McComb, Mississippi

Quality of Life

McComb is dedicated to providing the highest possible standard to quality of life for its citizens. Through community-building traditions like our annual festivals; preservation of history in the way of museums and guided tours; creative outlets including theater and ballet; loving care of our many natural resources, including lakes, rivers, and parks; top of the line health care services, focused and inspiring education, and a thriving economy—our goal is to help each McComb citizen reach his or her full potential in a city that is welcoming, healthy, nurturing, thriving, and stimulating.

Climate & Weather

McComb enjoys a mild four-season climate. Average rainfall is 41 inches per year. The average temperature is 81 degrees F—winters are mild and summers are long and warm. The historical tornado activity is near the Mississippi state average, but slightly higher than the overall US average.


Culture & the Arts

Art Associations, Galleries & Museums

  • Pike County Arts Association
  • Southwest Mississippi Art Guild
  • Gulf South Gallery – pottery, paintings, and jewelry by Mississippi artists and craftsmen.
  • Japonica Gallery – modern art gallery featuring works from area artists including photography and pottery.
  • McComb Civil Rights Driving Tour – This self-guided tour features 15 historic sites of the Civil Rights Movement in McComb during the 1950s and 1960s.
  • Black History Gallery – collection and display of African-American pictures, books, and other historical materials.
  • McComb Historic Railroad Museum – Memorabilia dating back to the 1800s.


Theater and Symphony

  • Pike County Little Theater
  • Broadway Plays
  • Symphony
  • Ballet
  • Celebrity Chef and Author Appearances

Annual Local Festivals

  • Pike County Lighted Azalea Festival – Spring
  • Pike County Arts Council “Springfest” – April
  • Osyka Daylily Garden Trou – May
  • Iron Horse Festival – June
  • Summit Street Fair – September
  • Osyka Fall Fest – October

Famous McComb Citizens

  • Brandy Norwood, Country singer
  • Bo Diddly, Blues legend
  • Robert “Squirrel” Lester, Singer of the legendary soul group, The Chi-Lites
  • Jackie Butler, NBA player, New York Knicks

Historic Areas, Shopping, and Antiques

  • Holmesville Historic Area – a small village on the banks of the Boque Chitto River, the site of Mississippi’s First Territorial Assembly (1815), the county seat of Pike County from 1816-1873. Its cemetery includes veterans of almost every war from the Revolutionary War to the present.
  • McComb Civil Rights Driving Tour – This self-guided tour features 15 historic sites of the Civil Rights Movement in McComb during the 1950s and 1960s.
  • Black History Gallery – collection and display of African-American pictures, books, and other historical materials.
  • McComb Historic Railroad Museum – Memorabilia dating back to the 1800s.
  • McComb is the retail hub for a large area—offering a large variety of entertainment, nightclubs, shopping venues, and restaurants.

Community

  • Headquarters for four-county library system.
  • Public Use Airports nearest to McComb include McComb/Pike County/John E Lewis Field; Paul Pittman Memorial; and Brookhaven-Lincoln County.
  • McComb is a state-designated retirement community with tax savings for seniors, including income tax exemptions for retirement income and proper tax abatements. The Institute for Learning in Retirement at Southwest MS Community College offers special courses at special rates to seniors in a variety of topics.

Business & Industry

  • Home to over 35 industrial facilities, ranging from fabric mills, metals, and plastics to poultry and packaging.
  • Metro Pike Industrial Park is 227 acres of modern industry.
  • Fastest growing occupations in McComb: education, health, social services
    • Respiratory therapy technicians; medical assistants; respiratory therapists; physical therapy assistants; cardiovascular technologists and technicians; occupational therapist assistants; biomedical engineers; computer software engineers; systems software engineers; physical therapist aids; self-enrichment education teachers (top 10)
    • Physician assistants; occupational therapist aides; medical records and health information technicians; occupational therapists; radiation therapists; surgical technologists; home health aides; physical therapists; pharmacy technicians, and others. See link above for more information on growing industries in McComb.
  • Airports certified for carrier operations nearest to McComb include Hardy-Anders Field, Natchez-Adams County; Baton Rouge Metropolitan, Ryan Field; and Jackson International.
  • Public Use Airports nearest to McComb include McComb/Pike County/John E Lewis Field; Paul Pittman Memorial; and Brookhaven-Lincoln County.

