Gulfport

Gulfport is the second-largest city in Mississippi after the state capital, Jackson. It is the co-county seat of Harrison County and the larger of the two principal cities of the Gulfport-Biloxi, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2020 census, the city of Gulfport had a total population of 72,926, with 416,259 in the metro area as of 2018. The city's location on the coast made it vulnerable to hurricanes and it weathered several. On August 17, 1969, Gulfport and the Mississippi Gulf Coast were hit by Hurricane Camille. The area of total destruction in Harrison County was 68 square miles (180 km²).[11] The total estimated cost of damage was $1.42 billion (1969 USD, $9 billion 2012 USD).[12] Camille was second-most expensive hurricane in the United States, up to that point (behind Hurricane Betsy).[13] The storm directly killed 143 people in Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana. Hurricane Katrina hit Gulfport on August 29, 2005, and much of the city was flooded or destroyed that day by the strong, hurricane-force winds. The Sun Herald-Gulfi newspaper in Biloxi won the 2006 Pulitzer Prize for its journalism for its coverage of Hurricane Katrina. In December 1993, the City annexed 33 sq miles (85 km²) north of Gulf port, making it the second largest city inMississippi. It now accounts for millions of dollars in annual sales and tax revenue for the state of Mississippi.

History

Gulfport was incorporated on July 28, 1898. The city was founded by William H. Hardy, who was president of the Gulf and Ship Island Railroad (G&SIRR) that connected inland lumber mills to the coast. In the 20th century, the city developed as an important port; as it was served by railroads from the interior, it stimulated town growth by providing a way to get products to markets. In December 1993, the City annexed 33 square miles (85 km²) north of Gulfport, making it the second-largest city in Mississippi. On August 29, 2005, Gulfport was hit by the strong eastern side of Hurricane Katrina. Hurricane Katrina damaged more than 40 Mississippi libraries, gutting the Gulfport Public Library, first floor, and breaking windows on the second floor, beyond repair. Although Katrina's damage was far more widespread, it was not the fiercest hurricane to hit Gulfport. Katrina, a Category 3 storm at landfall, was dwarfed by Hurricane Camille, which had hit Gulf port and neighboring communities on August 17, 1969 with 175 mph sustained winds. Measured by central pressure, Camille was second-strongest hurricane to make U.S. landfall in recorded history. The total estimated cost of damage was $1.42 billion (1969 USD, $9 billion 2012 USD).[12] The storm directly killed 143 people in Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana. The area of total destruction in Harrison County was 68 square miles.

Geography

Gulfport has a humid subtropical climate, which is strongly moderated by the Gulf of Mexico. Summers are generally long, hot and humid, though the city's proximity to the Gulf prevents extreme summer highs, as seen farther inland. Gulfport is subject to extreme weather, most notably tropical storm activity through the Gulf. The city listed 39 official neighborhoods in 2000. These neighborhoods are sometimes subdivisions or accumulations of gradual home development. The U.S. Census Bureau says the city has a total area of 64.2 sq mi (166.4 km²) of which 56.9 sq mi is land and 7.3 sq mi (19.0 km 2) (11.40%) is water. In 2000, the city had a total population of 2,071,000. The population of Gulfport in 2000 was 2,084, and it had a population of 1,788 in 2010. In 2010, the population of the city was 1,816, and the population density was 64.9 square miles (147.4 kilometers) per square mile (32.4 square kilometers) The city has an area of 56.2sq mi (167.4km²) according to the United States Census Bureau, and a total land area of 63.4 sq mi(166.2 km²), including land and water. The area of the town is 1,081 sq mi. (2,078 km²).

Demographics

Gulfport is the location of Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport. The airport suffered extensive damage due to Hurricane Katrina. New housing development has continued with a mixture of redevelopment from hurricane damage, though not all of the displaced population returned. The population of the city went down while the total number of housing units rose in the 2000 and 2010 Census. The median income for a household in the city was $32,779, and the medianincome for a family was $39,213. The city had 50,825 or 74.97% of its population at the age of 18 and above in the 2010 census. In the 2020 U.S. census, there were 72,926 people, 25,559 households, and 15,584 families residing in Gulfport. The racial makeup was 56.86% White, 36.07% African American, 0.39% Native American, 1.69% Asian, 2.13% from other races, and 2.73% from two or more races. Results show that 5.19% of the population was Hispanic/Latino of any race. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 3.07. In Gulfport, the population dispersal was 26.0% under the Age of 18, 11.1% from 18 to 24, 30.4% from 25 to 44, 21.1%. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there are 98.2 males. For each 100 females age 18 and over, there is 96.1 males.

