Long Beach, MS: A 2026 Neighborhood Guide for Buyers

Quick Answer: Long Beach is a small coastal city in Harrison County, Mississippi, sitting on Highway 90 between Gulfport and Pass Christian. The Long Beach School District ranked number one out of all 149 districts in Mississippi on the state's 2024-2025 accountability scores, with 794 points and an A rating. Redfin put the April 2026 median sale price in 39560 at $289,354, up 8.3% from a year earlier. About 16,780 people live here, 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, and it isn't close. The Mississippi Department of Education ranked Long Beach School District first in the entire state for 2024-2025 with 794 accountability points, ahead of Ocean Springs in second. Long Beach High School scored 859 and earned an A. The district also placed in the top ten statewide in both English and math on the most recent MAAP results released in August 2026. It had already ranked first back in 2022 and third the year after that, so this isn't a fluke year.

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

What's the town actually like?

Small, tidy, and a little bit old-fashioned in a good way. Long Beach was incorporated in 1905 and spent the early part of the last century known as the Radish Capital of the World, back when farmers planted radishes in the cleared pine land. The University of Southern Mississippi's Gulf Park campus sits right on the beachfront, and the Friendship Oak on that campus is over 500 years old.

There's a harbor, a town green, a beach across Highway 90, and a handful of local restaurants. What there isn't is much shopping. Most people drive five or ten minutes into Gulfport for groceries, retail, and dinner options. 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 $289,000, and prices have been climbing. Redfin reported an April 2026 median sale price of $289,354 in the 39560 zip, up 8.3% year over year. The city-level number for March 2026 came in at about $295,000, up 10.9%. RealtyTrac showed a $274,807 median with 312 properties sold over twelve months.

Compare that to Pass Christian just west, where the median dropped 5.2% over the same stretch. Long Beach is going up while its neighbor goes down, and it's selling roughly 50% more homes per year. That volume matters. More sales means more reliable comps and less month-to-month whiplash in the numbers.

Here's the honest part. Homes are taking longer to sell even as prices rise. Redfin showed 81 days on market in March 2026 versus 67 a year earlier, and Movoto showed 112 days for the zip in July 2026. Rising prices with lengthening market times usually means the price gains are trailing the current conditions. If you're selling, price it right the first time. The days of naming a number and waiting are over here.

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

Don't assume it is. The zip code and 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 single 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 entire reason you're buying.

What about flood zones and insurance?

Long Beach is a coastal city and Katrina hit it hard in 2005, with storm surge that topped 27 feet in parts of the area. That history is priced into insurance here just like everywhere else on this coast.

In principle, your cost comes down to the flood zone, your finished floor elevation, and your wind coverage. Homes closer to Highway 90 and the beach generally carry higher premiums than homes north of the railroad tracks, the same pattern you see in Waveland. Anything rebuilt after Katrina was typically elevated to newer standards, which helps. Get a real insurance quote before you're under contract and ask the seller for the elevation certificate. On the Mississippi coast, insurance moves 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 roughly five miles east, so you're there in ten minutes. Pass Christian is about the same distance west. Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport is fifteen minutes away. Biloxi and Keesler Air Force Base run about 20 to 30 minutes depending on traffic. New Orleans is roughly 75 miles, or an hour and twenty. The average commute for Long Beach residents is around 25 minutes, which tells you most people work somewhere else on the coast and drive to it.

By the Numbers

Median sale price, 39560, April 2026: $289,354
Year-over-year price change: up 8.3%
City-level median, March 2026: about $295,000, up 10.9%
Days on market: 81 to 112, depending on source and month
Homes sold in 39560 over twelve months: 312
City population, 2020 Census: 16,780
Median household income: about $70,332
School district state ranking: 1st out of 149 Mississippi districts, 794 points
Long Beach High accountability score: 859, A rating

The Bottom Line

Long Beach gives you the top-ranked school district in Mississippi at a median price under $300,000, ten minutes from Gulfport. That combination doesn't exist anywhere else on this coast right now. The trade-offs are thin shopping and dining inside the city and rising days on market that sellers need to respect. 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, or if you're selling, start with a free home value evaluation.

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 ranked first in Mississippi for 2024-2025, the median price is under $300,000, and Gulfport is 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?
Redfin reported a median sale price of $289,354 in the 39560 zip code in April 2026, up 8.3% from a year earlier. The city-level median for March 2026 was around $295,000.

How are the schools in Long Beach, MS?
Long Beach School District ranked number one out of 149 districts statewide on the Mississippi Department of Education's 2024-2025 accountability scores, earning 794 points and an A rating. Long Beach High School scored 859.

Does Long Beach, MS flood?
Parts of it can. Hurricane Katrina brought storm surge exceeding 27 feet to parts of the area 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?
About five miles, or roughly ten minutes east on Highway 90 or I-10. Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport is about fifteen minutes away.

Sources

Mississippi Department of Education 2025 District Ratings — District accountability grade and 794-point score
Mississippi 2025 High School Ratings — Long Beach High School 859-point score
WLOX — Number one statewide district ranking
WLOX — Top ten MAAP results in English and math
Redfin — April 2026 median sale price and year-over-year change
Redfin — March 2026 city median price and days on market
RealtyTrac — Twelve-month sales volume
Wikipedia — 2020 Census population, incorporation date
World Population Review — Median household income
Mississippi Gulf Coast National Heritage Area — Radish Capital history, Friendship Oak, USM Gulf Park campus

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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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