PlainZIP

Bay Saint Louis, MS · standard

ZIP Code 39520

Hancock County, Mississippi - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

14,681
61/sq mi
$62,176
Median income
$225,600
Median home value
30.8%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Bay Saint Louis pairs a below-median household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

33th pct
household income, US ZIPs
Top 49%
home value, US ZIPs
61
people per sq mi
75%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 39520 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 39520 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Bay Saint Louis, Hancock County, Mississippi, home to 14,681 residents across 240.3 square miles, a density of 61 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 39520 reports a modest median household income of $62,176 (18% above the Mississippi average), while per-capita income is $45,585. Poverty here runs at 16.5%, with unemployment measured at 7.7%. The typical home here is valued at $225,600 (68% above the state average); renters pay a median of $1,127 monthly, and 75.0% of units are owner-occupied.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 30.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 50.2, and the average commute is 28 minutes. A geography-based comparison follows: 3 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 39520, plus 4 more within Hancock County, give a clearer read than the national average alone.

Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →

Top industries in ZIP 39520

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Bay Saint Louis, MS

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 39520.

establishments

What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 39520, Bay Saint Louis, MS · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

14,681

Population

240.3

Area (sq mi)

61

People / sq mi

Chicago

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 39520?

50.2

Median Age

47.0%

Male

53.0%

Female

2.8%

Foreign-Born

White 80.1%
African American 10.8%
Asian 1.1%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.5%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 5.7%
Hispanic or Latino 3.7%

Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How much do residents earn?

$62,176

Median Household Income

+18% vs state

$45,585

Per Capita Income

16.5%

Poverty Rate

7.7%

Unemployment Rate

27.6 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 39520 ranks nationally

Bay Saint Louis, MS household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$62,176 33rd percentile higher than 33% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). This entry sits in this band. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What is the education profile here?

High School Graduate or Higher 56.4%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 30.8%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

8,994

Total Housing Units

7,213

Occupied Units

1,781

Vacant Units

2.13

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 75.0%
Renter 25.0%

$225,600

Median Home Value

+68% vs state

$1,127

Median Rent

1998

Median Year Built

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How have home values changed over time?

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+1.2%

YoY Change (2024)

304

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+204%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 39520 have increased 1.2% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +204% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +0.5% 206
2021 +13.1% 233
2022 +10.2% 256
2023 +17.1% 300
2024 +1.2% 304

Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 346 business establishments in ZIP 39520, employing approximately 3,909 people with a combined annual payroll of $178,622,000.

346

Businesses

3,909

Employees

$178.6M

Annual Payroll

15

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Accommodation and food services 65 18.8%
Retail trade 48 13.9%
Health care and social assistance 39 11.3%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 36 10.4%
Other services (except public administration) 30 8.7%
Finance and insurance 26 7.5%
Construction 23 6.7%
Real estate and rental and leasing 18 5.2%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 14 4.0%
Manufacturing 13 3.8%
Information 8 2.3%
Wholesale trade 7 2.0%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 7 2.0%
Transportation and warehousing 6 1.7%
Educational services 5 1.4%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.

Nearby ZIP Codes

Want a side-by-side? Compare 39520 vs 39576 →

ZIP 39520 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 39520 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 39520 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 39520 ranks #3 of 4 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
39576 Waveland, MS 5,809 5.4 mi
39572 Pearlington, MS 1,414 7.9 mi
39525 Diamondhead, MS 8,383 10.0 mi

More ZIP Codes in Hancock County

39525 standard
Diamondhead, MS
Pop: 8,383
39556 standard
Kiln, MS
Pop: 7,705
39576 standard
Waveland, MS
Pop: 5,809
39572 standard
Pearlington, MS
Pop: 1,414

Related Areas

Hancock County Bay Saint Louis, MS Mississippi

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 39520 in? ▼
ZIP code 39520 (Bay Saint Louis) is located in Hancock County, Mississippi. Hancock County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/hancock-ms.
What is the population of ZIP code 39520? ▼
ZIP code 39520 in Bay Saint Louis, MS has a population of 14,681 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 39520? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 39520 is $62,176, which is 18% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 39520? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 39520 is $225,600, which is 19% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 39520? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 39520 is White at 80.1%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 3.7% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 39520? ▼
ZIP code 39520 has 346 business establishments employing approximately 3,909 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 39520? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 39520 are: Accommodation and food services (65), Retail trade (48), Health care and social assistance (39). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 39520? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 39520 increased by 1.2% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 204%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 39520? ▼
In ZIP code 39520, 56.4% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 30.8% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 39520? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 39520 is 27.6 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend more time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 39520? ▼
In ZIP code 39520, approximately 75.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 25.0% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 39520? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 39520 is 16.5% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.