Economy

Gulfport is a city in Mississippi, United States. It is located on the Gulf of Mexico. The city is home to the Island View Casino, one of twelve casinos on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. It also hosts a number of cultural events, such as the "World's Largest Fishing Rodeo" and "Smokin' the Coast" The city has about 6.7 miles (10.7 kilometres) of white sand beaches. It has a population of about 2.5 million people, according to the 2010 Census. The population of the city was 2.4 million in 2010. The 2011 Census recorded 2.6 million people in the city, and 2.7 million in the state of Mississippi. The 2010 Census reported that the city had 2.3 million residents, the highest rate of growth in its population since the mid-1970s. The 2013 Census reported 2.8 million people lived in Gulfport, the lowest rate since the early 1980s. It had a population growth rate of 1.7 per cent in the year 2010, and 1.8 per cent from 2000 to 2012. The 2014 Census reported a population increase of 0.4 per cent, the largest year-on-year increase since 2000. The 2012 Census recorded a population rise of 1 per cent; the highest year-to-year growth rate since 2000 was 1.9 per cent. The 2007 Census reported the city's population was 2,816, and the 2010 census reported a growth of 2.1 per cent over the previous year.

Infrastructure

The U.S. Coast Guard operates 9 boats out of the port of Gulfport 4 of which are Patrol Boats. The Gulfport Fire Department was founded in 1908 and currently provides fire suppression, HAZMAT response, and technical rescue services within the city limits. Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport serves the Gulf Coast area. Until Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Amtrak's Sunset Limited from Los Angeles to Orlando made stops in Gulfport station. Well into the 1960s, the Louisville and Nashville ran several trains daily, making stops in the Gulfport--Crescent, Gulf Wind, Humming Bird, Pan-American and Piedmont Limitedvaried destinations including New Orleans, Cincinnati, Atlanta, New York City and Jacksonville. The area is served by major roads and highways including Interstate 10, Interstate 90, U.S. 49, and Gulfport/Bil Oxi Airport. The city is located on the Gulf of Mexico and is located in the Biloxi-Gulfport Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes the cities of BiloxI, Gulfport, and Port St. Joe, Mississippi. It has a population of 1.2 million. The population of Gulf Port is 1.3 million. It is located near the Gulf coast and on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, and is in the Mississippi Delta region of the Mississippi River drainage basin. The town is located at the junction of Interstate 10 and Interstate 49. The Mississippi River runs through the middle section of the city, and runs east-west through the downtown area.

Education

Before Hurricane Katrina, William Carey University had a satellite campus in Gulfport. In 2009, the university moved to its new Tradition Campus, constructed off Mississippi Highway 67 in north Harrison County. The Gulf Park Campus of the University of Southern Mississippi is located in Long Beach, just west of Gulf Port. The Harrison County Campus of Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College is also located in Gulf port. In 2012, repairs and renovations to campus buildings were still in progress following extensive damage in 2005 by Hurricane Katrina. The City of Gulfport is served by the Gulfport School District and the Harrison County School District. The city is also home to the Gulf Coast High School and Gulfport High School. The University of Mississippi's Gulf Park campus is located near Gulfport, in the town of Long Beach. The university's Tradition Campus is in the north of the city, near the Mississippi River. The town is home to a number of community colleges, including Gulf Coast State College and Mississippi Gulf State College. It is also the home of the Mississippi Gulf County Community College, which was founded in the 1950s and is based in the city's Gulfport Landing area. It was the first community college in the state, and is now one of the state's largest colleges. The school district also has a high school, Gulfport Preparatory School, which opened in the 1970s. The high school has a junior high, high school and middle school, which were founded in 1981. The community college has an adult education program, Gulf Coast Preparatory Academy, which began in the 1990s.

