You May Just Want To Drop Everything And Move To The Happiest And Healthiest Town In Mississippi
By Megan Shute|Published February 15, 2019
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Megan Shute
Author
With more than 10 years of experience as a professional writer, Megan holds a degree in Mass Media from her home state of Minnesota. After college, she chose to trade in her winter boots for slippahs and moved to the beautiful island of Oahu, where she has been living for more than five years. She lives on the west side but is constantly taking mini-road trips across the island and visits the neighboring islands whenever she can getaway. She loves hiking, snorkeling, locally-grown coffee, and finding the best acai bowl on Oahu.
Mississippi is undoubtedly home to countless incredible places to live, but if you’re searching for happiness or want to focus on your health in 2019, you might just want to move to the happiest and healthiest town in all of the magnificent Magnolia State. Already live in Madison, Mississippi? Well, aren’t you lucky. With a population of approximately 25,000, Madison has been recognized as not only the happiest city in Mississippi by Zippia but the second healthiest as well, according to Niche. Keep scrolling to learn all about what makes this charming community so great.
At one point in time, Madison was primarily a farming community, but it has grown quite a bit since then and has slowly become one of the best cities in the entire Magnolia State — especially when it comes to the health and happiness of its residents.
Factors included in calculating happiness ratings include, but are not limited to, being well-educated, having gainful employment and a short commute, owning a home, and enjoying a low cost of living.
Health factors are a little different but can be determined based on rates of smoking, alcohol abuse, and obesity, as well as access to fitness centers, healthcare, and mental health facilities. Unsurprisingly, Madison scores well in all of these categories.
While money can’t be happiness, it certainly doesn’t hurt. With a median income of $100,978 — more than double the $40,528 median income statewide — the average cost of living in Madison is also approximately eight percent lower than it is nationwide.
Outdoor recreation opportunities lead to higher rates of health and happiness, too. Madison residents have access to several superb public parks with amenities that include an archery range, walking trails, baseball and soccer fields, batting cages, and even an outdoor learning center.
Due to its close proximity to Jackson, residents can enjoy the small town feel of Madison while also taking advantage of all the amenities that a large metropolitan area has to offer. But don’t think there’s nothing to do here: Madison is also home to countless incredible restaurants and attractions, including Simmons Arboretum and the historic Chapel of the Cross Episcopal Church.
Low crime rates, as well as low unemployment rates, make Madison quite desirable, as evidenced by the 7.1 percent population growth over the last five years.
Madison is not only a wonderful place to raise a family, but it’s an excellent town to retire. As a "Certified Retirement City," Madison has been nationally ranked as one of the best retirement locations in America. Taking into account all that makes Madison special, it's no wonder it's been recognized as one of the state's best.
Do you call Madison, Mississippi home? Would you like to? Sound off in the comments below, then click here to discover “10 Underrated Mississippi Towns That Deserve A Second Look.”
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