 | 259 | 74.7 | $125K | 82 | 95 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 12 | #522 of 526 | 42 | 12.1 | $772K | 79 | 29 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 12 | #528 of 536 | 102 | 29.4 | $542K | 62 | 50 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 12 | #529 of 536 | 84 | 24.2 | $658K | 52 | 43 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 11 | #524 of 537 | 60 | 17.3 | $1.8M | 59 | 88 |
| Tire shops | 9 | #425 of 431 | 27 | 7.8 | $1.1M | 43 | 14 |
| Oil change and quick lube | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 1.2 | $7.3M | 53 | Under 3 |
| Dry cleaners | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 0.6 | $27.6M | Too few | 3 |
| Home inspectors | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.3 | Index only | Too few | Under 3 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.3 | $17.9M | Too few | 5 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | 3 |
Household spending in the Meridian area
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $29.2M | $842 | 88 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $97.1M | $2,802 | 108 |
| Food away from home | $107.3M | $3,097 | 76 |
| Groceries | $185.4M | $5,351 | 85 |
| Personal care products and services | $25.7M | $743 | 74 |
| Child care and other personal services | $11.7M | $336 | 58 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $17.9M | $517 | 53 |
| Medical and dental services | $32.4M | $936 | 73 |
| Pets | $25.2M | $727 | 80 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $55.3M | $1,595 | 78 |
| Vehicle insurance | $82.7M | $2,387 | 122 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $81.9M | $2,365 | 78 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $43.1M | $1,245 | 88 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $452.8M | $13,067 | 78 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in the Meridian area
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 85,419−3.2% since 2020
- Households
- 34,652
- Median age
- 40.4
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 68%
- Vehicles per household
- 1.8
- Land area
- 1,395 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 62
- Median household income
- $49,822
- Average household income
- $69,927
- Median home value
- $128,100
- Jobs located here
- 35,184
- Daytime population
- 88,462Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in the Meridian area?
These figures cover the whole small-town market. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of the Meridian area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
Counties in the Meridian area 2
- Lauderdale County, MS71,504 people
- Clarke County, MS15,314 people
Other markets based in Mississippi 12
- Jackson, MS metro area611,324 people
- Gulfport-Biloxi, MS metro area421,201 people
- Hattiesburg, MS metro area155,434 people
- Tupelo, MS area132,254 people
- Laurel, MS area82,531 people
- Oxford, MS area70,746 people
- Columbus, MS area67,863 people
- Starkville, MS area61,743 people
- Picayune, MS area57,458 people
- Natchez, MS-LA area54,045 people
- McComb, MS area53,441 people
- Vicksburg, MS area43,020 people
Questions
How fast is the Meridian, MS area growing?
Population estimates put the Meridian area at 85,419 people in 2025, down 3.2% since 2020, against +3.1% for the U.S. It has 34,652 households.
How much do households in the Meridian, MS area spend?
Households in the Meridian area spend about $452.8M a year on rent and homeowner costs, $185.4M on groceries and $107.3M on food away from home. Relative to the U.S., household spending in the Meridian area runs highest on vehicle insurance (an index of 122, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on memberships, classes and admissions (53).
Which business types have the highest market scores in the Meridian, MS area?
Of the business types scored in the Meridian area, landscaping and lawn care companies (72), real estate agents and brokers (63) and chiropractors (62) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For landscaping and lawn care companies, that ranks #47 of 399 scored small-town markets.
How does the Meridian, MS area compare with the U.S.?
Median household income in the Meridian area is $49,822, 38% below the U.S. median of $80,734. The population fell 3.2% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $128,100, against $332,700 for the U.S. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for gas stations (2.1 times the U.S. rate) and lowest for real estate agents and brokers (75% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. A small-town market is a town of 10,000 to 50,000 people and the county or counties tied to it by commuting. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. 51 of the 56 business types have a score in the Meridian area, each ranked against other small-town markets.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in the Meridian area. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
All markets in Mississippi · Every U.S. market · How we measure
Screening a site or an acquisition in the Meridian area?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of the Meridian area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.