Pascagoula, MS: A 2026 Buyer's Guide

Quick Answer: Pascagoula is the Jackson County seat and the easternmost city on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, home to about 21,710 people. Redfin reported a median sale price of $124,925 in May 2026, down 14.1% from a year earlier, making it the most affordable city on the coast. Ingalls Shipbuilding operates here with more than 11,000 workers, making it Mississippi's largest private employer, and Chevron runs one of its biggest U.S. refineries in town. Only two zip codes matter for buying a home here: 39567 and 39581.

First, about those zip codes

Pascagoula shows up with as many as six zip codes in some databases, but most of them aren't places you can live. 39568 and 39569 are PO Box only, meaning they handle mail but not street delivery. 39595 is a unique zip code assigned to a single high-volume mail recipient and it sits geographically inside 39567. There are no homes and no schools attached to it.

If you're searching for property, filtering listings, or building a mailing list, use 39567 and 39581. Everything else will return nothing or, worse, return something misleading.

What kind of city is Pascagoula?

An industrial one, and it doesn't pretend otherwise. Pascagoula started as a village incorporated in 1838, merged with the neighboring village of Scranton, and became the City of Pascagoula in 1910. Before World War II it was a fishing town of about 5,000 people. Then shipbuilding arrived and the population exploded.

Ingalls Shipbuilding was founded here in 1938 and today builds ships for the U.S. Navy with over 11,000 employees. Chevron's Pascagoula refinery is one of the largest in the country. The Port of Pascagoula is a deep-water port that generates billions in economic impact. Those three operations essentially bookend the city.

There's real history here too. The La Pointe-Krebs House, built around 1757 and often called the oldest structure in the Mississippi Valley, still stands on Fort Street and is listed on the National Register. The Singing River legend, about the Pascagoula tribe walking into the river together rather than be enslaved, gives the city its nickname and the river its name. The Pascagoula River Audubon Center and the annual Riverfest draw people in.

Here's the thing about Pascagoula that shapes everything else. Its daytime population runs roughly double its residential population. Most of the people who work at Ingalls and Chevron live in Gautier, Ocean Springs, Moss Point, and Vancleave and drive in. Pascagoula is where the coast works. It's not necessarily where the coast lives, and that gap explains a lot about the housing market.

How much do homes cost in Pascagoula in 2026?

Less than anywhere else on the coast, and falling. Redfin reported a city-wide median sale price of $124,925 in May 2026, down 14.1% year over year. In 39567, the average house price came in around $120,000, reported down 39.5%. Zillow's average home value for the city was $146,072, down 0.6%.

Take the 39.5% figure with caution. Pascagoula closes a small number of sales in any given month, and an average that swings that hard usually means the mix of what sold changed, not that every house lost 40% of its value. The direction is consistent across sources though. Prices here are going down while Moss Point right next door is going up 18.7%.

One thing that surprised me looking at the data. Unlike Moss Point, where the two zip codes are wildly different markets, Pascagoula's two zips price almost identically. Median list prices have run about $179,000 in 39567 and $178,900 in 39581. Recent price per square foot in 39581 was around $89, down 8.2%. So in Pascagoula, the zip code is not the variable that matters. Neighborhood, flood zone, and condition are.

The market is genuinely a buyer's market right now. Redfin scored 39567 at 39 out of 100 for competitiveness, which is on the cool end. If you're buying, you have room. If you're selling, price to today's comps and be realistic about condition, because there's a lot of inventory competing on price.

Why is Pascagoula cheap when it has the state's biggest employer?

Fair question, and the answer is mostly history. Pascagoula's population peaked around the late 1970s and early 1980s. The 2000 Census recorded 26,200 residents. Today it's about 21,710 and still slowly declining. Katrina flooded much of the city in 2005 and the recovery was uneven.

At the same time, the surrounding communities grew. When workers can buy newer construction on a bigger lot in Vancleave or better schools in Ocean Springs and still be at the shipyard in half an hour, a lot of them do. That's not a knock on Pascagoula. It's just what happens when a small industrial city sits inside a county with plenty of land.

