Long Beach, MS 39560: A 2026 Neighborhood Guide for Buyers

By Randy Richardson, Broker Associate, The 4th Right Team

Quick Answer: Long Beach is a small coastal city in Harrison County, Mississippi, on Highway 90 between Gulfport and Pass Christian. The Long Beach School District earned an A with 763 points in the state's 2025-26 accountability grades, released in October 2026, tied with Ocean Springs for the second-highest total in Mississippi. Redfin reported a median sale price of about $278,000 in the 39560 zip for the three months ending August 2026, up 4.8% from a year earlier, and homes are selling in about 34 days. About 16,780 people lived here in the 2020 Census, and the city calls itself "The Friendly City." If you want top schools on the Coast without waterfront pricing, this is the conversation.

What makes Long Beach different from the rest of the Coast?

The schools. In the Mississippi Department of Education's 2025-26 accountability grades, released in October 2026, the Long Beach School District earned an A with 763 points. That tied Ocean Springs for the second-highest total among the state's 148 districts. Only Bay St. Louis-Waveland scored higher. Long Beach High School earned an A too, with a 96.2% graduation rate.

This year's grades are the first under the state's tougher standards, so don't line up this year's points against older reports. What you can compare is where the district lands. Long Beach ranked first in the state for 2024-2025 and third the year before under the old scale, and it's in the top three again under the new one. This isn't a one-year fluke. On the 2025-2026 state tests, released in August 2026, Long Beach also placed in the top ten statewide in both English and math.

The district is small, with five campuses and about 2,700 students. New accountability grades come out each fall, so check the current Mississippi Succeeds Report Card for the latest before you buy.

That's why a lot of families end up here instead of somewhere closer to the water. You're buying into one of the best-performing public school districts in Mississippi, and the median price is under $300,000.

What's the town actually like?

Small, tidy, and a little old-fashioned in a good way. Long Beach incorporated in 1905 and was once known as the Radish Capital of the World. In 1921, a bumper crop filled more than 300 trainloads headed north. The University of Southern Mississippi's Gulf Coast campus sits on the beachfront, and the Friendship Oak there is said to be more than 500 years old.

There's a harbor, a beach across Highway 90, and a handful of local restaurants. What there isn't is much shopping. Most people drive a few minutes into Gulfport for groceries, retail, and dinner. Residents will tell you that themselves. If you need a Target run to be a two-minute trip, Long Beach isn't that town.

How much do homes cost in Long Beach in 2026?

Right around $278,000. Redfin reported a median sale price of about $278,000 in 39560 for the three months ending August 2026, up 4.8% from a year earlier. Price per square foot slipped about 8.5% to $140, so part of that median gain is simply which homes sold.

Long Beach also has real volume. Redfin counted 104 sales over that three-month stretch, up 14% from a year earlier. More sales means more reliable comps and less whiplash in the numbers than you'll see in smaller towns like Pass Christian.

And homes are moving. They averaged 34 days on market and sold for about 98.3% of list price. Redfin rates 39560 as somewhat competitive. For context, homes across the whole Gulf Coast averaged 71 days on market in August, according to the Gulf Coast Association of REALTORS®. That's a different measure, but the gap is wide. If you're buying, a well-priced Long Beach home won't wait for you. If you're selling, price it right the first time and you'll likely sell quickly.

Is a 39560 address always in the Long Beach School District?

Don't assume it is. The zip code, the city limits, and the school district boundaries are three different maps, and they don't line up perfectly. Since the school district is the biggest reason people buy in Long Beach, this is the one thing you absolutely have to confirm before you go under contract.

Call the district office and verify the zoning for the exact address. Not the neighborhood, not the street, the address. It takes one phone call, and it protects the whole reason you're buying.

What about flood zones and insurance in Long Beach?

Long Beach is a coastal city, and Katrina hit it hard in 2005. The storm destroyed almost every building within about 1,600 feet of the shoreline. That history is priced into insurance here like everywhere else on this coast.

First Street modeling shown on Redfin puts about 39% of properties in 39560 at severe flood risk over the next 30 years. That's lower than many Coast towns, but it's very lot-specific. Homes closer to Highway 90 and the beach generally carry more exposure than homes north of the railroad tracks. Here's how the three bands compare. Anything rebuilt after Katrina was usually elevated to newer standards, which helps.

Harrison County is also in Mississippi's coastal Wind Pool area, so plan for wind coverage. Get a real insurance quote before you're under contract.

Ask the seller for the elevation certificate, too. On the Mississippi Coast, insurance can move a monthly payment more than a small rate change does.

How far is Long Beach from Gulfport, Biloxi, and New Orleans?

