Nicholson offers convenient living on the Louisiana border
Swamps and woodlands surround the small community of Nicholson, overlooking the Pearl River just a few miles outside Picayune city limits. Homebuyers are drawn here for the proximity to employers in Picayune and Slidell, across the Louisiana border. Nicholson’s comparatively lower insurance rates are also alluring. “People like moving here from Louisiana because insurance rates there have gone crazy since [Hurricane] Katrina,” says Realtor Alana Campo of Century 21, who has about five years of local real estate experience. “We’re kind of like the hub on a wheel, close to Picayune, Hattiesburg, Slidell and New Orleans and the Gulf Coast – so people can live in Mississippi, where the cost of living is lower and the insurance rates are a little better, but work in Louisiana, where there are higher-paying jobs.”
Single-family homes sell for under $300,000
Loblolly and slash pines obscure manufactured homes, cottages and ranch-style homes from narrow streets near Interstate 59. New Traditionals with broad, grassy lawns are common in subdivisions like Wood Oaks and Ravenwood. Prices start under $100,000 and rise to about $250,000.
The Pearl River, the McCall River, Mill Creek and other bodies of water in the area are prone to flooding. The risk of high water and wind damage is elevated during hurricane season. Summers are hot and humid, with average high temperatures around 90 degrees. Winters are mild, with average lows in the 40s.
Above-average Picayune School District
Nicholson is zoned to the Picayune School District, which gets a B-minus from Niche. Controlled open enrollment is available. Students may go to B-minus-rated Nicholson Elementary between kindergarten and sixth grade, B-rated Picayune Junior High for seventh and eighth and B-minus-rated Picayune Memorial High for ninth through 12th. High schoolers can take dual enrollment classes for college credit at Pearl River Community College in Poplarville, a little more than 30 miles away.
Outdoor recreation at Crosby Arboretum, Friendship Park and more
Mississippi State University’s Crosby Arboretum exhibits natural Savanna, woods and aquatic habitats. Several trails loop through the area, and staff-guided tours of the arboretum are available by request. The arboretum also hosts craft classes, a Gardeners’ Guide Series and outdoor movie nights for teens. Friendship Park, nearby, is a sports complex with tennis courts, baseball fields, a splash pad and a playground. Access to the Jim Schmidt Interpretive Boardwalk, part of Louisiana’s Bogue Chitto National Wildlife Refuge, is just a few miles south. The wildlife refuge is one of the largest wild swamplands in the country, and a popular spot for fishing, boating and wildlife watching. “You can do swamp tours and that kind of thing. We have alligators in the swamp, and sometimes in Nicholson. But they don’t like people much, so we don’t see them in the neighborhood often,” Campo says.
Limited shopping/dining in Nicholson, more in Picayune and Slidell
There’s a Dollar General on U.S. Route 11, around a bend from a flea market and MS Latin Food Market, a small grocery and convenience store. Picayune has big box retailers like Walmart Supercenter, Home Depot and Tractor Supply, as well as national chain restaurants like Applebee’s and Waffle House. Slidell, less than 20 miles south, is also a shopping and dining hub. The Louisiana city is home to Fremaux Town Center, an outdoor mall with retailers like Dillard’s, Kohl’s and Dick’s Sporting Goods. Palmettos on the Bayou is a popular waterfront eatery known for classic Louisiana fare.
Highway access to Picayune and New Orleans from Nicholson
Interstates 59 and 10 connect to New Orleans, less than 50 miles from Nicholson. Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport is just over 55 miles away. Highland Community Hospital, a top regional employer, is under 8 miles north via Interstate 59 or U.S. Route 11. Community Development, Inc. provides demand-response, commuter and flexible-route public transportation services in Pearl River County.
