Blog > Waveland, MS 39576: A 2026 Neighborhood Guide for Buyers
By Randy Richardson, Broker Associate, The 4th Right Team
Quick Answer: Waveland is a small city on the Gulf in Hancock County, Mississippi, right next to Bay St. Louis. Redfin reported a median sale price of $346,850 in the 39576 zip for the three months ending August 2026, with homes selling for about $235 per square foot. That's cheaper per foot than Bay St. Louis, where Redfin shows about $266. Most of the city is served by the Bay St. Louis-Waveland School District, which had the highest score in Mississippi on the state's 2025-26 accountability grades, released in October 2026. About 7,210 people live here across roughly 8.5 square miles. The city calls itself "America's Small Beach Town," and its beach along Beach Boulevard is open to the public. Storm history is the main reason Waveland prices below its neighbor, and it's why flood and insurance homework matters more here than almost anywhere on the Coast.
Is Waveland cheaper than Bay St. Louis?
Per square foot, yes. Redfin shows Waveland homes selling for about $235 per square foot and Bay St. Louis homes for about $266. On a 1,800-square-foot house, that gap is roughly $56,000.
Don't compare the medians, though. Waveland's median jumped 32.4% in a year, and it swings a lot from quarter to quarter. That's not because Waveland suddenly got expensive. In a small market, the median depends on which homes happened to sell. A few bigger houses closing in the same quarter can push it way up. Price per square foot and comparable sales tell you more.
Why does Waveland price below Bay St. Louis?
Because of what happened here, and buyers should understand it before they draw conclusions.
Waveland took the full force of Hurricane Katrina on August 29, 2005. The storm surge reached about 26 feet, and roughly 50 people died. South of the CSX railroad line, the city was almost completely destroyed. State officials said Waveland took a harder hit from wind and water than any other town on the Gulf Coast. Hurricane Camille had made landfall here in 1969, too.
Twenty years later, that history still shows up in insurance costs and in how some buyers see the town. The city has come back, though. Waveland grew from 6,435 people in 2010 to 7,210 in 2020, passing where it stood in 2000.
None of that makes Waveland a bad buy. It means the discount isn't random. Knowing where it comes from tells you which properties are worth the risk and which aren't.
Why do the railroad tracks matter so much in Waveland?
This is the local knowledge that saves buyers money here. The CSX mainline runs roughly east to west through Waveland, and it works as a rough dividing line for storm exposure. South of the tracks, toward the beach, is where Katrina flattened almost everything. North of the tracks, the ground generally sits higher and the flood picture can change a lot.
That doesn't mean north of the tracks is safe by default. First Street modeling shown on Redfin says about 92% of properties in 39576 face severe flood risk over the next 30 years. That's a zip-wide number, and flood risk varies street by street. Some newer homes north of the tracks sit in Flood Zone X, where flood insurance isn't federally required. Older homes closer to the water can carry a very different insurance bill.
So when two Waveland listings look alike on paper, square footage isn't the first question. Ask which side of the tracks it's on, what FEMA flood zone it's in, how high the finished floor sits, and whether there's a current elevation certificate. When the home was built matters, too. Here's how pre-Katrina homes compare to post-2005 rebuilds.
Then get an insurance quote on both before you decide. In this town, the cheaper house is sometimes the more expensive house. Here's what that flood zone letter actually costs.
How much do homes cost in Waveland in 2026?
Redfin put the median sale price at $346,850 for the three months ending August 2026, up 32.4% from a year earlier. Price per square foot rose 29.8% to $235. Redfin counted 29 sales in August.
Take those jumps with a grain of salt. In a town this size, the median swings with whatever sold that quarter. The more useful numbers are the ones about negotiating. Homes averaged 70 days on market and sold for about 96.7% of list price, typically around 5% below asking. Redfin rates Waveland as not very competitive. Buyers have real room here.
The range is wide. You'll see small cottages, solid three-bedroom homes, newer construction north of the tracks, and waterfront and larger homes well above the median. If you're weighing a place near the water, here's a breakdown of the four kinds of waterfront on the Coast.
What's actually in Waveland?
Buccaneer State Park is the big one. It sits off Beach Boulevard where Waveland meets Clermont Harbor, on land once known as Jackson Ridge, where Andrew Jackson owned property. The park has 250 campsites, a 4.5-acre waterpark, a disc golf course, and a nature trail.
The Silver Slipper Casino opened in Waveland on November 9, 2006, and it's a steady employer. Coleman Avenue serves as the main street. The beach runs along Beach Boulevard, which is Mississippi Highway 606, and Highway 90 crosses the north side of town.
Bay St. Louis is right there for restaurants and Old Town shopping, which is a big part of the appeal. You get the beach town without paying the full Bay St. Louis price per foot, and Old Town is five to ten minutes away.
What schools serve Waveland, MS?
Most Waveland students attend the Bay St. Louis-Waveland School District, and right now it's the top-scoring district in Mississippi. On the Mississippi Department of Education's 2025-26 accountability grades, released in October 2026, it earned an A with 773 points, the highest of all 148 districts in the state. Bay High School earned an A too. These are the first grades under the state's tougher standards, so don't compare this year's points to older reports.
