Is Bay St. Louis, MS a Good Place to Buy a Home?

By Randy Richardson, Broker Associate, The 4th Right Team at Century 21 J. Carter & Company. 

Quick Answer: Bay St. Louis is a small coastal city in Hancock County, Mississippi, known for its historic Old Town and a slower, golf-cart-friendly pace. Redfin reported a median sale price of $418,723 for the three months ending August 2026, up 11.7% from a year earlier, at about $266 per square foot. Homes are taking longer to sell, averaging 91 days on market. About 9,284 people lived here in the 2020 Census. For home buying, 39520 is the zip that matters. 39521 is PO Box only, and 39522 belongs to Stennis Space Center.

What's Bay St. Louis actually like?

It's the artsy, easygoing end of the Coast. Old Town sits right on the bay, with locally owned shops, galleries, antique stores, and restaurants within a short walk or golf cart ride of each other. Second Saturday brings extra shopping, food, and live music to the district every month. The historic L&N Train Depot houses the Alice Moseley Folk Art Museum and the Bay St. Louis Mardi Gras Museum.

The Bay St. Louis Bridge connects the city to Pass Christian across the bay. It was rebuilt after Katrina and includes a pedestrian walkway with art from local artists. Hollywood Casino & Resort is here, too, and the beach runs along the Gulf.

Bay St. Louis is small. The city counted 9,284 people in 2020, almost exactly the same as in 2010, across about 14.7 square miles of land. It draws a lot of retirees, second-home buyers, and people moving over from New Orleans.

What does Katrina history mean for buyers here?

A lot. Katrina brought a storm surge of about 28 feet into Bay St. Louis in 2005, with a storm tide topping 30 feet. The old bridge was destroyed, and much of the waterfront had to be rebuilt.

That history is why flood and insurance homework matters so much here. First Street modeling shown on Redfin puts about 92% of Bay St. Louis properties at severe flood risk over the next 30 years, and it rates wind risk as extreme. That doesn't mean every house floods. It means flood zone, elevation, and construction date matter on every address. A home rebuilt after 2005 to current code can price very differently from an older home two streets over. Here's how pre-Katrina homes compare to post-2005 rebuilds.

How much does a home in Bay St. Louis cost in 2026?

Redfin reported a median sale price of $418,723 for the three months ending August 2026, up 11.7% from a year earlier. Price per square foot rose to about $266. Redfin counted 74 sales over that stretch.

That's a big number for this Coast, and it's pulled up by Old Town and waterfront property. Bay St. Louis has a wider price range than most nearby cities, from modest homes away from the water to historic and waterfront homes well above the median. Price a home off comparable sales in the same part of town, not a citywide median.

Here's the part buyers should like. Homes averaged 91 days on market, up from 59 a year earlier, and sold for about 96% of list price. Redfin rates Bay St. Louis as not very competitive. Buyers have real room to negotiate. Sellers need accurate pricing and patience.

If you like the feel but not the price, look next door. Waveland sells for about $235 per square foot, compared with about $266 here, and Old Town is five to ten minutes away.

What kinds of homes will you find?

A mix. Old Town has historic homes, many dating to the late 1800s and early 1900s. There's newer construction and post-Katrina rebuilds across the city, plus waterfront property on the bay and the Gulf. Old Town and waterfront homes usually carry a premium over homes farther from the water. If you're weighing a place on the water, here's a breakdown of the four kinds of waterfront on the Coast.

What schools serve Bay St. Louis, MS?

Most of Bay St. Louis is in the Bay St. Louis-Waveland School District. Students start at Waveland Elementary for kindergarten through second grade, then move to North Bay Elementary for grades 3 through 5, Bay-Waveland Middle School, and Bay High School.

Some properties near the edges of town are zoned to the Hancock County School District instead, which feeds into Hancock High in Kiln. Which district a home is in depends on the exact address, so confirm with the district before you buy.

Bay St. Louis is also home to two well-known private schools, Saint Stanislaus and Our Lady Academy.

What about flood risk and insurance in Bay St. Louis?

Treat it as the first question, not the last. Flood zone and elevation vary a lot by address, especially near the waterfront and in Old Town. Pull the FEMA flood zone, get the elevation certificate, and get a real insurance quote for the specific address before you go under contract. Here's what that flood zone letter actually costs.

