Rail-line roots in Lee County
Verona is a small community of roughly 2,800 residents in Lee County, set five miles south of downtown Tupelo. The community grew around the Mobile & Ohio rail line, shipping timber, cotton and livestock from fertile Black Prairie farms to Gulf and Midwest markets. A minor Civil War skirmish took place here in 1864, and the city’s brick depot still carries shell scars from that clash, giving the single–stop-light business district a link to the past. Rooted in rail heritage yet oriented toward Tupelo’s job market, Verona balances small-town quiet with quick access to regional health care, manufacturing and retail hubs—an affordable stop along northeast Mississippi’s growth corridor. "Most people here work in Tupelo than retreat to the outskirt communities like Verona. Verona is primarily residential,” says Lucia Randle, executive director for Downtown Tupelo Main Street Association. “Tupelo is steadily growing, and Verona is growing alongside it. We're building new commercial areas and entertainment in downtown Tupelo that we're very excited about."
Ranch-style housing on spacious lots
Housing remains modest and largely single-family. Midcentury ranch-style homes dominate tree-lined blocks west of Main Street, while a scattering of early-1900s cottages stands closer to the tracks. Homes on quarter-acre lots list near $200,000; manufactured units on larger rural parcels trade for less than $120,000. The median sales price hovers around $180,000, a figure that attracts first-time buyers who commute to Tupelo’s furniture plants or North Mississippi Medical Center.
Lee County schools and career programs
Local kids can start school at Verona Elementary, which earns a C from Niche, then continue to the C-plus rated Plantersville Middle School. Shannon High earns a B-minus, offering a Career and Technical Center where courses are centered around welding, culinary arts and health-science. These courses are often tied to employers in Tupelo’s industrial corridors.
Parks, playgrounds and Tombigbee trails
Plantersville Park supplies shaded walking trails and playgrounds close to home. A short drive into Tupelo leads to 35-acre Theron Nichols Park, where ball fields, picnic shelters and a summer splash pad draw families, while larger outings often take residents 15 minutes south to Tombigbee State Park for forested hiking loops, lake fishing and camp sites.
Tupelo is home to most of the commercial scene
Verona is a small, mostly residential community, so locals usually drive to Tupelo for bigger retail and restaurant choices. The Mall at Barnes Crossing is the main draw, featuring more than 100 specialty shops, national clothing chains and a food court. Nearby, Brooks Grocery serves as the closest full-service supermarket, while a cluster of big-box stores and fast-casual eateries line North Gloster Street. Downtown Tupelo adds a walkable pub scene with live-music bars and taprooms for evening outings. Verona does claim a few favorites of its own: Papa V’s turns out hand-tossed pizzas and subs, and Woody’s Tupelo on Veterans Highway offers plate lunches, steaks and Southern sides without the trip into town.
U.S. 45 corridor and regional airport links
Transportation ties are straightforward. U.S. 45 links to Tupelo, and Interstate 22 sits north, putting Memphis within a 90-minute drive. Kansas City Southern freight trains rumble through town daily, and Tupelo Regional Airport, six miles away, provides general-aviation service and occasional charter flights.
