Picayune, MS

Picayune offers a relaxed, small-town pace right on the Mississippi-Louisiana border. With around 12,000 residents, it is a practical choice for commuters thanks to its location along Interstate 59. You are only about ten miles from NASA’s Stennis Space Center and roughly a 45-minute drive from New Orleans, Hattiesburg, and the Gulf Coast beaches. Outdoor enthusiasts can spend weekends exploring the trails at Bogue Chitto National Wildlife Refuge or paddling along the scenic Pearl River.

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The town originally grew around the railroad in the late 1800s and took its name from Eliza Jane Nicholson, a local writer and owner of the New Orleans Daily Picayune. Today, that history lives on with an active Amtrak station right in the downtown district, which is lined with local diners, bakeries, and antique shops. Factor in nature spots like the Crosby Arboretum and more affordable housing than neighboring Louisiana suburbs, and Picayune makes an easy, welcoming home base.