If there was one thing the Union and the Confederacy could agree on, it was the significance of Vicksburg, the “Key to the South.” This city of about 20,000, once considered vital to victory for Union forces, is now a close-knit community with an expanding downtown and a thriving $300 million tourism industry. While the city is best known for its history, those who call it home now are more often drawn here for employment in healthcare, manufacturing and engineering. The U.S. Army Engineering Research and Development Center is headquartered on the south side of town. On the west side, Merit Health River Region has been a major employer – and the city’s only hospital – for decades.
Shipbuilding is one of the main industries supporting Vicksburg’s economy.
Merit Health River Region in Vicksburg provides the only full-service hospital care in the area.
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Vicksburg National Military Park
Vicksburg has various neighborhood parks – some with historic landmarks – but the city’s crown jewel is Vicksburg National Military Park. The park commemorates the Siege of Vicksburg, a pivotal Civil War battle that turned the tide toward Union victory. The Port of Vicksburg was crucial to the southern states, and losing it weakened the Confederacy. Today, park visitors can observe reconstructed Union and Confederate trenches, historical monuments, the Vicksburg National Cemetery and more.
The Illinois Memorial in Vicksburg National Military Park is a marble structure honoring Illinois soldiers who fought in the Vicksburg campaign.
Catfish Row Children's Art Park in Vicksburg, Mississippi, offers playful areas, garden walks, a splash fountain, children's art, murals, and unique exhibits.
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Historic houses and Mississippi summers
The median price for homes in Vicksburg is around $192,000, less than half of the national median. The city has a broad selection of single-family homes, from the downtown shotgun houses built in the 1890s to the midcentury split-level and ranch-style houses that cropped up between the 1950s and 1990s. Outside of the downtown area, large leafy lots are popular. Properties offering a more rural feel lie on the outskirts.
Longtime resident Katherine Crawford, a Coldwell Banker All Stars Realtor with 20 years of experience, stresses the importance of updated air conditioning when moving to Vicksburg. “Coming from California, it took me some getting used to. Summertime is long, hot and humid,” she says. “It’s a little cool in the winter, but we aren’t ones for snow. New Orleans got ten inches last year – we got a little spit of a rain shower. Even Florida got snow before us.”
Shotgun houses in Vicksburg, Mississippi, reflect the city’s historic Southern architecture.
Split-level homes in Vicksburg, Mississippi, offer multi-level living with short staircases.
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Vicksburg’s historic downtown
Downtown Vicksburg is a quaint, walkable area focused around a historic red-brick section of U.S. Highway 61, locally known as Washington Avenue. The vintage brick-and-mortar storefronts feature the usual small-town main-street offerings – mom-and-pop restaurants, a few bars, some local boutiques and a couple of art galleries. It’s also popular for its museums, including the Biedenharn Coca-Cola Museum, located in the heart of downtown, where the soda was first bottled back in 1894.
Downtown Vicksburg offers local shops, restaurants, and views of the Mississippi River.
The Biedenharn Coca-Cola Museum in Vicksburg, Mississippi, is where Coca-Cola was first bottled in 1894.
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The Vicksburg Warren School District
The Vicksburg Warren School District earns a B-minus on Niche. Vicksburg High is also graded B-minus. It offers various career academies, from business and management to natural resources and agriscience.
Vicksburg High School in Vicksburg, Mississippi, enrolls approximately 842 students.
Vicksburg High School has a student-teacher ratio of 14.5 to 1.
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Vicksburg turns 200
The end of January 2025 marked Vicksburg’s bicentennial, and the city has put a lot of thought into future plans. Along the Mississippi River, the Port of Vicksburg is getting a major expansion. In 2024, the city announced plans to expand local highways and connect to a passenger rail line. The Vicksburg Main Street Program has been steadily revitalizing downtown since 1984. One of the nonprofit's most popular projects is the Vicksburg Farmers Market.
In 1876, the Mississippi River changed course, leaving Vicksburg without direct river access until 1903.
Downtown Vicksburg is a hub for arts, dining, and cultural events year-round.
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Minutes away from the Vicksburg Municipal Airport
Interstate 20 is a direct route to Jackson, about 45 miles east. The city’s other main roads are the Blues Highway and Mississippi Highway 27. On the city’s south side, the Vicksburg Municipal Airport offers connecting commercial flights.
Crime
According to the Vicksburg Police Department’s reports, the city experienced a decrease in violent and property crimes between 2023 and 2024. This excludes aggravated assault, which increased by roughly 15%.
Written By
Micaela Willoughby
Photography Contributed By
Dimitri Fevrier
Video By
Houston Knight
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Vicksburg by the Numbers
20,499
Population
100
Average Days on Market
Home Trends
Median Price (12 Mo)$181,000
Median Single Family Price$190,000
Average Price Per Sq Ft$97
Months Of Supply5
Demographics and Finance
Median Household Income$41K
Lower than National Average$71K
% Owners53%
Lower than National Average63%
College Graduates23%
Lower than National Average34%
Average Home Value
Source: Public Records
Top Schools in Vicksburg, MS
Source:
Best Public Elementary Schools
#1 Bovina Elementary School
A-
Niche
#2 Redwood Elementary School
B+
Niche
#3 Bowmar Avenue Elementary School
B
Niche
#4 Warrenton Elementary School
B
Niche
#5 Beechwood Elementary School
B-
Niche
#6 South Park Elementary School
B-
Niche
#7 Vicksburg Intermediate School
C
Niche
#8 Warren Central Intermediate School
C
Niche
#9 Dana Road Elementary School
C-
Niche
Best Public Middle Schools
#1 Warren Central Junior High School
B-
Niche
#2 Vicksburg Junior High School
C
Niche
#3 Center For Alternative Programs
Best Public High Schools
#1 Warren Central High School
B-
Niche
7
GreatSchools
#2 Vicksburg High School
B-
Niche
6
GreatSchools
#3 Center For Alternative Programs
#4 Grove Street Academies
#5 Hinds Community Vicksburg Center
Best Private Schools
#1 Vicksburg Catholic School
A-
Niche
#2 All Sts. Episcopal School
#3 Campus Preparatory Christian School
#4 First Presbyterian Church Kindergarten & Preschool
#5 Porters Chapel Academy
#6 St. Francis Xavier Elementary - Vicksburg Catholic School
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Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
