Is Gulfport, MS a Good Place to Buy a Home in 2026?

Quick Answer: Gulfport, Mississippi is the state's second-largest city, sitting on the Gulf Coast in Harrison County. The typical home value is $206,371, up 0.7% over the past year, according to Zillow. The city spans zip codes 39501, 39503, and 39507, and two different public school districts serve different parts of town, so your exact address matters more here than in most cities.

Where Is Gulfport, and What's It Like?

Gulfport sits on the Mississippi Gulf Coast in Harrison County, between Biloxi and Long Beach. About 74,600 people live here, spread across roughly 55.6 square miles, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The median age is 38.4, close to the statewide average.

The city covers a few different zip codes, and each one has its own feel. 39501 is the older, closer-to-the-water part of town, with historic streets and an established downtown. 39503 stretches north toward Interstate 10 and includes a lot of newer construction, plus the outlet mall corridor. 39507 sits in between, covering neighborhoods like Bayou View. If you're comparing zip codes, it's worth driving each one, since "Gulfport" covers a lot of ground.

What Does a Home in Gulfport Cost Right Now?

Zillow's Home Value Index puts the typical home value in Gulfport at $206,371, up 0.7% over the past year, with homes going to pending sale in around 30 days on average. That's Zillow's estimate of typical value across the whole market, not a list price or a closed sale price.

Redfin reports a median sale price of $214,000 as of February 2026, up 7.0% from a year earlier, with homes selling after about 57 days on market, down from 78 days the year before. We weren't able to pull a Realtor.com-specific number for this guide, so treat that as a gap to fill in before publishing if you want it.

Either way, Gulfport homes cost meaningfully less than the national median, and the market has stayed fairly steady rather than swinging hard in either direction.

What Kinds of Homes Will You Find?

Single-family detached homes make up the bulk of Gulfport's housing stock, based on Census housing data compiled by NeighborhoodScout. You'll also find apartment buildings, duplexes, and a smaller number of mobile homes in specific pockets. A good share of the housing was built between 1970 and 1999, so expect a lot of classic Gulf Coast ranch and brick homes, especially closer to 39501 and 39507. Newer construction is concentrated more toward 39503 and the areas near I-10.

What's the Commute Like?

The average commute time for Gulfport residents is about 21.9 minutes, based on 2024 Census data. Interstate 10 runs along the northern part of the city, and Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport sits inside city limits. We won't promise a specific number of minutes to any one job center, since that depends on where in the city you land.

Parks and Recreation

Gulfport's Leisure Services department maintains more than 30 parks, along with 38 ballfields, tennis courts, gymnasiums, and walking tracks. Jones Park sits right on the water with a splash pad, playground, and amphitheater. Brickyard Bayou Park has a dog park, a two-mile bike trail, and disc golf. Francis X. Collins Park has a seasonal municipal pool. The Gulfport Sportsplex is a 250-acre complex built for organized sports, and Gulf Islands Water Park, the largest on the coast, is also inside city limits. Every winter, the city's Harbor Lights festival draws more than 110,000 visitors to Jones Park.

Shopping, Dining, and Everyday Errands

The retail center of the city sits at I-10 and Highway 49, anchored by Gulfport Premium Outlets, a 300,000-square-foot outlet mall with more than 70 stores, and the nearby Crossroads Center. Highway 49 is lined with grocery stores, big-box retailers, and a long stretch of restaurants. Closer to downtown, the Fishbone Alley district has murals, local bars, and independent restaurants worth a stop.

Schools

This is the part of Gulfport that trips people up: the city is served by two separate public school districts. Part of Gulfport falls under the Gulfport School District (gulfportschools.org), and other parts fall under the Harrison County School District (harrison.k12.ms.us), which runs 24 schools across the county according to federal NCES data. Which district and which specific school a home is zoned for depends on the address, and those lines don't follow zip codes cleanly. Check the exact school assignment for any address directly with the district before you commit.

Practical Things to Weigh

Flood zone status varies block by block this close to the coast, so get a flood determination for any specific address, not just a general sense of the area. Homeowners and windstorm insurance costs can vary a lot depending on distance from the water and roof age. And because two districts overlap the city, don't assume a zip code guarantees a school. Your agent and the city or county's own records can confirm all three for an exact address.

By the Numbers

Typical home value: $206,371, up 0.7% year over year (Zillow)
Median sale price: $214,000, up 7.0% year over year (Redfin, Feb 2026)
Median days on market: 57, down from 78 a year ago (Redfin)
Population: approximately 74,600 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2024)
City area: 55.6 square miles
Average commute time: 21.9 minutes (U.S. Census Bureau, 2024)
Public parks: 30-plus, with 38 ballfields and 7 walking tracks (City of Gulfport)
School districts serving the city: 2 (Gulfport School District and Harrison County School District)

The Bottom Line

Gulfport offers below-average home prices, a real mix of housing ages and styles, and a lot of park and waterfront access inside one city. The trade-off is that two school districts and a range of flood zones mean you can't treat any one zip code as a single answer. Check the specific address before you fall for the house.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Gulfport, MS a buyer's market or a seller's market right now?
Recent data shows homes selling faster than a year ago, with rising sale prices, which points toward a fairly balanced-to-competitive market rather than one clearly favoring either side.

What's the median home price in Gulfport?
Estimates vary by source. Zillow's typical home value is $206,371. Redfin's median sale price is $214,000. Check current MLS data or Realtor.com directly for the most current number.

Does Gulfport flood?
Parts of the city are in mapped flood zones and parts aren't. It depends on the specific address. Always pull a flood zone determination before you buy.

What school district is my house in if I buy in Gulfport?
It depends on the address. Gulfport is covered by both the Gulfport School District and the Harrison County School District, and the lines don't follow zip codes cleanly. Confirm directly with the district.

Is Gulfport close to the beach?
Yes, Gulfport sits directly on the Mississippi Sound, with Beach Boulevard running along the waterfront. How close any specific home is depends on where it's located.

How far is Gulfport from the airport?
Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport is inside city limits, so it's a short drive from most of town.

What's there to do in Gulfport besides the beach?
More than 30 parks, an outlet mall, a water park, a 250-acre Sportsplex, and a downtown arts and dining district around Fishbone Alley.

Are there new construction homes in Gulfport?
Yes, newer subdivisions are concentrated mostly toward 39503 and the areas near I-10, based on housing stock data.

Sources
Zillow, Gulfport, MS Home Values, updated May 31, 2026, https://www.zillow.com/home-values/31892/gulfport-ms/
Redfin, Gulfport Housing Market, accessed August 2026, https://www.redfin.com/city/7572/MS/Gulfport/housing-market
U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 (via Census Reporter), http://censusreporter.org/profiles/16000US2829700-gulfport-ms/
City of Gulfport, Leisure Services, https://www.gulfport-ms.gov/government/leisure_services.php
City of Gulfport, Parks & Splash Pads, https://www.gulfport-ms.gov/departments/parks___splash_pads.php
National Center for Education Statistics, Harrison County School District, https://nces.ed.gov/ccd/districtsearch/district_detail.asp?ID2=2801770
NeighborhoodScout, Gulfport, MS Real Estate Market Trends, https://www.neighborhoodscout.com/ms/gulfport/real-estate

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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