Quiet country living with easy access to Tupelo
Okolona offers a rural and family-friendly lifestyle in northern Mississippi. "Okolona is a country area, and it's not very highly populated. Not many people move to Okolona unless they're from there. But the people who do come back typically move away and want to come back to raise their families," says Realtor Cerritos Johnson with Coldwell Banker Southern Real Estate. The quiet town is primarily residential, but has a small downtown area with local shops, businesses and churches. According to Johnson, it's also within a reasonable distance of local highways and nearby cities. "It's considered to be on the outskirts of Tupelo, so if you want more country-style living but need to be close to work or a bigger city, Okolona offers that," she says.
A mix of 20th-century homes, New Traditionals and farmland
Okolona has a classic southern small-town feel, and homes have a median sale price of $111,000. Most houses near the downtown area are from the early-to-mid 20th century, featuring cottages, four square, craftsman-styles and Victorian styles. There are also some ranch-style and manufactured houses. Most residences sit on neat, green yards, surrounded by pine, oak and beech trees. As homes move out, they include ranch-style, split-level and New Traditional homes on larger lots. Okolona is surrounded by acres of rich farmland and woods, dotted with ponds and creeks. Some of this land is for sale, ranging between 3 acres for $25,000 and 13 acres for $80,000. These provide buyers with the option to homestead or plant crop fields.
Public schools earn C ratings and offer vocational options
Okolona Municipal Separate School District serves over 500 students and earns an overall C-plus rating from Niche. Okolona Elementary and Middle score C ratings, and Okolona High gets a C-plus. Middle and high school students may enroll in the Okolona Career and Technical Complex. Pathways include options such as marketing, healthcare and the Teacher Academy.
Limited recreation in Okolona, with trails and lakes nearby
Okolona has limited options for outdoor recreation. The Okolona Children's Park is the primary offering, with a playground and a small basketball court. Outside town is the Okolona Country Club, which has a nine-hole course and pool that offers entry for non-members. Despite limited options around town, the community is about 15 miles from several state recreation areas. Witch Dance Park, a source of local urban legend, has hiking and equestrian trails west of town. Nearby, hunting, fishing, ATV-riding and camping are available at the Chickasaw Game Management area. The Bynum Mounds are just south, offering views and educational placards telling the history of the prehistoric Woodland Period indigenous burial ground. Lake Monroe is east of the town, with a fishing pier and a launch area for boats and kayaks.
Businesses, churches and local restaurants line Main Street
The community has a modest, traditional commercial area. Small businesses, municipal offices and home goods shops occupy the original storefronts on West Main Street. There's also a Carnegie Library with a unique "story labyrinth" and a stand for the Okolona Christmas Tree of Memories. Along West Main Street and South Church Street are local restaurants that serve homestyle comfort foods, like Brody's Family Restaurant and Okolona Deli. Okolona is also home to 1817 Brewery, which features small-batch beers brewed with local ingredients like peach and honey. Grocery options in Okolona include Food Giant, Family Dollar, DG Market and Hollie's Discount Market. The community also has around a dozen churches, offering options for many Christian denominations. Churches host many of Okolona's events, like weekly church dinners and back-to-school bashes.
Okolona sits near major routes and medical services
Okolona sits along Mississippi State Highways 41, which turns into 32 west of town. A few miles east of Okolona is US Highway 45 Alternate, and the intersection of US Highways 45 and 278. These thoroughfares connect Okolona to surrounding cities. Amory, 16 miles east, is home to one of the closest hospitals, Mississippi Medical Center Gilmore-Amory. Tupelo, 20 miles north, offers access to the Tupelo Regional Airport and Interstate 22. Another airport option is Memphis International, 130 miles away.
