Mississippi
8 Welcoming Towns To Retire In Mississippi
Mississippi is dirt cheap. It is often ranked as the most affordable state for retirement in America, with a cost of living 14% lower than the national average. This means retirees will easily manage their utility bills, grocery costs, and car fill-ups. Whether one settles down along the state’s frolicsome Gulf Coast — or in the quiet, peaceful countryside — life will not be much of a hassle. Plus, Mississippi towns can be warm and welcoming. If seeking specific recommendations, try Ocean Springs — or the rest of the towns listed below. They are the most welcoming towns to retire in Mississippi.
Ocean Springs
A thriving historic downtown. Family-friendly Mardi Gras parades. A nationally accredited art museum. And the nearby Grand 18 D’Iberville Theatre (take note of the word “Grand.”). These — and more — are why retirees love Ocean Springs to bits. Of course, there is the beach. And Gulf Hills Golf Club. And most of all — the Davis Bayou, the quietest place for miles. Moreover, a retiree here is within smelling distance of Merit Health Biloxi. Alternatively, Memorial Hospital at Gulfport, feted with America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Prostate Surgery Award, is a short drive away. In July 2024, the median listing home price in Ocean Springs was just $315,000. What’s more? Empty nesters aged 60 and above comprise 27% of the population, meaning one will not feel out of place.
Pascagoula
There is little chance for a retiree to get bored in Pascagoula. Pascagoula Beach Park, for example, with its trails, pier, and picnic pavilion — can be a fantastic diversion. It also has lots of places to sit, lounge on the beach, or people-watch. The sunsets are beautiful, the people are kind, and the town is so full of charm. That said, water is the main theme here. You have the Singing River, Pascagoula River, Krebs Lake, and Lake Yazoo. Something else: Realtor has ranked Pascagoula as the most affordable place to buy a beach house in the nation — not just in Mississippi. The median listing home price in Pascagoula was just $145,500 in July 2024. This is a steal, even by Mississippi standards. For that stubborn fever, the highly-rated Pascagoula Hospital is right in town. An empty nester will not be without a social circle, either. Pascagoula residents aged 60 and above comprise 20% of the town’s population.
Pass Christian
A warm, supportive culture coupled with amazing beaches and a relaxing atmosphere earns Pass Christian a spot among the most welcoming towns to retire in Mississippi. War Memorial Park is a fantastic place for a morning walk and has a nice splash pad for grandkids. This town celebrates Mardi Gras — and has been doing that as far back as the late 1800s. Bacchus On The Beach, a gusty Cajun hub for oysters, serves the best pork chops for miles. For the religiously inclined, Gospel Singers of America, established in 1957, is the only school in America built solely for teaching gospel music. On the financial side, the median listing home price in Pass Christian was $429,900 in July 2024. If worried about healthcare access, the award-winning Memorial Hospital at Gulfport should keep you at peace. Finally, Pass Christian residents aged 60 and above comprise 28% of the population.
Hattiesburg
Many retirees love college towns because of their open-mindedness, diverse culture, and vibrant rhythm. Hattiesburg hosts the University of Southern Mississippi, one of the nation’s leading research institutions — as well as William Carey University — named for the “Father of Modern Protestant Missions.” Recreational highlights include the Blue River, Leaf River, which is a Pascagoula River tributary, and Chain Park, where a retiree can walk, sit by the river, or watch birds.
Hattiesburg is also home to the African American Military History Museum, which pays tribute to the contributions of African Americans in the country’s military adventures. Plus, it gives retirees access to two hospitals: the highly-rated Forrest General Hospital and the award-winning Merit Health Wesley. In July 2024, the median listing home price in Hattiesburg was $299,500. Although Hattiesburg is particularly ideal for retirees who want to roll with a young crowd, especially because of its colleges, residents aged 60 and above still comprise 18% of the population.
Oxford
Although a bit expensive, especially by Mississippi standards, the experience of retiring in the “Cultural Mecca of the South” is worth every penny. Creatives, especially artists and musicians, will particularly fall in love with Oxford. Aside from the beautiful, tree-covered hills that define parts of the landscape, there is the University of Mississippi, one of the oldest public institutions of higher education in the southern United States. Surgeons at the University of Mississippi Medical Center performed the world’s first human lung transplant in the 1960s.
