Lucedale has a thriving community amid a rural landscape
Roughly 42 miles north of Pascagoula, Lucedale is a small, rural city surrounded by forests and farmland. “Lumber is a big business in the area, [so] it’s called the Pine Belt, on top of the Bible Belt,” says Antoinette Williams with Robert Brothers West, who lives in Lucedale and has been selling homes since 2021. Lucedale is the county seat and only major city in George County. As such, downtown Lucedale is a well-known spot for shopping and dining in the southeast Mississippi region. “It’s very old school [...] with a lot of historic buildings,” she says. Multiple events throughout the year keep the community close and help maintain the city’s small-town charm.
New and older single-family homes on large lots
Most homes in Lucedale are surrounded by mature trees and either lined along residential streets or found farther out from the city center, often with a bit of land. “There’s mostly older homes, as well as some new construction,” Williams says. “It’s really nice for people who want some property […] who would like to have chicken or goats or horses. They can get an acre or two or three with their house.”
Sprawling ranch-style homes are common. Most have simple brick exteriors and were built between the 1960s and 2000s. There are also single-story cottages and bungalows with a front porch area. Some of these smaller properties are more traditional and might have been built in the 1930s and '40s. In newer subdivisions, contemporary single-story homes are popular. These were built in the 2000s and 2020s and have Craftsman features, such as pointed roofs and stone accents. Prices range from $95,000 to $310,000, depending on property size and age.
Shopping and dining downtown and along Highway 63
Downtown Lucedale is one of the city’s main commercial areas, with government buildings and shops along Main Street. “Downtown is a very quaint shopping experience. There are no big-box stores, only local,” Williams says. “I love shopping in downtown Lucedale because you can walk around and get a wide variety of antiques, boutiques and Southern favorites.” Hickory Hog is one of the local restaurants downtown, serving barbecue sandwiches and meat platters. There’s also Landmark Cafe & Grill, just down the block, which specializes in Cajun-inspired cuisine.
Additional retail and dining are found along Old Highway 63’s commercial corridor, where there are multiple Mexican restaurants. Wayne Lee’s is the city’s main grocery store, sitting across the street from Harbor Freight. Chain eateries in the area include Little Caesars and Waffle House. Farther south, there’s a Tractor Supply Company and Walmart Supercenter.
The city’s parks are filled with sports facilities
Lucedale City Park is the area’s main recreational space, outfitted with a playground area, tennis courts, basketball courts and a splash pad; there are other splash pads throughout the city that operate during the warmer months. A paved walking path winds through Lucedale City Park, along with a disc golf course. There’s also an outdoor amphitheater for live entertainment. Benyard and Lavelett parks have jungle gyms and sports courts. When it comes to the city’s rec leagues and teams, the Milton Murrah Ball Field Complex has fields for baseball, soccer and softball. It sits adjacent to the Lucedale Soccer Complex.
Celebrating the Lucedale community through annual events
The George County Fairgrounds is over 4 miles south of the city and routinely hosts rodeos and circuses. The George County Fair is held in October, with carnival rides, live music and livestock auctions.
Lucedale has its own calendar of events. A farmers market takes place every Saturday in the summer at Courthouse Square. In September, the community holds a city-wide yard sale. “You can go anywhere you want in Lucedale and find a yard sale that day,” Williams says. Magic on Main Street gets the holidays started at the end of November, featuring numerous craft vendors, food trucks and a visit from Santa. The festivities end with the annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony that evening.
Quality public schools in George County
Lucedale is served by the George County School District. L.C. Hatcher Elementary School enrolls kindergarten through second graders and earns a C-plus grade from Niche. The B-plus-rated L.T. Taylor Intermediate School teaches grades 3 through 6. George County Middle also has a B-plus, and George County High School receives a B. The high school offers a JROTC program and three career academies, including the Human Services and Humanities Academy and one for STEM.
Multiple highway systems travel through Lucedale
Driving is the preferred way of getting around Lucedale. Mississippi Highway 198 is the city’s main thoroughfare, traveling east and west as Main Street. There’s also Mississippi Highway 26, which runs north and south and connects to Mississippi Highway 63. MS-63 is used to reach Pascagoula. Access to U.S. Highway 98 is about 2 miles north of the city and heads northwest to Hattiesburg and southeast to Mobile, Alabama.
George Regional Hospital is in the city along Winter Street. For air travelers, Trent Lott International Airport is roughly 36 miles south in Pascagoula.
