Tupelo
Mississippi

Facts and Stats

Snapshot of Tupelo

A family walks around the lake in Ballard Park.

Jon and Susan Hoffheimer prepare for a bike ride on the scenic Natchez Trace Parkway.

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Community Overview
Tupelo combines small-town charm with urban accessibility. The relatively low cost of living here makes the city attractive to newcomers. Tupelo has a thriving arts and cultural community and is home to a symphony and ballet. The city's close proximity to professional sporting events and major universities adds to its appeal.

Population

County Population: 80,349 (Estimated)

City Population: 35,930 (Estimated)

Climate

July High Temperature: 91

January Low Temperature: 32

Climate Overview
With Tupelo's four seasons and winter months that are considerably milder than in the north, outdoor activities are possible year round.

Schools

The Tupelo Public School District has been nationally recognized for educational excellence. Four of the 12 schools in the district are National Blue Ribbon Schools, each receiving the highest honor the U.S. government bestows on a school. The district’s ACT scores are above the national average, and teachers and staff have garnered numerous honors awards. The Tupelo Public School District has 106 National Board Certified Teachers. Five of those teachers have been honored with the Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award, which is the largest teacher recognition program in the United States.

Educational Makeup

Schools and Higher Education Links

Tupelo Christian Academy

1801 E. Main St.
Tupelo, Mississippi 38804
(662) 791-7731

Lakeview Baptist Academy

830 Shumacola Trail
Tupelo, Mississippi 38801
(662) 842-4005

UM-Tupelo Campus, Advanced Education Center

1918 Briar Ridge Rd.
Tupelo 38804
(662) 844-5622

Itawamba Community College

2176 S. Eason Blvd.
Tupelo, Mississippi 38804
(662) 620-5000

Lee County School District

1280 College View Dr.
Tupelo, Mississippi 38804
(662) 841-9144

Tupelo Public School District

72 S. Green St.
Tupelo, Mississippi 38804
(662) 841-8850

Student Population Stats

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Health Care

Tupelo arguably offers the finest health-care services in the state. North Mississippi Health Services, with a 650-bed hospital in Tupelo, is the largest non-metropolitan hospital in the nation and the hub of a 22-county health care system that extends into northwest Alabama. The North Mississippi Medical Center is also the largest hospital in the state of Mississippi and one of Lee County’s top employers. Tupelo is also home to North Mississippi State Hospital, a 50-bed state psychiatric hospital.

Medical Makeup

Facilities

North Mississippi State Hospital

1937 Briar Ridge Rd.
Tupelo, Mississippi 38804
(662) 690-4200
Hospital

North Mississippi Medical Center

830 S. Gloster St.
Tupelo, Mississippi 38801
(662) 377-3000
Hospital

Neighborhoods

Tupelo/Lee County features one of the most affordable housing markets in the United States, according to the Center for Community and Economic Research (C2ER). In C2ER’s latest 2008 Cost of Living Index, the Tupelo area’s aggregate housing costs, which included a sample of home prices and mortgage rates, was 30 points below the national average. Homes are available in virtually all price points, but the price range with the greatest availability of existing homes lies in the $150,000 to $250,000 range. The average 2008 year-to-date sale price was $122,211, with three bedroom homes averaging $99,818 and 4+ bedroom homes averaging $211,166. The county-wide homeownership rate is 65 percent. Total single-family housing starts in 2007 reached 446 in Lee County, with 163 of these homes built in Tupelo. Last year’s home construction value reached $51.2 million.

Real Estate Information

Home Turnover Percentage	19.51
Average Home Price	122,600

Utilities

Tombigbee Electric Power Association

(662) 842-7635
Electric

Tupelo Water & Light Department

(662) 841-6470
Water

Atmos Energy

(662) 842-2441
Gas

Comcast

(662) 842-5625
Cable

AT&T

(662) 557-6500
Phone

Business Climate

As one of the most rapidly developing micropolitan areas in the state of Mississippi and the Southeastern United States, Tupelo/Lee County has consistently ranked in the top 10 Mississippi counties for population growth, new business development and personal income generation. From 2000 to 2007, Lee County’s population grew by 6.1 percent. Population projections forecast that Lee County will grow at a rate of 3.4 percent, or approximately 2,700 persons, over the next five years. As a regional labor hub for the northeastern portion of Mississippi, Lee County draws 19,410 workers from surrounding counties, making it the third-largest migratory workforce in Mississippi and the largest for a non-metropolitan area. The primary economic sector is manufacturing, which employs just fewer than 14,000 and employs over 25 percent of the county’s workforce. Lee County boasts the largest manufacturing workforce among the 82 counties in Mississippi. Other top employment sectors include health care, retail and finance/insurance.

Economic Resources

Tupelo Chamber of Commerce

300 W. Main St.
Tupelo, Mississippi 38804
(662) 842-5421
Toll Free: (800) 523-3463

Community Development Foundation

300 W. Main
Tupelo, Mississippi 38804
(662) 842-4521
Toll Free: (800) 523-3463

Transportation

Tupelo Regional Airport

2704 W. Jackson St.
Tupelo, Mississippi 38801
(662) 841-6570

Industrial Sites

Industrial Sites Link

Media

Lee County Courier

303 W. Main
Tupelo, Mississippi 38804
(662) 840-8819

Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal

(662) 842-2611

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United Van Lines

Resources

Senior Resources

Mississippi Methodist Senior Services Inc.

109 S. Broadway, P.O. Box 1567
Tupelo, Mississippi 38802
(662) 844-8977

Volunteer Opportunities

Volunteer Match

United Way of Northeast Mississippi

213 W. Main St., Ste. 110
Tupelo, Mississippi 38802
(662) 841-9133

Local Resources

MS1STOP Community Resources Link

Mississippi Department of Public Safety

(601) 987-1200
Driver's license services

Lee County Health Department

532 S. Church St., P.O. Box 408
Tupelo, Mississippi 38802
(662) 841-9096

Culture

Tupelo combines small-town charm with urban accessibility. The relatively low cost of living here makes the city attractive to newcomers. Tupelo has a thriving arts and cultural community and is home to a symphony and ballet. The city's close proximity to professional sporting events and major universities adds to its appeal.

Arts and Culture

Tupelo Ballet Inc.