Gulfport vs New Orleans
Compare Gulfport, MS and New Orleans, LA on cost, HUD rent, safety, climate, commute, schools, outdoor access, food, and source-labeled relocation data.
The verdict
Housing costs are close: ACS median rent is $1,010/mo in Gulfport and $1,151/mo in New Orleans, with HUD 2-bedroom benchmarks of $1,151/mo and $1,362/mo. Across the four public-data screens (cost/climate, work, daily life, community) the metros land close together (243 vs 250 summed points), so the right pick depends on which tradeoffs you can live with.
Their climates screen similarly — summer highs near 91°F and 91°F respectively. If lower housing cost leads your list, start with Gulfport; if walkable daily life matters more, New Orleans screens stronger on the walkability proxy (22 vs 5). These are metro-level public-data screens — verify neighborhoods, school districts, commutes, and actual listings before deciding.
Category summary
Gulfport leads 76 to 67 on the cost and climate screen.
New Orleans leads 82 to 72 on the work screen.
New Orleans leads 54 to 41 on the daily life screen.
Gulfport leads 54 to 47 on the community screen.
$85,000 in Gulfport is roughly $43,350 in New Orleans using WhereToThrive's cost index and state-tax adjustment.
Category comparison
| Metric | Gulfport | New Orleans | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACS median gross rent | $1,010/mo | $1,151/mo | Gulfport |
| HUD 2BR FMR | $1,151/mo | $1,362/mo | Gulfport |
| Median home value | $176,000 | $243,000 | Gulfport |
| State income tax | 4% | 3% | New Orleans |
| Average commute | 27.3 min | 28.2 min | Gulfport |
| Safety score | 62/100 | 26/100 | Gulfport |
| School score | 4/10 | 4/10 | Tie |
| Walkability estimate | 5/100 | 22/100 | New Orleans |
| Outdoor score | 6/10 | 5/10 | Gulfport |
| Restaurants per 100k | 190.2 | 181.0 | Gulfport |
| Mountain distance | 171 mi | 225 mi | Gulfport |
| Coast distance | 8 mi | 11 mi | Gulfport |
What stands out
Gulfport stronger signals
- Public park/protected-area signal within 1 miles
- Named beach within 33 miles
- Coast access within 8 miles
- More affordable than many peer metros
Gulfport tradeoffs
- Higher natural disaster risk
New Orleans stronger signals
- Major airport access
- Strong food and nightlife amenities score
- Public park/protected-area signal within 0 miles
- Named beach within 23 miles
New Orleans tradeoffs
- Higher natural disaster risk
- Lower safety score than stronger alternatives
Common questions
Is Gulfport cheaper than New Orleans?
On public benchmarks Gulfport is the cheaper metro: ACS median rent is $1,010/mo in Gulfport vs $1,151/mo in New Orleans; HUD 2-bedroom Fair Market Rents are $1,151/mo vs $1,362/mo; state income tax is 4% vs 3%.
Is Gulfport or New Orleans safer?
Gulfport screens safer at the metro level: safety scores are 62/100 for Gulfport and 26/100 for New Orleans (FBI-reported metro rates; neighborhood variation is larger than metro averages).
Which is better for families, Gulfport or New Orleans?
School screens show 4/10 for Gulfport vs 4/10 for New Orleans, alongside the safety scores above. Both screen similarly — district-level research will matter more than the metro gap.
How different is the climate between Gulfport and New Orleans?
Gulfport: summer highs near 91°F, winter lows near 40°F, disaster-risk band 3/3. New Orleans: 91°F / 43°F, disaster-risk band 3/3 (NOAA climate normals).
Keep researching
Score this comparison with your own constraints
Public comparison pages use equal-weighted signals. The questionnaire reweights cities around your housing budget, climate preferences, work needs, family needs, and daily-life priorities.
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