JACKSON COUNTY, MS
County Offices
2915 Canty Street
Pascagoula 228-769-3088
https://www.co.jackson.ms.us
Chamber of Commerce
720 Krebs Avenue
Pascagoula 228-762-3391
https://jcchamber.com
Picturesque Jackson County blends quiet coastal living with an unusually vibrant economy. Hundreds of flourishing small businesses combine with world-class companies in the industries of aerospace and aviation, advanced materials, energy, petrochemical, and shipbuilding. The Port of Pascagoula is another economic driver, linking the Gulf of Mexico with Bayou Casotte and Pascagoula River harbors. The county also protects pristine natural resources like Gulf Islands National Seashore and Pascagoula River State Wildlife Preserve. A network of major highways including Interstate 10 and US Highway 90 ensure easy commutes to regional destinations.
Services
Quality education begins with excellent options for public and private education from preschool through high school. Jackson County is home to school districts that consistently rank among the best in Mississippi and provide progressive options like a Technology Center for high school students. Parents who are interested in alternative learning environments will be pleased at the number of private schools within the county. Higher education can begin close to home at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College in Gautier, where students earn two-year transfer degrees or associate degrees and certifications in career and skills-oriented programs. MGCCC is a valuable asset to local industry, designing programs and continuing education courses that meet specific training needs. Truly unique educational experiences are available at the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory for the University of Southern Mississippi in Ocean Springs, from summer camps and fishing seminars to college-credit marine biology studies for high school students. An outstanding four-year institution is as close as Long Beach, home to the Gulf Coast Campus for the University of Southern Mississippi, a comprehensive doctoral and research-driven institution with six colleges. The nationally recognized William Carey University maintains a second campus in nearby Biloxi. Southern Mississippi residents also have the advantage of living near the Center for Higher Learning at the John C. Stennis Space Center in Hancock County, an integrated consortium of three universities and one community college.
State-of-the-art healthcare is ensured by the presence of the Singing River Health System, dedicated to providing world-class healthcare and wellness services to residents of Jackson County and those in surrounding areas. The hospital dates back to 1931, distinguished as the state’s first community-owned and operated hospital. Expanding, improving, and upgrading through the decades, Singing River has grown into a comprehensive, multi-campus system anchored by Singing River Hospital in Pascagoula with 435 licensed beds. Ocean Springs Hospital adds another 136-bed full-service facility and several strategically located clinics offer primary care. Singing River Medical Park in Pascagoula and Ocean Springs Medical Park in Ocean Springs offer a full range of outpatient services in modern, state of the art facilities. Specialty centers within this vast system include the regional cancer center, neuroscience center, heart and vascular services, rehabilitation therapies, women and children’s services, hospice, wound care, and hyperbaric medicine. Expert emergency services are available around the clock. With more than 300 skilled physicians on staff and 2,600 employees, Singing River Health System is one of the largest employers on the Mississippi Coast.
Lifestyle
Newcomers to Jackson County will discover a delightful environment that combines bustling commercial areas with serene residential neighborhoods, beautiful homes on spacious lots, and beachfront recreation. Mild coastal weather encourages four-season outdoor enjoyment, from golfing, tennis, and water sports to hiking, fishing, hunting, cycling, camping, and nature study. Highly developed recreational amenities combine with spectacular natural preserves like the Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge and Gulf Islands National Seashore. The annual calendar is always filled with fun and exciting events that combine performing arts and gallery or museum exhibits with festivals and seasonal celebrations. Many of these focus on great food or the arts, including Peter Anderson Arts Festival, Zonta Arts & Crafts Festival, Gautier Mullet Festival, and weekly fresh markets in Moss Point and Ocean Springs. Other favorites are Mardi Gras and Carnival Balls, Mississippi Blues Festival, Christmas on the Water Boat Parade, Taste of Jackson County, Taste of Ocean Springs, and the Moss Point River Jamboree.
Jackson County excels in cultural enrichment, with the Mary C. O’Keefe Cultural Center serving as the cornerstone of the local arts community. Housed in the historic Ocean Springs public school building, the center works closely with civic leaders in providing programs and venues for the arts. A unique local treasure is the Walter Anderson Museum, dedicated to the works of American master Walter Inglis Anderson and those of his brothers, master potter Peter Anderson and noted painter and ceramist James McConnell Anderson. Throughout the year, the museum features the work of many other significant artists in changing exhibitions. Adjacent to the museum, the Ocean Springs Community Center showcases Walter Anderson’s largest mural. Shearwater Pottery is another treasure in Ocean Springs, founded by the son of Peter Anderson in 1928. Newcomers will be amazed at the kaleidoscope of residential options in Jackson County, from antebellum and historic homes to waterfront mansions and handsome contemporaries. Vibrant new subdivisions and luxurious golf-course communities contrast with quaint farm houses on rural acreage. In a region that truly excels in quality of life, the best news of all is a cost of living that is well below the national average. “The Good Life!” is more than a slogan in beautiful Jackson County.
