12 THE PINE BELT NEWS: PETAL GUIDE 2020-2021
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Petal at a Glance...
Petal continues to boast a trend of
slow and steady economic development,
but the city has seen its fair
share of growth spurts. With its businessfriendly
environment, safe neighborhoods
and exemplary schools, the Friendly City
is arguably one of the Mississippi’s hidden
treasures.
Amenities, quality of life and low tax
and unemployment rates earned Petal a
spot on Movoto Real Estate’s list of the 10
best places to live in Mississippi.
The city’s schools have a low studentto-teacher
ratio of just 15 to 1, and a median
household income of more than
$48,000, with median rent prices only
$807.
There is a 60 percent college attendance
rate among Petal citizens and the
Friendly City’s average income is 53 percent
and higher than the state average.
Also, thanks to the low crime rate,
Petal was also found to be one of the
safest cities in Mississippi by Movoto and
Safe Choice Security.
Top industries include teaching and
education, retail and small business and
restaurants and accommodations.
Matthew Dillon, a native of Columbia
with nearly 20 years of experience in education,
is at the helm of the state’s No. 1
ranked school district, which continues
to put up impressive numbers in regard
to testing and overall excellence.
The district formed an Early Learning
Collaborative, per the Early Learning Collaborative
Act of 2013, and received its
share of a two-year grant pool set aside
by the Mississippi Department of Education,
totaling more than $8.4 million.
In the first year of funding, Petal’s collaborative
received $107,500 to prepare
for phasing in pre-Kindergarten education
in the district.
PSD entered into a joint project with
Southeast Mississippi Rural Health Initiative,
resulting in a health clinic being
built on the PHS campus and staffed by a
nurse practitioner.
The Mississippi Development Authority
also tapped Petal as one of five communities
chosen to participate in the MDA’s
Selected to Serve Leadership Training
Program designed to help develop municipal
assets.
The MDA’s Asset Development Division
recommended developing city-owned
land along the east bank of the Leaf River
beside the U.S. Highway 11 bridge leading
into Petal. City leaders and the Petal Area
Chamber of Commerce were ahead of the
game, already having drafted initial plans
for the creation of Petal River Park, an
outdoor recreational space with scenic
field views and mountain biking trails.
The park opened with a mountain biking
event and continues to host a variety of
events year-round.
Because the land is in a floodplain, the
city wasn’t able to utilize the land for
various construction projects.
A variety of bike trails – mountain
bike, cyclo-cross trains and a BMX pump
track – are being used during competitive
bike time trials.
Future plans call for the site to include
picnic areas and a possible archery site,
as well as walking trails and places for
families to get out and enjoy the outdoors.
Business along the Gandy Parkway
continues to grow as national food and
business chains have built facilities to
meet the everyday needs of customers.
The Chamber, along with city officials,
local business people and developers
continue to work to bring a hotel/motel
facility to the area.
Petal’s Park and Rec Department welcomes
numerous ball tournaments
throughout the year, but especially during
the summer months.
Last year the park hosted the inaugural
Star Spangled 4th of July Celebration on
the River in conjunction with the City of
Hattiesburg. Events were held in Petal’s
River Park and at Chain Park on the other
side of the river. More than 10,000 guests
enjoyed the celebration, which included
food, music, vendors and a spectacular
fireworks show.
In 2018, Hattiesburg Area Habitat for
Humanity, which has been building
homes along Petal’s McInnis Street for
the last few years, dedicated another
home. This was the 67th home built by
the organization.
Petal’s population is projected to grow
from around 10,900 to 11,200 by 2020,
according to independent market research
analysis and estimates from the
U.S. Census Bureau.
Petal has a strong Relay For Life community
which continues to turn out in
support of the American Cancer Society.
The Byrd Boulevard Extension, which
was more than 10 years in the making,
was completed and opened to the public
at the end of 2014. The extension offers
the city a new corridor for growth along
the Gandy Parkway.
• Elevation: 162 feet above sea level.
• Land Area: 9.67 square miles
• Population: 10,454 (2010 census)
up from 7,900 (2000 census)
• Population Density: 852 people/sq. mile
• Education:
High school or higher: 79.8%
Bachelor’s degree or higher: 17.9%
Graduate or professional degree: 5.8%