Pearl is a city located in Rankin County, Mississippi, United States, on the east side of the Pearl River across from the state capital Jackson. The population was 27,115 as of the 2020 census. It is part of the Jackson, Mississippi metropolitan area.
Pearl is the most populous city in Rankin County, and the 12th most populous city in the state. The city includes commercial, industrial, educational, and recreational areas, including Outlets of Mississippi, West Rankin Industrial Park, the Rankin Campus of Hinds Community College, and Trustmark Park.
History
Early settlement and transportation
According to a historical sketch published by the City of Pearl, Harry Long received an 80-acre land grant in 1825 in present-day Rankin County, making him the first documented settler in the area of present-day Pearl. and was white-only for most of the 20th century. In 1970, Pearl had 9,613 white residents and 10 black residents. By the 1990s Pearl had become more racially integrated, and by 2010 Black residents made up 23% of the population.
On October 1, 1997, Luke Woodham went on a shooting spree that ended at Pearl High School, killing two and injuring seven, after earlier stabbing his mother to death.
The city later redeveloped the former Pearl High School into City Hall, including the Pearl Police Department, public works departments, and city courts. A community center was built next door. Its clock tower is inscribed with the names of graduates of Pearl High School from 1949 through 1989, the period during which the high school occupied the building. A library opened near City Hall on July 18, 2005.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water.
Demographics
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, Pearl had a population of 27,115. The median age was 36.1 years. 24.4% of residents were under the age of 18 and 15.0% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 88.2 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 83.2 males age 18 and over.
There were 10,926 households and 6,662 families in Pearl, of which 33.0% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 39.4% were married-couple households, 18.3% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 35.9% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 29.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
! Race !! Number !! Percent
|-
| White || 17,041 || 62.8%
|-
| Black or African American || 7,270 || 26.8%
|-
| American Indian and Alaska Native || 64 || 0.2%
|-
| Asian || 326 || 1.2%
|-
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander || 86 || 0.3%
|-
| Some other race || 1,004 || 3.7%
|-
| Two or more races || 1,324 || 4.9%
|-
| Hispanic or Latino (of any race) || 1,533 || 5.7%
|}
2010 census
According to the 2010 census, the racial demographics were: White alone 69.8%, African American 23.0%, American Indian and Alaska Native 0.2%, Asian 0.9%, Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 0.2%, two or more races 1.7%, and Hispanic or Latino of any race 6.4%.
2000 census
As of the census Data USA reported Pearl's 2024 median household income as $61,695 and median property value as $182,500.
The city is home to Outlets of Mississippi, a 315,000-square-foot outlet center development in Pearl.
In 2026, Siemens Energy announced plans to construct a new manufacturing facility at West Rankin Industrial Park in Pearl. The Mississippi Development Authority said the project represented an investment of up to $300 million and was expected to create up to 300 advanced manufacturing jobs. The facility was planned to produce electrical grid components and increase Siemens Energy's production capacity in Rankin County.
Rankin First Economic Development Authority has identified business attraction, retention and expansion, workforce and site development, legislative advocacy, and tourism as focus areas for Rankin County economic development.
In 2025, the Jackson City Council approved a settlement allowing Pearl and Flowood to annex Jackson-owned but unincorporated land near Jackson–Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport. Mississippi Today reported that the agreement was expected to clear the way for economic development around airport-owned land and that Pearl and Flowood would provide services in their incorporated areas and collect property and sales tax revenue generated there.
Sports
right|thumb|Trustmark Park
Trustmark Park is a baseball stadium in Pearl and one of the city's primary sports and event venues. The ballpark opened in 2005 as the home of the Mississippi Braves, the Double-A Minor League Baseball affiliate of the Atlanta Braves. The Braves played at Trustmark Park from 2005 through 2024 before relocating to Columbus, Georgia, where they became the Columbus Clingstones.
The Mississippi Mud Monsters baseball team plays in the Frontier League, an MLB Partner League. Founded in 2024, the Mud Monsters began play at Trustmark Park in 2025, continuing professional baseball in Pearl after the departure of the Mississippi Braves.
Trustmark Park also hosts college baseball events. The ballpark has hosted the Governor's Cup between Mississippi State and Ole Miss. The 2026 Mississippi Farm Bureau Governor's Cup at Trustmark Park drew 8,223 fans and was announced as a sellout. In 2026, Trustmark Park was selected to host the MLB HBCU Power Series, a multi-day HBCU baseball showcase held in conjunction with Major League Baseball. The event was scheduled for February 12–15 and included Texas Southern, Prairie View A&M, Alabama A&M, Grambling State, Jackson State, and Alcorn State.