COMMUNITY PROFILES
Gautier
City Offices
228-497-8000
https://www.gautier-ms.gov
Chamber of Commerce
228-762-3391
http://jcchamber.com
Boasting 70 miles of breathtaking waterfront lined by towering live oaks, the City of Gautier is experiencing rapid growth and expansion. Coastal breezes, nearby state parks, wonderful golf courses, lovely inland bayous, and a relaxed atmosphere create a serene hometown setting for business and residential development. Civic leaders completed a major annexation process in 2002 that essentially tripled the size of the city. Centrally located between Pascagoula, a major industrial employment center, and the Biloxi-Gulfport area with its brisk tourism industry, the city is well positioned to draw many newcomers to attractive neighborhoods and lovely homes. US Highway 90 and Interstate 10 ensure quick and easy access to regional destinations. Gautier also welcomes a significant number of visitors into the city, from shoppers at the 600,000-square-foot regional shopping mall to students attending the Jackson County Campus of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College System.
Moss Point, Vancleave
City Offices
228-475-0300
http://cityofmosspoint.org
Chamber of Commerce
228-762-3391
http://jcchamber.com
The unique city of Moss Point developed along the waterfront, known for providing world-class water sports and fishing opportunities but also four-season outdoor enjoyment with natural trails and boardwalks that meander through marshland, clear lakes, and riverfront parks. Moss Point is located at the junction of the Pascagoula and Escatawpa rivers in an area graced by moss-laced live oaks, magnolias, stately pines, dogwoods, maples, cedars, and pecan trees. Flowering shrubs, azaleas, camellias, bridal wreath, wisteria, and crepe myrtle create postcard images at every turn. Progressive civic leadership and careful planning have enabled the city to establish areas of mixed-use development that harmonize natural beauty with attractive areas for shops, cafes, restaurants, and entertainment centers. Playgrounds, recreation centers, schools, a local library, medical care, shopping, and efficient services ensure a convenient lifestyle for families, young professionals, and retirees.
Ocean Springs, Gulf Hills
City Hall
228-875-4236
https://oceansprings-ms.gov
Chamber of Commerce
228-875-4424
https://www.oceanspringschamber.com
Nestled in the heart of the Gulf Coast region along the eastern shore of Biloxi Bay, Ocean Springs is a bustling city that brings together art, music, history, and nature. Residents enjoy tree-line streets lined with lovely homes that feature front porches as well as shops, restaurants, a community beach, and cultural enrichment. The keystone of the arts community is the Mary C. O’Keefe Cultural Center, hosting events and activities that include musical concerts, live-stage productions, and classes for pottery, painting and even cooking. The city welcomes throngs of visitors to colorful celebrations, crowned by the wildly popular Peter Anderson Arts and Crafts Festival. Both May Fest and the Mississippi Songwriters Festival draw crowds to the city’s historic streets for great food and world-class music. Outdoor enjoyment is enhanced by natural areas like the Gulf Islands National Seashore, although developed recreational amenities from sports centers to lush parks are available throughout the community.
Pascagoula
City Offices
228-762-1020
http://cityofpascagoula.com
Chamber of Commerce
228-875-4424
https://www.oceanspringschamber.com
In spite of its status as one of Mississippi’s major industrial centers, Pascagoula has managed to preserve a picturesque atmosphere graced by the beauty of grand live oaks and magnificent antebellum architecture. Historic preservation includes the 1718 La Pointe-Krebs House, translated as Old Spanish Fort. Recreational opportunities are so outstanding in and near Pascagoula that the city was rated among the top 200 best towns in America by Outdoor Life. Local amenities include shopping and fine or casual dining and many developed recreational facilities crowned by the 14-acre Beach Park overlooking the Mississippi Sound. The Pascagoula Inner Harbor is popular with boaters. Family friendly venues include Gator Farm with its enclosed boardwalk, the Scranton Nature Center at I.G. Levy Park, and the Pascagoula Family Interactive Center that offers educational programs and activities for adults and children.
St. Martin
County Offices
228-769-3088
https://www.co.jackson.ms.us
Chamber of Commerce
228-762-3391
http://jcchamber.com
The unincorporated community of St. Martin is so closely aligned with the City of D’Iberville across the Harrison County line that the two share a chamber of commerce. Overlooking Biloxi’s Back Bay, St. Martin enjoys an ideal location between Mobile and New Orleans along Interstate 10. The addition of large military installations and casino gaming in Biloxi has driven retail expansion in D’Iberville, which also benefits residents of St. Martin. Both communities provide a relaxed atmosphere with all the picturesque appeal of a traditional fishing village—qualities that make this area attractive for continued residential and business expansion. The scenery is breathtaking and the recreational activities—particularly opportunities for fishing and water sports—are among the finest in the nation. Newcomers who are looking for the friendliness and intimacy of a small-town environment may find the ideal home in the D’Iberville-St. Martin area.