Long Beach is about as central as it gets on this coast. Gulfport is right next door to the east, about ten minutes away. Pass Christian is about the same distance west. Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport is about fifteen minutes away. Biloxi and Keesler Air Force Base run about 20 to 30 minutes, depending on traffic. New Orleans is about an hour and twenty minutes west. These are rough off-peak estimates.

By the Numbers

Median sale price, 39560: about $278,000, three months ending August 2026, up 4.8% (Redfin)
Median price per square foot: $140, down 8.5% (Redfin)
Average days on market: 34 (Redfin, August 2026)
Sale-to-list ratio: about 98.3% (Redfin, August 2026)
Homes sold, three months ending August 2026: 104 (Redfin)
Properties facing severe flood risk over 30 years: about 39% (First Street, via Redfin)
City population: 14,792 in 2010, 16,780 in 2020
School district grade, 2025-26: A, 763 points, tied for 2nd in Mississippi
School district state ranking, 2024-2025: 1st in Mississippi, under the previous grading scale

The Bottom Line

Long Beach gives you one of the top-ranked school districts in Mississippi at a median price under $300,000, ten minutes from Gulfport. Homes here are selling faster than most of the Coast, and the city keeps growing. The trade-offs are thin shopping and dining inside the city and the flood and wind homework that comes with any address near the Gulf. Verify school zoning for the exact address and price your insurance early, and this is one of the strongest values on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. When you're ready to look, start with homes for sale in Long Beach. If you're selling, start with a free home value evaluation.

Keep reading: Is Gulfport, MS a Good Place to Buy a Home in 2026? and Moving to Pass Christian, MS? A 2026 Neighborhood Guide

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Long Beach, MS a good place to live?
For families, it's one of the best options on the Coast. The school district earned an A and tied for the second-highest score in Mississippi on the 2025-26 state grades, prices sit below many nearby waterfront towns, and Gulfport is about ten minutes away. The main trade-off is limited shopping and dining inside the city.

How much does a house cost in Long Beach, MS?
Long Beach generally sells in the high $200,000s, with homes moving faster than most of the Coast. Prices vary by how close a home sits to the water and when it was built, so recent comparable sales nearby are the best guide.

How are the schools in Long Beach, MS?
Very strong. On the 2025-26 state accountability grades, the Long Beach School District earned an A with 763 points, tied for second in Mississippi, and Long Beach High School earned an A. The district ranked first in the state the year before. New grades come out each fall, so check the current state report card.

Does Long Beach, MS flood?
Parts of it can. Hurricane Katrina destroyed almost every building within about 1,600 feet of the shoreline in 2005. Flood risk varies by lot, so check the flood zone and elevation certificate for the specific address and get an insurance quote early.

How far is Long Beach from Gulfport?
Gulfport is right next door to the east, about ten minutes on Highway 90 or I-10. Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport is about fifteen minutes away.

Sources

WXXV, South Mississippi school districts earn high marks under tougher state accountability standards, October 2026 (2025-26 district grades and points): https://www.wxxv25.com/south-mississippi-school-districts-earn-high-marks-under-tougher-state-accountability-standards-for-2025-26-school-year/
WLOX, South Mississippi schools earn top grades under new MDE standards, October 2026 (2025-26 high school grades and graduation rates): https://www.wlox.com/2026/10/15/south-mississippi-schools-earn-top-grades-under-new-mde-standards/
WLOX, Long Beach School District ranks number one in the state, September 2025 (2024-2025 statewide district ranking): https://www.wlox.com/2025/09/25/long-beach-school-district-ranks-number-one-state/
Mississippi Free Press, 2023-2024 accountability ratings (Long Beach's third-place statewide ranking): https://www.mississippifreepress.org/mississippi-school-districts-achieve-record-accountability-ratings-prompting-model-revamp/
WLOX, South Mississippi school districts rank in top 10 on state test results, August 2026 (2025-2026 MAAP results): https://www.wlox.com/2026/08/21/south-mississippi-school-districts-rank-top-10-state-test-results/
Redfin, 39560 Housing Market (median sale price, price per square foot, days on market, homes sold, sale-to-list ratio, competitiveness, and First Street flood risk, three months ending August 2026, checked September 2026): https://www.redfin.com/zipcode/39560/housing-market
Gulf Coast Association of REALTORS®, Gulf Coast Market Stats, August 2026 (average days on market across the Coast): https://gcarealtors.com/
Wikipedia, Long Beach, Mississippi (population, incorporation, motto, radish history, USM Gulf Coast campus, Katrina damage, school district size): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_Beach,_Mississippi
Mississippi Code Section 83-34-1 (coast area counties for the Windstorm Underwriting Association): https://law.justia.com/codes/mississippi/title-83/chapter-34/section-83-34-1/

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About the Author
Randy Richardson is a Broker Associate and Team Leader of The 4th Right Team at CENTURY 21 J. Carter & Company. He serves buyers and sellers across the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

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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