The Office of Economic Development works to maximize the city’s potential as a thriving center for businesses, jobs, robust neighborhoods and economic opportunity for everyone in the Capital City.  

The Office of Economic Development offers an array of valuable tools and resources which include the following: 

• Tax Increment Financing
• Ad Valorem Tax Exemption
• Tourism Rebate
• New Market Tax Credits
• Urban Renewal Bonds

The Office of Economic Development is comprised of two divisions: Business Development and Real Estate



Jackson has a population of 172,638 with a Metropolitan Statistical Area population of 576,800.  Jackson serves as a major hub of the south, 600 miles from 30 percent of the American population with national interstate systems, including Interstate 20 and Interstate 55, passing through the city.  

Jackson has a strong service industry that supports the primary economic drivers: government, education, healthcare, technology and entertainment. The majority of small businesses in Jackson and the metro area are wholesale trade, retail trade, professional services, and accommodation and food services.   

Major educational institutions include Jackson State University, Belhaven University, Millsaps College, Mississippi College School of Law, Tougaloo College, and the University of Mississippi Medical Center.  As a result, Jackson has a student population of 40,000-plus students. 

Major hospitals and academic health science centers include Baptist Health Systems, St. Dominic Health Services, University of Mississippi Medical Center, VA Hospital and the Jackson Medical Mall.

The City of Jackson has been recognized in recent years by the following regional and national media outlets, publications and organizations:

• Top 10 U.S. Cities to Start Your New Business
• One of the Ten Best Places to Retire in America for Under $40,000 – U.S. News and World Report
• One of the American Cities Beating the Recession – The Huffington Post
• One of the 20 Strongest Performing Metros in America – Brookings Institute’s Metro Monitor Report
• Eleventh Best City in America to Launch a Small Business – CNNMoney.com
• Third Best Bang-for-the-Buck City in America – Forbes.com
• Eleventh Strongest U.S. Metro Economy in America – BusinessWeek Magazine
• Ninth Top City for Income Growth – Portfolio.com
• One of the Top Five Cities for Sensible Meetings – Convention South Magazine
• One of the Top 100 Places to Live in America – RelocateAmerica.com
• One of the Nation’s 100 Best Communities for Young People – America’s Promise Alliance and ING (2011 and 2012)
• One of the Most Socially Networked Cities in America – Men’s Health
• One of the Top 100 Metro Economies in America – United States Conference of Mayors’ Report “U.S. Metro Economies: Outlook – Gross Metropolitan Product, and Critical Role of Transportation Infrastructure”