Places to kill time here include the grounds of the historic campus, the University Of Mississippi Museum, William Faulkner’s Home, Square Books (to read and enjoy a cup of coffee), and the historic Lyric Theatre, arguably the most important music venue in town. In July 2024, the median listing home price in Oxford was $550,000. This is a fair deal, considering the yummy range of amenities Oxford provides, including access to the Baptist Memorial Hospital-North Mississippi, twice feted with the Pulmonary Care Excellence Award. Before you think Oxford is only for young folks, consider that Oxford residents aged 60 and above comprise 17% of its population.
Natchez
Vibrant, homey, and walkable, Natchez has many things going in its favor. The oldest municipality in Mississippi is backdropped by the St. Catherine Creek National Wildlife Refuge, which is open year-round. It is also perched more than 200 feet above the Mississippi River, a setting that makes it appear plucked straight from a movie scene. When a retiree is not at the Natchez Museum-African American Culture — or the Magnolia Bluffs Casino — she will be touring the Stanton Hall, floating down the Mississippi River, or teeing away an evening at the Natchez Golf Club.
Any hospital around? There is Merit Health Natchez, which has been serving residents in the area since 1960. Don’t break the bank either: The median listing home price in Natchez was $349,000 in July 2024. Finally, with empty nesters aged 60 and above comprising 29% of the town’s population, a retiree here will easily find a crowd she can roll with.
Tupelo
Although it pulled out of the program, Tupelo was among a handful of towns in Mississippi designated as Certified Retirement Cities. It is safe, easy to get around, within a reasonable drive from Memphis, friendly, and boasts an enticingly robust food scene. A retiree will be enjoying rounds of golf at the Tupelo National Golf Course, spending quiet moments at Elvis Presley Lake & Campground, and having a beautiful lake to herself at the Legion State Park.
Tupelo is the birthplace of music legend Elvis Presley, and the Elvis Presley Birthplace is among the town’s best-known landmarks. The median listing home price in Tupelo is $299,900. This price point comes with doorstep access to North Mississippi Medical Center, a 2024 recipient of the Vascular Surgery Excellence Award. On the social side, Tupelo residents aged 60 and above comprise 22% of the population.
West Point
West Point is small, safe, slow-paced, calm, and mostly quiet. If you want a low-tempo retirement scene, yet with access to desirable amenities, there is no point looking further. Short of cash? The fact West Point boasts a median home listing price of just $199,000 should set you off for an urgent reconnaissance. Moreover, the North Mississippi Medical Center is right in town — as is the Old Waverly Golf Club — a phenomenal course to play. Outdoor venues include Columbus Lake, Spring Creek (and several others), and Walker Lake. West Point features a majority Black population (71%), with residents aged 60 and above comprising 26% of the population. Finally, the Prairie Arts Festival enlivens the town every summer and has been celebrating West Point’s artistic heritage for decades.
The Takeaway
You may miss the swagger of towns such as New Orleans, but nothing compares to the slow pace and laid-back ambiance of many Mississippi small towns, including Ocean Springs, where nautical charm hypnotically serenades — and can add more years to one’s life. Plus, many Mississippi communities are warm, friendly, and welcoming. For specific recommendations, check out vibrant college towns such as Oxford and Hattiesburg — or hypnotic beach towns such as Ocean Springs and Pascagoula.
Mississippi
Mississippi Lottery Mississippi Match 5, Cash 3 results for July 16, 2026
Odds of winning the Powerball and Mega Millions are NOT in your favor
Odds of hitting the jackpot in Mega Millions or Powerball are around 1-in-292 million. Here are things that you’re more likely to land than big bucks.
The Mississippi Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at July 16, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Mississippi Match 5 numbers from July 16 drawing
02-09-28-33-35
Check Mississippi Match 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 3 numbers from July 16 drawing
Midday: 8-1-2, FB: 5
Evening: 8-7-4, FB: 5
Check Cash 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 4 numbers from July 16 drawing
Midday: 2-0-5-6, FB: 5
Evening: 5-3-9-0, FB: 5
Check Cash 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash Pop numbers from July 16 drawing
Midday: 14
Evening: 10
Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Story continues below gallery.
