Macon is a rural city with industry and several employers
In the industrial community of Macon, a brick courthouse with large, white columns stands at the heart of downtown. The small city center is filled with shops and local restaurants. As the seat of Noxubee County, Macon and the surrounding area are home to several processing plants and manufacturers. "Bogue Chitto Gin is right here in Macon. We have businesses that have been in the region for a long time, like Shuqualak Lumber Company. That's in a town to the south of us," says Katherine Mickens, a Macon native and the Noxubee Economic and Community Development Alliance chairperson. "We have a new company, Huber Engineered Woods coming in." Other major employers include Superior Fish Products, the Noxubee County School District and the Noxubee General Hospital.
Commercial properties on Highways 45 and 145
Service providers, national discount retailers and other businesses line U.S. Highway 45 and Mississippi Highway 145, also called Jefferson Street. Many storefronts, such as Senter Hardware and Noxubee Farm Supply, are run by county locals. Tem's Food Market is the community grocer, but shoppers can also find kitchen staples at DG Market. Mickens says that the city has several mom-and-pop dining establishments. "The Wagon Wheel Restaurant does country lunch and breakfast during the week. On Sundays, they open for family-style country lunch," Mickens says. Conner's Sweets and Blue Truck Coffee are popular eateries in downtown. Mickens says residents often travel about 10 miles to Brooksville for the Ole Country Bakery.
The area has ranch styles, manufactured and century-old homes
Macon contains mostly 20th-century homes on gently sloping hills. Houses are more spaced out to the north, while residences near downtown are closer together. Many dwellings have steps leading up to wide front porches. Buyers will find predominantly brick ranch-style houses and manufactured homes inside the community. There are also a few historic structures near the city center. Mickens says the Noxubee Economic and Community Development Alliance occupies a building from the late 1800s. Homes in Macon rarely come on the market. According to a Homes.com calculation, which uses a combination of estimated data, the average home value in the community was around $120,000 in 2025.
Locals visit the Sportsplex, library and the nearby refuge
Next to the Noxubee Civic Center are public athletic fields, which locals call the Sportsplex. Residents gather here for youth sporting leagues games. "Macon has the Noxubee County Public Library. It used to be an old jail. They've done renovations on it, and it's beautiful," Mickens says. The library offers genealogy services and bicycle rentals. "We have Sam D. Hamilton Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge. That's a good site to see wildlife," Mickens says. The sprawling conservation area, about 24 miles away, is open for hunting and hiking. The two lakes are hot spots for boating and fishing.
Students stay in Macon to attend local schools
Earl Nash Elementary and B.F. Liddell Middle both have C-minus ratings on Niche. Noxubee County High has a C. Locals fill the bleachers at Tiger Stadium to cheer on the home team for Friday night football games. The district offers career and technical education pathways through a partnership with East Mississippi Community College. These courses are held at Noxubee County Career and Technical Center off U.S. Highway 45.
The annual Dancing Rabbit Festival
"We have one popular event, the Dancing Rabbit Festival. It's in October in Downtown Macon," Mickens says. The festival includes a 5K run, a catfish cookoff and children's games. The event has been a local tradition for nearly 40 years. The gathering's name comes from the 1830 Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek, in which the Choctaw tribe ceded their land to the U.S. government.
Drivers can access the hospital and local highways
Noxubee General Hospital is open 24 hours a day and provides emergency services and primary care. The area is car-dependent, and drivers use U.S. Highway 45 and Mississippi Highway 14 to get in and out of the community. Locals reach the Mississippi-Alabama border in roughly 15 miles.
Written By
Ashley Kennedy
