13 min read | Relocation & Lifestyle | McMurphy Homes
Every year, thousands of people pack up their lives in higher-cost, higher-tax states and point their moving trucks toward the Gulf Coast. Some are chasing warmer winters. Some are retiring and want their savings to stretch further. Others are simply tired of long commutes, crowded subdivisions, and price tags that don’t match the quality of life they’re getting in return. Wherever they’re coming from, most of them ask the same question once they start looking seriously: which town on the Mississippi Gulf Coast is actually the best place to live?
The honest answer is that it depends on what you’re optimizing for — but after helping families build homes across this coastline for seven decades, we’ve got a pretty informed opinion. This guide breaks down what makes a Gulf Coast community genuinely livable, compares the top cities buyers ask about, and explains why Gulfport — and specifically the Florence Gardens community — consistently rises to the top of the list for relocating families, move-up buyers, and retirees alike.
What Actually Makes a Great Place to Live on the Gulf Coast?
Before comparing cities, it helps to define the criteria. When out-of-state buyers relocate to South Mississippi, they’re almost always weighing the same handful of factors.
Affordability Without the Coastal Premium
Coastal living usually comes with a coastal price tag — unless you’re looking at the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Compared to coastal Florida, coastal Alabama, or the Carolinas, Mississippi consistently offers a lower cost of living, lower property taxes, and more home for the money. Buyers relocating from higher-cost states are often stunned by how much further their budget goes here, whether they’re buying resale or building new.
Climate and an Outdoor-Centered Lifestyle
Mild winters and a long warm season make outdoor living a year-round habit rather than a summer-only luxury. Boating, fishing, golf, beach days, and outdoor festivals are woven into everyday life up and down the coast, from Bay St. Louis to Ocean Springs.
A Slower Pace With Real Community
Many relocating buyers are leaving cities where they didn’t know their neighbors’ names. The Gulf Coast still operates on small-town rhythms even in its larger cities — front-porch conversations, community events, and neighborhoods where people actually look out for one another.
Proximity to Bigger Cities When You Want Them
Living on the Mississippi Gulf Coast doesn’t mean isolation. New Orleans is under 90 minutes away, and Mobile, Alabama is close enough for an easy day trip — giving residents access to major airports, professional sports, and big-city amenities without living in the middle of them.
Comparing the Top Mississippi Gulf Coast Cities
Gulfport
Gulfport is the largest city on the Coast and offers the best combination of amenities, new construction inventory, healthcare access, shopping, and master-planned communities. It’s also home to Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport, which matters a great deal to out-of-state buyers who will be flying back to visit family. For buyers who want new construction with modern floor plans, resort-style community amenities, and easy access to everything else the Coast offers, Gulfport is consistently the top pick.
Biloxi
Biloxi blends a historic downtown with a busy waterfront, casinos, dining, and a strong sense of local culture. It appeals to buyers who want more urban energy and don’t mind being closer to the tourist corridor.
Ocean Springs
Known for its walkable downtown, art galleries, and coastal charm, Ocean Springs draws buyers who want a boutique, artsy feel. Inventory tends to be older and more limited, and it commands a premium compared to Gulfport.
Long Beach and Pass Christian
These smaller coastal towns offer quiet, close-knit living with beautiful waterfront views. They’re popular with buyers who want a slower pace and don’t need a large selection of new construction.
Why Gulfport Consistently Wins for Relocating Families and Retirees
When you line the criteria up side by side — affordability, new construction availability, healthcare access, airport proximity, and planned-community amenities — Gulfport checks more boxes than any other city on the Coast. It has grown thoughtfully over the last decade, adding master-planned neighborhoods with the kind of amenities buyers used to have to drive an hour to find: walking trails, community pools, lakes, and pickleball courts, all within a short drive of shopping, dining, and the beach.
Florence Gardens: Gulfport’s Master-Planned Answer to Modern Coastal Living
Florence Gardens was designed around exactly the qualities that make a neighborhood livable long-term: walkability, green space, and a genuine sense of community. Residents enjoy scenic trails, Lake Florence, pickleball courts, a resort-style saltwater pool, a clubhouse, and thoughtfully planned neighborhoods — all set within one of the Coast’s most desirable master-planned communities.
Inside Florence Gardens: the Magnolia District is home to McMurphy Homes’ Coastal Modern Series, a collection of new construction homes that blend Southern architecture with New Orleans-inspired design and modern open-concept living. Homes are built with FORTIFIED Roof construction and spray foam insulation standard — meaning storm resilience and energy efficiency aren’t upgrades, they’re the baseline.
You can Explore the Coastal Modern Series
What to Look for When Choosing a Neighborhood
- New vs. resale inventory — newer construction means fewer surprise repairs and lower long-term maintenance
- Amenities that fit your lifestyle — trails and pools for active families, low-maintenance living for retirees
- Distance to healthcare, shopping, and the airport
- Storm-readiness of construction — ask about roof rating, insulation, and elevation
- Whether the builder is local and established, or an out-of-town production builder
A Closer Look: Comparing Gulfport Neighborhoods for Relocating Buyers
Out-of-state buyers researching from a distance often start with a spreadsheet — comparing average home prices, commute times, and school ratings across a handful of neighborhoods. That’s a reasonable starting point, but it misses the details that actually determine whether a neighborhood feels like home once the moving boxes are unpacked. A subdivision with a low average price but no sidewalks, no shared green space, and homes from three different decades will rarely deliver the same day-to-day quality of life as a cohesive, planned neighborhood — even if the numbers look similar on paper.
This is where newer, amenity-rich communities have started to pull ahead of older Gulfport subdivisions in buyer demand. Families relocating with young kids consistently prioritize sidewalks and parks they can walk to without getting in the car. Retirees prioritize low-maintenance yards and walkable recreation. Remote workers, increasingly common among Gulf Coast newcomers, care about reliable infrastructure and a neighborhood that feels finished and established from day one — not one still being built out lot by lot around them for the next five years.
Making the Move: What Out-of-State Buyers Should Do First
If you’re serious about relocating to the Mississippi Gulf Coast, the research phase matters more than most buyers expect. Start by narrowing your city — Gulfport, Biloxi, Ocean Springs, or one of the smaller coastal towns — based on the priorities above, then narrow further to two or three specific neighborhoods. From there, a scouting trip is invaluable, but it isn’t always practical before you’re ready to commit. Many builders, including McMurphy Homes, are used to working with buyers who do much of their research and even their design selections remotely, with an in-person visit reserved for a final walkthrough closer to move-in.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the best place to live on the Mississippi Gulf Coast?
For most relocating buyers, Gulfport offers the best overall balance of affordability, new construction, amenities, healthcare access, and airport proximity — particularly in master-planned communities like Florence Gardens.
Is the Mississippi Gulf Coast cheaper than Florida?
Generally, yes. The Mississippi Gulf Coast typically offers a lower cost of living and lower property taxes than comparable coastal areas of Florida, while still offering beach access, boating, and a similar climate.
How far is Gulfport, MS from New Orleans?
Gulfport is roughly 70 to 90 minutes from New Orleans, making it close enough for day trips to a major airport, professional sports, and big-city dining without living in the middle of a large metro area.
Is Florence Gardens a gated community?
Florence Gardens is a master-planned community with amenities including trails, a community lake, pickleball courts, and a resort-style pool. Contact McMurphy Homes directly for the most current details on community access and available homesites.
Can I build a home in Florence Gardens if I live out of state?
Yes. McMurphy Homes regularly works with out-of-state buyers, offering a guided building process, a design studio for personalizing finishes, and construction updates you can follow remotely.