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
Winnings of $599 or less can be claimed at any authorized Mississippi Lottery retailer.
Prizes between $600 and $99,999, may be claimed at the Mississippi Lottery Headquarters or by mail. Mississippi Lottery Winner Claim form, proper identification (ID) and the original ticket must be provided for all claims of $600 or more. If mailing, send required documentation to:
Mississippi Lottery Corporation
P.O. Box 321462
Flowood, MS
39232
If your prize is $100,000 or more, the claim must be made in person at the Mississippi Lottery headquarters. Please bring identification, such as a government-issued photo ID and a Social Security card to verify your identity. Winners of large prizes may also have the option of setting up electronic funds transfer (EFT) for direct deposits into a bank account.
Mississippi Lottery Headquarters
1080 River Oaks Drive, Bldg. B-100
Flowood, MS
39232
Mississippi Lottery prizes must be claimed within 180 days of the drawing date. For detailed instructions and necessary forms, please visit the Mississippi Lottery claim page.
When are the Mississippi Lottery drawings held?
- Cash 3: Daily at 2:30 p.m. (Midday) and 9:30 p.m. (Evening).
- Cash 4: Daily at 2:30 p.m. (Midday) and 9:30 p.m. (Evening).
- Match 5: Daily at 9:30 p.m. CT.
- Cash Pop: Daily at 2:30 p.m. (Midday) and 9:30 p.m. (Evening).
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Mississippi editor. You can send feedback using this form.
Mississippi
Mississippi homeowners blame a noisy data center plant for sleepless nights. The mayor’s advice? “Consider selling.”
It was 4 a.m. on a Sunday and 46-year-old Jason Haley was once again wide awake.
The suburban silence that Haley had grown used to in his two decades as a resident of Southaven, Mississippi, had, for the last few months, been replaced by a constant whirring, like an airplane hovering over his home, he said.
The noise keeping Haley awake was coming from a plant powering Elon Musk’s xAI data centers in the area, according to a lawsuit filed in June against the company and its subsidiary, MZX Tech. Haley and two other Southaven residents, who live within a mile of the plant, allege in the suit that “near-constant” noise and vibrations are causing negative physical and psychological health effects.
The filing comes amid growing resistance toward data center development, with the majority of Americans opposing local construction of a data center, according to a Gallup poll published earlier this year.
Similar disputes are playing out across the country, like in Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin, where a lawsuit this month filed by residents alleges a data center emits “unreasonable and excessive noise” onto residents’ properties and in Lowell, Massachusetts, where noise from a data center’s cooling center “disrupts neighbors’ sleep,” according to an April suit.
There are more than 4,000 data centers in the U.S., according to a recent United Nations report. To power the data centers, developers are building their own plants, sometimes with little warning to residents like Haley.
Haley reached out to Southaven Mayor Darren Musselwhite about the noise in emails he shared with CBS News. In one last November, he urged Musselwhite to drive through the neighborhood “and take a listen to the constant high pitch noises.”
“I am aware of the noise and working on a solution with xAI officials,” Musselwhite had responded to Haley an hour later. “It is a problem,” he said in another email later in the day.
But soon, another sleepless night rolled around and Haley was emailing the mayor again.
“Anyone else I can reach out to?” Haley wrote to Musselwhite. “It’s almost 4 am and I can hear it from my bed. The high pitch and roaring combined is full force at this time. My ears are ringing. I can’t live in this. How was this ever approved?”
“I don’t care that this is Elon’s project”
Just north of Southaven, which sits on the Mississippi-Tennessee border, xAI’s data center Colossus went online in Memphis in September 2024. The company dubbed it “the world’s largest AI supercomputer.”
By late July 2025, Musk was announcing that another data center, Colossus 2, was set to begin operation in the area within weeks.
Days later, an announcement popped into the Facebook feeds of Southaven residents: An energy facility that had been dormant for decades will be revived to support xAI’s expanding data center operations in the area, Musselwhite said.
The post was met by a flood of comments, with some lauding the development and others expressing concern about the plant’s impact on the environment and strain on local resources.