Waveland Elementary serves kindergarten through second grade. After that, students move to North Bay Elementary for grades 3 through 5, Bay-Waveland Middle School, and Bay High School, all in Bay St. Louis.
But not everyone. Some parts of the city fall under the Hancock County School District, which feeds into Hancock Middle and Hancock High in Kiln. That district earned an A in 2025-26 as well, and so did Hancock High. Two districts inside one small city means you can't assume anything from a Waveland address. Confirm zoning for the exact street address before you write an offer, especially if schools are driving your decision.
How far is Waveland from Bay St. Louis, Gulfport, and New Orleans?
Bay St. Louis is right next door, five to ten minutes away. Gulfport is about 18 miles east on Highway 90, roughly 25 to 30 minutes. Diamondhead and Kiln are each about 15 to 20 minutes north, and Stennis Space Center is about 20. New Orleans sits about 55 miles west, a little over an hour, and Slidell is closer to 40 minutes. These are rough off-peak estimates. For a household with one person working in New Orleans and one on the Coast, Waveland splits the drive better than most places.
If you're relocating from Louisiana, here's our guide to moving from New Orleans to Bay St. Louis, which covers the same end of the Coast.
By the Numbers
Median sale price, 39576: $346,850, three months ending August 2026, up 32.4% (Redfin)
Median price per square foot: $235 in Waveland vs. about $266 in Bay St. Louis (Redfin, August 2026)
Average days on market: 70 (Redfin, August 2026)
Sale-to-list ratio: about 96.7% (Redfin, August 2026)
Homes sold in August 2026: 29 (Redfin)
Properties facing severe flood risk over 30 years: about 92% (First Street, via Redfin)
Bay St. Louis-Waveland School District, 2025-26 state grade: A, 773 points, highest in Mississippi
City population: 6,435 in 2010, 7,210 in 2020
Katrina storm surge: about 26 feet
The Bottom Line
Waveland gives you a real Gulf beach town for less per square foot than Bay St. Louis, with a public beach, a state park, Old Town Bay St. Louis minutes away, and the top-scoring school district in the state. The discount exists for a reason, and that reason is storm history and insurance. But the risk isn't the same across town. Homes north of the CSX tracks can price very differently from homes near the water, and buyers who understand that get real value here. Ask which side of the tracks, pull the flood zone, get the elevation certificate, and quote the insurance before you fall for a house. When you're ready to look, start with homes for sale in Waveland.
Keep reading: Is Bay St. Louis, MS a Good Place to Buy a Home? and North of I-10, Near the Tracks, or On the Water: Comparing the Gulf Coast's Three Bands
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Waveland, MS a good place to live?
For buyers who want a Gulf beach town at a lower price per square foot, yes. Waveland offers a public beach, Buccaneer State Park, quick access to Bay St. Louis, and a school district that had the top score in Mississippi on the 2025-26 state grades. The main thing to weigh is storm history and the insurance costs that come with it.
How much does a house cost in Waveland, MS?
Waveland usually prices below Bay St. Louis per square foot, but so few homes sell each quarter that the median swings a lot. Recent comparable sales on the same side of the railroad tracks, with a similar flood zone, are the best guide.
Why are homes cheaper in Waveland than Bay St. Louis?
Waveland took the full force of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, with a storm surge near 26 feet that destroyed almost everything south of the CSX railroad line. That history, and the insurance costs tied to it, keeps Waveland's price per square foot below neighboring Bay St. Louis.
Does Waveland, MS flood?
Parts of it do, and the risk varies a lot across the city. Areas south of the CSX railroad line toward the beach carry much higher exposure than many areas to the north, some of which sit in Flood Zone X. Check the FEMA flood zone and elevation certificate for the specific address.
What school district serves Waveland, MS?
Most Waveland students attend the Bay St. Louis-Waveland School District, which had the highest score in Mississippi on the 2025-26 state grades. Students start at Waveland Elementary and move on to North Bay Elementary, Bay-Waveland Middle School, and Bay High School. Some parts of the city fall under the Hancock County School District instead, which also earned an A, so confirm zoning for the exact address.
Sources
Redfin, 39576 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/39576/housing-market
Redfin, Bay St. Louis MS Housing Market (Bay St. Louis price per square foot, three months ending August 2026, checked September 2026): https://www.redfin.com/city/1063/MS/Bay-St-Louis/housing-market
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, Bay Waveland School District ranks No. 1 in state accountability scores, October 2026: https://www.wlox.com/2026/10/15/bay-waveland-school-district-ranks-no-1-state-accountability-scores/
WLOX, South Mississippi schools earn top grades under new MDE standards, October 2026 (2025-26 high school grades): https://www.wlox.com/2026/10/15/south-mississippi-schools-earn-top-grades-under-new-mde-standards/
Wikipedia, Waveland, Mississippi (population by census, land area, motto, Katrina and Camille, CSX line, Jackson Ridge, Silver Slipper Casino, highways, distances): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waveland,_Mississippi
Wikipedia, Buccaneer State Park (location and amenities): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buccaneer_State_Park
Wikipedia, Bay St. Louis-Waveland School District (schools, grade levels, and area served): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bay_St._Louis-Waveland_School_District
Wikipedia, Hancock County School District (portions of Waveland served): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hancock_County_School_District
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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