Filmed in Gulfport

Precious Cargo, 2016 film starring Bruce Willis, Mark-Paul Gosselaar, and Claire Forlani. The Astronaut Wives Club, TV series. Christmas in Mississippi, 2017 TV movie starring Jana Kramer. The Mississippi River, which runs through the town of Gulfport, Mississippi, is a popular tourist destination. The town is home to the Mississippi Gulf Coast Museum, which was founded in 1881. The Gulf Coast Inn, which opened in 1883, is located in the town's historic downtown area. It is located on the Gulf Coast, which is known as the "Gateway to the Gulf" and was once the site of the world's largest oyster harvest. The city is also known for its casinos, which were founded in the 19th century. The state has a long history of hosting major sporting events, including the opening of the Mississippi River in 1875 and the World Series of Poker in 1891. It was also the birthplace of the American Civil War, which took place in 1877 and 1878. The U.S. Civil Rights Movement, which began in the early 1900s, was also based in the state, and was centered in Gulfport. The American Civil Liberties Union, which fought for equal rights for all citizens, was based in Mississippi in the 1920s and 1930s. The United Nations, which promotes equal rights, was established in the 1940s and has been based in New Orleans since the 1950s. In the 1960s and 1970s, the U.N. issued a resolution calling for equal pay for women.

Air Quality, Water Quality, Superfund Sites & UV Index

The Air Quality index is in Gulfport, Harrison County, Mississippi = 20.8. These Air Quality index is based on annual reports from the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The number of ozone alert days is used as an indicator of air quality, as are the amounts of seven pollutants including particulates, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, lead, and volatile organic chemicals. The Water Quality Index is 60. A measure of the quality of an area’s water supply as rated by the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The EPA has a complex method of measuring the watershed quality, using 15 indicators such as pollutants, turbidity, sediments, and toxic discharges. The Superfund Sites Index is 40. Higher is better (100=best). Based upon the number and impact of EPA Superfund pollution sites in the county, including spending on the cleanup efforts. The UV Index in Gulfport = 6 and is a measure of an area's exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays. This is most often a combination of sunny weather, altitude, and latitude. The UV Index has been defined by the WHO (www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/radiation-the-ultraviolet-(uv)-index) and is uniform worldwide.

Employed

The most recent city population of 72,926 individuals with a median age of 36.5 age the population dropped by -5.14% in Gulfport, Harrison County, Mississippi population since 2000 and are distributed over a density of 1,311.08 residents per square mile of area (506.21/km²). There are average 2.49 people per household in the 25,635 households with an average household income of $38,497 a year. The unemployment rate in Alabama is 9.30% of the available work force and has dropped -6.31% over the most recent 12-month period and the projected change in job supply over the next decade based on migration patterns, economic growth, and other factors will increase by 18.08%. The number of physicians in Gulfport per 100,000 population = 233.7.

Weather

The annual rainfall in Gulfport = 64 inches and the annual snowfall = 0.2 inches. The annual number of days with measurable precipitation (over .01 inch) = 111. The average number of days per year that are predominantly sunny = 219. 91 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily high temperature for the month of July and 42.4 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily low temperature for the month of January. The Comfort Index (higher=better) is 27, where higher values mean a more pleasant climate. The Comfort Index measure recognizes that humidity by itself isn't the problem. (Have you noticed nobody ever complains about the weather being 'cold and humid?) It's in the summertime that we notice the humidity the most, when it's hot and muggy. Our Comfort Index uses a combination of afternoon summer temperature and humidity to closely predict the effect that the humidity will have on people.

Median Home Cost

The percentage of housing units in Gulfport, Harrison County, Mississippi which are owned by the occupant = 52.33%. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, or room occupied as separate living quarters. The average age of homes = 33 years with median home cost = $102,460 and home appreciation of -1.51%. This is the value of the years most recent home sales data. Its important to note that this is not the average (or arithmetic mean). The median home price is the middle value when you arrange all the sales prices of homes from lowest to highest. This is a better indicator than the average, because the median is not changed as much by a few unusually high or low values. The property tax rate of $6.74 shown here is the rate per $1,000 of home value. If for simplification for example the tax rate is $14.00 and the home value is $250,000, the property tax would be $14.00 x ($250,000/1000), or $3500. This is the 'effective' tax rate.

Study

The local school district spends $5,394 per student. There are 17.6 students for each teacher in the school, 380 students for each Librarian and 586 students for each Counselor. 6.54% of the area’s population over the age of 25 with an Associate Degree or other 2-year college degree, 12.07% with a master’s degree, Ph.D. or other advanced college degree and 6.69% with high school diplomas or high school equivalency degrees (GEDs).