Meanwhile, Haley started hearing sounds.
“My first thought was somebody’s got a leaf blower going all the time,” he said.
By December, the noise had become a fixture. He started getting headaches, stopped getting sleep and slipped into feelings of hopelessness and depression. The noise was inescapable, he said, and despite his best efforts to drown it out (sleeping with earplugs, getting a box fan for white noise), it continued to drone on.
So Haley began speaking up — at city government meetings, on Facebook and through TikTok, where he posts videos of himself measuring the noise with a sound meter. He later became involved in a grassroots coalition called Safe and Sound, drawing awareness to concerns surrounding xAI’s undertakings in the region.
The “activist” label is one he’s reluctantly accepted.
“I’ve never been into any kind of activism, never really kept up with politics a whole lot,” he said. “I’m just a guy that has a problem with this noise, and started speaking out and trying to raise awareness.”
When he emailed Musselwhite about the noise again in December, his message came with a disclosure: “I am not a republican or democrat, I don’t care that this is Elon’s project. I didn’t know whose it was when I started complaining about the noise that started in August.”
Musselwhite responded a few days later.
“As I mentioned to you in the public meeting, you seem to be a reasonable person,” he said. “I will give you some unsolicited advice from an older man, be careful with whom you associate so you don’t damage your credibility.”
By January, xAI was expanding its footprint with a third data center in Southaven, MACROHARDDR. As residents like Haley continued pushing back online and in city meetings, Musselwhite had a new message.
Southaven, he said in a Facebook post, was “under attack by all who choose to oppose Elon Musk because of his high-profile political stances.” He warned residents to “beware of the smokescreen of radical politics.”
In his emails to Haley, Musselwhite continued to acknowledge the noise as a problem.
“The noise issue is one of my highest priorities and I have been in detailed discussions with xAI and many independent professionals to resolve this,” he wrote in March.
But in the same email, he offered Haley more advice: “I know they want houses for employees, so you may want to consider selling your home.”
CBS News made multiple attempts to speak with Musselwhite and did not receive a reply.
Migraines, ringing ears and sleepless nights
Moving isn’t Haley’s preference, but he said he is in the financial position to do so if he chooses.
That’s not the case for everyone.
A little over a decade ago, 31-year-old Taylor Logsdon bought a home for her growing family in Southaven and began building her life around it.
“We loved it here,” she said. “It was peaceful, it was quiet, didn’t have to worry about nothing.”
But that was before the noise, so loud, she said, that it sometimes shakes her home. Logsdon, who is also involved in the Safe and Sound coalition and is suing xAI with Haley and one other Southaven resident, said she has experienced migraines and anxiety as a result of the noise.
She said she has persistent ringing in her ears and so do her children. A full night of sleep has become rare for the family.
“I would move tomorrow if I could,” she said, adding that she needs to save money before she can afford to move.
Her children, all under the age of 13, are having trouble staying awake at school.
“One of them is extra angry all the time — never, never has been that way, but he’s just irritable like all the time,” she said. “I feel like I’m snappier too.”
xAI spent millions of dollars trying to mitigate the sound with a sound wall, a berm and evergreen trees, Musselwhite said in a February Facebook post.
“It still hasn’t helped. It hasn’t even put a dent in it,” Logsdon said.
People living in areas where there is “constant humming or buzzing” report headaches, stress and sleep disturbance, said Dr. Samoon Ahmad, a clinical professor of psychiatry at New York University.
A 2023 study found that environmental noise exposure can lead to adverse associations for cardiovascular disease and mortality, diabetes, hearing impairment, neurological disorders and adverse reproductive outcomes.
“People think of annoyance as an abstract term,” Ahmad said. “It’s not an abstract term because it has real physiological ramifications.”
The World Health Organization recommends less than 40 decibels of annual average nighttime noise outside of bedrooms to prevent adverse health effects. Haley has recorded noise levels over 60 decibels as late as 10:15 p.m. from his Southaven backyard.
Musk’s Memphis
Even before Logsdon and Haley decided to take action against xAI, Musk’s growing presence in the Memphis area garnered attention from advocacy groups over health and environmental concerns.