Hancock County is one of the six counties in Mississippi's coastal Wind Pool area, so plan for wind coverage, too. Insurance can run higher on waterfront and older Old Town homes. If you're shopping during hurricane season, know how a named storm in the Gulf can freeze your ability to bind coverage.

How far is Bay St. Louis from Gulfport and New Orleans?

Gulfport is about 15 miles east on Highway 90, roughly 25 minutes. Biloxi runs closer to 40 minutes. New Orleans is about 54 miles west, so plan on an hour or a little more. Diamondhead is about 15 to 20 minutes north, and Kiln about 15. These are rough off-peak estimates.

If you're relocating from Louisiana, start with our guide to moving from New Orleans to Bay St. Louis.

By the Numbers

Median sale price: $418,723, three months ending August 2026, up 11.7% (Redfin)

Median price per square foot: about $266 (Redfin)

Average days on market: 91, up from 59 a year earlier (Redfin)

Sale-to-list ratio: about 96% (Redfin)

Properties facing severe flood risk over 30 years: about 92% (First Street, via Redfin)

City population: 9,260 in 2010, 9,284 in 2020

Land area: about 14.7 square miles

Katrina storm surge: about 28 feet

Distance to New Orleans: about 54 miles

The Bottom Line

Bay St. Louis gives you a walkable, artsy Old Town on the water, a slower pace, and an easy drive to New Orleans. The trade-offs are higher prices than most of the Coast, serious flood exposure, and two school districts covering different parts of town. Right now, the market is on the buyer's side, with homes taking about three months to sell. Pull the flood zone, quote the insurance, and confirm the school district for the exact address before you commit. When you're ready to look, start with homes for sale in Bay St. Louis.

Keep reading: Waveland, MS 39576: A 2026 Neighborhood Guide for Buyers and Moving From New Orleans to Bay St. Louis, MS: 2026 Guide

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Bay St. Louis, MS a buyer's market or a seller's market right now?
Buyers have the edge. Redfin rates Bay St. Louis as not very competitive, homes have been taking about three months to sell, and they've typically sold a few percent below asking.

What's the median home price in Bay St. Louis?
Bay St. Louis prices run higher than most of the Mississippi Gulf Coast, largely because Old Town and waterfront homes pull the median up. Prices vary a lot by part of town, so recent comparable sales nearby are the best guide.

Does Bay St. Louis flood?
Parts of it can, and the risk varies a lot by address, especially near the waterfront and in Old Town. Katrina's surge reached about 28 feet here in 2005. Pull the flood zone and elevation certificate for any specific property.

What school district is my house in if I buy in Bay St. Louis?
Most of the city is in the Bay St. Louis-Waveland School District, but some properties near the edges of town are zoned to the Hancock County School District. Confirm the exact assignment with the district for your address.

What is Old Town Bay St. Louis?
Old Town is the city's historic downtown on the bay, known for local shops, galleries, restaurants, the Alice Moseley Folk Art Museum at the old train depot, and a monthly Second Saturday event.

Are all the zip codes near Bay St. Louis residential?
No. 39520 is the residential zip. 39521 is PO Box only, and 39522 belongs to Stennis Space Center.

Sources

Redfin, Bay St. Louis MS Housing Market: Median sale price, price per square foot, days on market, homes sold, sale-to-list ratio, competitiveness, and First Street flood and wind risk, three months ending August 2026 (checked September 2026)

Redfin, 39576 Housing Market: Waveland price per square foot (checked September 2026)

Wikipedia, Bay St. Louis, Mississippi: Population, land area, zip codes, Katrina surge, Bay St. Louis Bridge, schools, distances

Wikipedia, Bay St. Louis-Waveland School District: Schools and grade levels

Wikipedia, Hancock County School District: Portions of Bay St. Louis served

Zip-Codes.com, ZIP Code 39522: Stennis Space Center zip designation

Mississippi Code Section 83-34-1: Coast area counties for the Windstorm Underwriting Association

Randy Richardson | Broker Associate
The 4th Right Team | Century 21 J. Carter & Company
📞 Office: (228) 731-3881 | Cell: (228) 547-9999
📧 realtorrandyrichardson@gmail.com
🌐 www.The4thRightTeam.com

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