Cost of Living
Cost of Living by County
All counties in the region have a low cost of living index when compared to the United States as a whole. The table below provides detail based on 2017 cost of living according to city-data.com
| United States | Alcorn County | Prentiss County | Tishomingo County | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cost of Living Index | 100 | 79.5 | 79.6 | 79.0 |
Cost of Living by City
In addition to having a low cost of living for each county, the table below shows cost of living for the three primary cities located in the region. According to Sperling’s Best Places, each city has a low cost of living index in all categories except utilities. Overall cost of living is still below the United States as a whole.
| Location | Overall Cost of Living Index | Food | Utilities | Housing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 |
| Booneville | 83.1 | 102.6 | 92.2 | 37.4 |
| Corinth | 85 | 94.5 | 94.6 | 64.2 |
| Iuka | 89.5 | 102.6 | 92.2 | 57.3 |
Public Education
Six public school systems are present in the three county TAP region. Five of the six school systems have a graduation rate at or above the state rate. Only the Alcorn County School Systems has a drop-out rate higher than the state. The Quality of Distribution Index (QDI) is a representation of the distribution of student scores across the various state-wide assessment instruments. All schools in the region have a QDI higher than the state.
Following is a table which contains select data for each of the public school districts in the TAP region.
| District Name | County | 2017 Graduation Rate | 2017 Drop Out Rate | 2016 District Spending per Student | 2016 District Ranking |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alcorn County School System | Alcorn | 90.8% | 6.3% | $9604.43 | B |
| Baldwyn School System | Prentiss | 90.2% | 5.1% | $11388.02 | B |
| Booneville School System | Prentiss | 89.1% | 5.8% | $9007.07 | A |
| Corinth School System | Alcorn | 91.8% | 3.6% | $9186.30 | A |
| Prentiss County School System | Prentiss | 79.1% | 12.2% | $9679.60 | B |
| Tishomingo County School System | Tishomingo | 85.6% | 8.3% | $10153.67 | B |
| State of Mississippi | 82.3% | 10.8% | $9780.99 |
Healthcare
The TAP region is home to several hospitals and healthcare providers as outlined below.
Magnolia Regional Health Center
Located in Corinth, Magnolia Regional Health Center provides emergency and routine healthcare services. The center includes 164 beds, home nursing care, and two rural health clinics in Alcorn County.
Baptist Memorial Hospital
Located in Booneville in Prentiss County, Baptist Memorial Hospital is a 114-bed acute care hospital. It was recognized by Healthgrades.com as providing an “Outstanding Patient Experience” in 2008 and 2009.
North Mississippi Medical Center
The Iuka branch of the North Mississippi Medical Center is a 48-bed general acute care hospital. Services provided include a full laboratory, clinical pharmacy, radiology, rehabilitation and respiratory therapy.
Recreation
There are many types of recreational opportunities in the TAP region. Some of these include
- Pickwick Lake
- Bay Springs Lake
- Brice’s Crossroads National Battlefield and Visitor’s Center
- Natchez Trace Parkway
- Local museums
- Local parks
- Marinas along the Tenn-Tom Waterway
- J. P. Coleman State Park
- Tishomingo State Park
- Golf Courses
- Annual Festivals
Crime Rate
| City | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Booneville | 156 | 206 | 159 | 136 |
| Corinth | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown |
| Iuka | 169 | 315 | 193 | 350 |
| US Avge | 305 | 297 | 280 | 266 |