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People filed a lawsuit in April against xAI claiming the Southaven plant emits “significant” amounts of harmful pollutants from its 27 gas turbines, which has since increased to 59, according to a court filing reviewed by CBS News. The NAACP has also filed an appeal to challenge the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality’s decision to issue an air permit allowing the Southaven plant to operate 41 permanent methane gas turbines. An independent study found their operation would increase air pollution in an area already grappling with a disproportionate number of asthma-related emergency room visits.
CBS News has reached out to xAI for comment.
Musk’s investment in the latest Southaven data center brings his company’s contribution to the area to $20 billion, according to the office of Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves. The governor called it “the largest economic development project in Mississippi’s history.”
Musk’s financial footprint has also extended beyond the data centers — MZX Tech donated over $1.3 million to the Southaven Police Department in February, according to the donation agreement obtained by CBS News, and has offered half-priced Starlink for those in the Memphis region.
But Logsdon says the cost to her and her family’s health has her wondering why it feels like her city is willing to “hurt the few to get the benefits.”
“We were not a failure town before,” Logsdon said. “It’s not like our economics were terrible here.”
Southaven had a median household income of over $70,000 in 2024, according to the U.S. Census Bureau — $20,000 more than the state average.
Logsdon, currently a stay-at-home mom, will be searching for work this fall so she and her husband can start saving up to move away from the plant. For now, her goal is a full night’s sleep.
“I hope that my family can go back to having our normal,” she said. “Being able to sleep at night, being able to enjoy my backyard, being able to go swimming.”
Mississippi
GPS data tracks boat Mississippi teen Nolan Wells was on before he went missing
GPS data from the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources, obtained by CBS News, tracks the movements of the boat that carried Nolan Wells to Horn Island on July 4. Wells was found dead after going missing following an outing on the island.
The vessel left a dock at approximately 9:56 a.m. that morning and arrived at Horn Island at 11:14 a.m. CBS News has previously reported that Wells was not on the boat when it departed the island.
According to the GPS data, the boat left Horn Island at 4:31 p.m. and returned to its original departure dock. It then traveled into Fort Bayou around 5:52 p.m. before returning to the dock at 6:06 p.m.
Later that evening, the boat went to the Fort Bayou boat launch at 7:19 p.m., according to the MSDMR report. From there, it traveled over land — presumably towed by a vehicle — to the Biloxi, Mississippi, residence of the boat’s owners.
The MSDMR report indicates that the boat’s owner, his mother and one other individual who was reportedly with Wells on the day of the incident have cooperated with the investigation.
The department’s report ends on July 5, following notification that the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office would take over as the lead investigative agency.
Wells, 18, was last seen on July 4 on Horn Island, where he had taken a boat trip with friends to celebrate the holiday, officials said. Wells traveled to the island with his friends but did not return to the mainland with them that afternoon, Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter has said.
He was last seen on the island at 3 p.m., according to attorney Ben Crump’s office. His mother reported him missing later that night and a search began.
His body was discovered July 6 off the coast of the island, which is about 10 miles south of the Mississippi mainland, following a search that involved the U.S. Coast Guard, the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources and the National Park Service.
Dental records confirmed the body was Wells, Jackson County coroner Bruce Lynd told CBS News. An autopsy took place on July 7, Lynd said, but the results were not immediately made public. Wells’ body was flown to Washington, D.C., for an independent autopsy, according to Crump.
Wells’ parents have said they don’t believe their son would’ve stayed behind on the island by choice when his friends left by boat.
“No, he wouldn’t. Nolan always stays with the group,” Elmore Wonsley, Nolan’s father, told “CBS Mornings” last week. “If you be with me, you come back with me. So that I don’t understand, and with me being a parent, if I was in that situation, I would have told them, ‘You’re going to get back on this boat with me because I don’t want to answer to your parents if something happens to you.’”
When directly asked if he believed Nolan was left behind on the island, his father responded, “Yes. I don’t believe he decided to stay on the island by himself. It just doesn’t — that’s not his character.”
Wells went to Ocean Springs High School and was a rising sophomore on Southwest Mississippi Community College’s football team. Crump said Wells was a good swimmer.
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