Smart Movers Club

    Moving to Starkville, MS

    Is Starkville a good place to live?

    Watch Starkville

    Starkville ranks #7 of 16 Mississippi cities with 25,000+ people on the Smart Movers livability score (55/100), which weighs home affordability, unemployment, education and population growth. Population grew 5.5% in the latest Census year.

    Median home value
    $265,900
    +9.0% vs prior year
    Median rent
    $875
    per month
    Household income
    $39,751
    median
    Unemployment
    6.0%
    lower is better

    Cost of living in Starkville

    The median home value in Starkville is $265,900 and median rent is $875 a month, against a median household income of $39,751. Homes cost about 6.7× a year of income (under 3× is considered affordable).

    Starkville crime rate

    City-level FBI figures vary by agency; across Mississippi the 2025 rate was 224 violent and 1,315 property crimes per 100,000 people — #37 highest of 50 states. The full report breaks down local trends.

    Moving to Starkville, MS

    Starkville has about 25,611 residents, 6.0% unemployment and 24% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher.

    Compare Starkville with

    Starkville vs JacksonStarkville vs GulfportStarkville vs SouthavenStarkville vs BiloxiStarkville vs HattiesburgStarkville vs Olive BranchStarkville vs TupeloStarkville vs Meridian

    More: Where to move in Mississippi · Best counties in Mississippi

    Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates (2023, compared with 2022); FBI Crime Data Explorer.

    Home listings, local news, migration, schools, resources and the Smart Movers Grade & Verdict.

    See the full Smart Movers Club report