For a buyer, that history is your advantage. Median household income here runs about $52,222, and the median home sells around $125,000. That's an unusually accessible ratio, and it's why this market draws first-time buyers and investors.

What schools serve Pascagoula, MS?

The Pascagoula-Gautier School District, which runs 19 schools with roughly 6,590 students across both cities. The Mississippi Department of Education moved the district up to an A rating in 2022, and Beach Elementary in Pascagoula has been recognized among the higher-performing schools in the region.

Since accountability grades change annually, check the current MDE report card before making a decision based on a letter grade. Also confirm zoning for the specific address, since the district spans two cities and boundaries can shift.

What about flood risk and insurance?

This is a low-lying coastal city on a river delta, and it took heavy flooding during Katrina. Flood exposure varies significantly by neighborhood, with properties near the beach, the river, and the bayous carrying different risk than homes farther inland.

Pull the FEMA flood zone and elevation certificate for the specific address and get an actual insurance quote before you go under contract. At a $125,000 purchase price, flood and wind premiums can represent a much bigger share of your monthly payment than they would in a higher-priced market. Buyers here sometimes budget carefully for the mortgage and get blindsided by the insurance. Don't be that buyer.

By the Numbers

Median sale price, May 2026: $124,925, down 14.1%
Median list price: about $179,000 in 39567 and $178,900 in 39581
Price per square foot, 39581: about $89, down 8.2%
Zillow average home value: $146,072, down 0.6%
City population: about 21,710, down from 26,200 in 2000
Median household income: about $52,222
Ingalls Shipbuilding employment: over 11,000 workers
Pascagoula-Gautier School District: 19 schools, about 6,590 students
Real estate zip codes: 39567 and 39581 only

The Bottom Line

Pascagoula is the most affordable city on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and the biggest employment center on it, which is an unusual combination. A median around $125,000 in a city where the largest private employer in the state operates puts homeownership within reach for people who'd be priced out twenty minutes west. The honest picture includes falling prices, a shrinking population, older housing stock, and flood exposure that varies block by block. If you're buying to live near your job or to hold rental property near a stable industrial employer, the math here works. If you're counting on appreciation, look at the trend line first. When you're ready to look, start with homes for sale in Pascagoula.

Frequently Asked Questions

What zip codes does Pascagoula, MS use?
For real estate purposes, Pascagoula uses 39567 and 39581. The zip codes 39568 and 39569 are PO Box only with no street delivery, and 39595 is a unique zip code assigned to a single high-volume recipient with no homes or schools.

How much does a house cost in Pascagoula, MS?
Redfin reported a median sale price of $124,925 in May 2026, down 14.1% year over year. Median list prices have run around $179,000 in both 39567 and 39581. Pascagoula is the most affordable city on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

Is 39567 or 39581 more expensive in Pascagoula?
They price almost identically. Median list prices have been about $179,000 in 39567 and $178,900 in 39581. Unlike some nearby cities, the zip code isn't the main driver of value in Pascagoula. Neighborhood, condition, and flood zone matter more.

What school district serves Pascagoula, MS?
The Pascagoula-Gautier School District, which operates 19 schools with roughly 6,590 students across Pascagoula and Gautier. The district earned an A rating from the Mississippi Department of Education in 2022.

Why are homes so cheap in Pascagoula?
Pascagoula's population peaked in the early 1980s and has declined from 26,200 in 2000 to about 21,710 today, while surrounding communities grew. Hurricane Katrina flooded much of the city in 2005. Many workers at Ingalls Shipbuilding and Chevron live in nearby communities and commute in, which keeps residential demand lower than the local job base would suggest.

Sources

Redfin — May 2026 median sale price and year-over-year change
Redfin — 39567 average price and market competitiveness score
Redfin — 39581 price per square foot and median
Zillow — Average home value
Zip-Codes.com — PO Box and unique zip code designations
City of Pascagoula — Population, county seat status, major employers
Mississippi Gulf Coast National Heritage Area — 1838 and 1910 incorporation, daytime population
Wikipedia — Founding year and largest private employer status
Wikipedia — La Pointe-Krebs House construction date and National Register listing
Mississippi Demographics — Current population, median household income, median age

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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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