In September 2025, the Mud Monsters announced that Trustmark Park would replace its infield dirt and grass with synthetic turf. The organization said Spectrum Entertainment would install Major Play Matrix synthetic turf covering more than 40,000 square feet. Mud Monsters general manager Andrew Seymour said the new infield would help reduce rain delays and make the venue more usable for concerts, showcases, and community events.
Culture and events
Pearl was designated a Mississippi Main Street Association community in 2021. Main Street Pearl was created as part of an effort to develop a downtown district and support revitalization around the city's historic core. The Mississippi Main Street Association lists Pearl Day Festival, the Christmas Parade, Lighting of the Christmas Tree Ceremony, Trick or Treat Street, and the Easter Egg Hunt among Main Street Pearl events.
Trustmark Park has also been used for community and seasonal events. In 2025, the ballpark hosted Main Street Pearl's Oktoberfest during the day and MonstoBEERfest, a ticketed beer festival, that evening.
Later that year, Trustmark Park hosted The Southern Lights, a walk-through holiday attraction featuring more than 2.5 million lights, real-ice skating, fire pits, and train rides.
Parks and recreation
Pearl operates several parks and recreational facilities, including Bright Park, Jenkins Park, Center City Complex, Pearl Youth Baseball Complex, and Pearl Municipal Golf Course. The city parks system includes three parks, 15 baseball and softball fields, courts and fields for basketball, football, soccer, and tennis, and a municipal golf course.
Bright Park, located on Flynn Drive, includes a -mile paved walking track, a pond, pavilion, playground, and certified arboretum with 37 tree species.
Government
Municipal government
The City of Pearl is led by an elected Mayor and Board of Aldermen. The Board of Aldermen includes one at-large alderman and six ward aldermen.
State representation
The Mississippi Department of Corrections Central Mississippi Correctional Facility is in an unincorporated area in Rankin County, near Pearl. In 2007 the Mississippi Highway Patrol opened a driver's license facility across the highway from the prison.
The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality operates the Central Regional Office and the MDEQ Laboratory in unincorporated Rankin County, near Pearl.
Education
Colleges and universities
Pearl is home to the Rankin Campus of Hinds Community College, a public community college campus located off U.S. Highway 80. Rankin County is in the Hinds Community College district.
The Rankin Campus opened in 1983 as a commuter campus. In 2026, Hinds broke ground on The Commons, a planned three-story campus facility with a 175-bed residence hall, food court plaza, health center, and gymnasium, with an expected opening in 2027.
Academy of Hair Design-Pearl is a postsecondary cosmetology school in Pearl. Data USA reported total enrollment of 48 students in 2023 and listed its most common one- to two-year postsecondary certificate concentration as general cosmetology.
Primary and secondary schools
The City of Pearl's public schools are served by the Pearl Public School District. The district's board is appointed by the City of Pearl Board of Aldermen.
- Pearl High School
- Pearl Junior High School
Infrastructure
Transportation
Air travel
Pearl is served by Jackson–Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport, located at Allen C. Thompson Field in Rankin County.
Ground transportation
- Interstate 55
- Interstate 20
- U.S. Highway 49
- U.S. Highway 80 - the main corridor through Pearl
- Mississippi Highway 25 - also known as Lakeland Drive
- Mississippi Highway 475
The West Rankin Parkway opened in November 2025, connecting Highway 80 in Pearl to Flowood Drive in Flowood. Local officials said the parkway could support future economic development because of nearby land, rail access, and interstate access.
Public safety
Law enforcement within the city limits of Pearl is handled by the Pearl Police Department. The city has no jail facilities and instead uses the Rankin County Jail, which is operated by the Rankin County Sheriff's Department.
- Justin Jenkins, former National Football League wide receiver
- George Kersh, sprinter
- Bianca Knight, gold medal sprinter at the 2012 Summer Olympics
- LeAnn Rimes - singer
- Ray Rogers former member of the Mississippi House of Representatives
- Ty Tabor - singer, guitarist for King's X
- Eric Washington, former National Basketball Association player
See also
- List of sundown towns in the United States
References
External links
- City of Pearl official web site
- Pearl Chamber of Commerce