Education

  • Universities and colleges within 80 miles:
    • University of Southern Mississippi
    • Louisiana State University
    • Alcorn State University (59 miles, enrollment ~2600)
    • William Carey College
    • Southern University and A&M College (72 miles, enrollment ~9,000)
    • Southeast Louisiana State (51 miles, enrollment 12,000+)
    • Jackson State University (75 miles, enrollment ~6,000)
    • Belhaven College
    • Mississippi College (74 miles, enrollment ~3,000)
    • Millsaps
    • Hinds Community College (68 miles, enrollment ~10,000)
    • Pearl River Community College (69 miles, enrollment ~2500)
  • Colleges nearest McComb: Louisiana Technical College, Saint Helena Parish, LA; Southwest Mississippi Community College, Pike County, MS. Southwest Mississippi Community College, one mile northeast of Summit, is beautifully located on 25 acres surrounding a lake on the site of the historic Godbold Wells Spa; the central campus is part of a total 680-acre plot.
  • The community is served by four public school systems K - 12. McComb High School is one of 100 National Model Schools.
    • Public High Schools in McComb: McComb High School; Business and Technology Complex
    • Public Primary and Middle Schools in McComb: Otken Elementary; Kennedy Elementary; McComb Middle School; Denman Junior High School
  • Private schools in Pike County include Parklane Academy, which offers classes for four-year-old kindergarten through 12th grade. St. Alphonsus Catholic Church also provides classes for kindergarten through seventh grade.

Healthcare

McComb provides state-of-the-art health care services with over 75 local physicians (1:600), over 230 nurses, and more than 15 dentists. Major healthcare facilities are:

  • Southwest Mississippi Regional Medical Center – a 160-bed acute care facility with 24-hour physician-staffed emergency room, one of three Trauma Centers in Mississippi, heli-pad for Air Ambulance Service.
  • Beacham Memorial Hospital – a 38-bed swing-bed facility in Magnolia.
  • A Southwest Center for Rehabilitation offers physical, speech, and occupational therapy to all ages. A sub-acute nursing unit offers restorative and rehabilitative care to Medicare patients.
  • Mississippi Regional Medical Center operates three family practice clinics in surrounding communities.
  • Other hospitals/medical centers near McComb: Beacham Memorial; King’s Daughters Medical Center; Walthall County General Hospital

Outdoors & Recreation

McComb is a positive paradise for the lovers of the outdoors. McComb is more than 50% water, so you’ll see boaters and fishermen (and fisherwomen!) year ‘round. With an abundance of beautiful parks, hiking, hunting, canoeing, rafting, and camping are common hobbies here. Additionally, we boast one of the best golf courses in the country. Like to play sports? We have baseball and softball fields, basketball courts, tennis courts, skating rinks, bowling alleys … you name it. You’ll never run out of things to do in McComb!


  • Outdoors
    • Ten public parks with baseball/softball and soccer fields, three splash pads, and seven tennis courts, playgrounds, pavilions, picnic tables, and BBQ pits.
    • Fishing; saltwater fishing within one-hour drive
    • Hunting
    • Public boat launches and piers
    • Campgrounds
    • Hiking trails
    • Lighted walking track at Southwest Regional Medical Center
    • The Bogue Chitto River, 12 mi. east of McComb – popular for canoeing and rafting, 81 campsites with water and electricity, primitive campsites, picnic tables, cabins, pavilion, playgrounds, and basketball court
    • Canoeing and rafting trips
    • Percy Quin State Park – great fishing and water sports on 1,700-acre lake, magnolia-shaded hiking trails and loblolly pines, camping, golfing, boating, cabins, lodge, playground, and swimming.
    • Lakes near McComb include: Lake Tangipahoa (10 miles); Alford Lake (15 miles); Dixie Springs Lake (15 miles); Lake Bevin (13 miles); Brabhams Pond (19 miles); Greengate Lake (19 miles); Hurricane Lake (16 miles); and Okhissa Lake (17 miles).
    • Other campgrounds: Great Discovery Inspiration Park (20 miles); Hyde Park (20 miles); Osyka Springs Campground (18 miles)
    • Numerous golf courses including Quail Hollow Championship Course (rated Top 10 public course by Golf Digest), 6,700 yards of championship golf with a unique 18-hole public golf course and 9-hole short course. Other golf courses include Fernwood Country Club Facility – country club, restaurant/bar, ball rooms, three swimming pools, tennis, golf lessons; Oakridge Driving Range – 9-hole par 3 golf course daylight to dusk, lighted driving range, lessons by LPGA pro; Lakeview Golf Club – private club that welcomes visitors, 9-hole challenging course.
  • Recreation
    • Pike County Speedway – a 3/8-mile high-banked oval track, host to many special auto racing events.
    • Tennis courts
    • McComb Bowling Center – 16 pro lanes, billiard & game room
    • Skate Galaxy – roller skating rink
    • Movie theaters