Zones across Mississippi
Share of Mississippi's 524 ZIP codes in each zone:
Frost dates in Mississippi
Median 32°F freeze dates across 524 ZIP codes with a NOAA weather station within 60 km, from the 1991 to 2020 climate normals. Frost dates vary a lot inside a state, so look up your ZIP code for your own dates.
Sources: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991 to 2020; Purdue Extension, Indiana Vegetable Planting Calendar (HO-186-W).
Places in each zone
| Zone | Average coldest night | Example places |
|---|---|---|
| 7b | 5 to 10°F (-15 to -12°C) | Holly Springs, Ashland, Dumas, Falkner, Hickory Flat, Lamar |
| 8a | 10 to 15°F (-12 to -9°C) | Tupelo, Southaven, Walls, Grenada, Starkville, Abbeville |
| 8b | 15 to 20°F (-9 to -7°C) | Jackson, Meridian, Hattiesburg, Columbus, Greenville, Vicksburg |
| 9a | 20 to 25°F (-7 to -4°C) | Gulfport, Biloxi, Pascagoula, Bay Saint Louis, Stennis Space Center, Moss Point |
Zones for cities in Mississippi
Using your zone in Mississippi
Zones measure winter cold only: the average of the coldest night each year from 1991 to 2020. Within Mississippi, zones change with elevation, latitude and distance from large bodies of water, so two towns a short drive apart can differ by a half zone or more. Check your own ZIP code, then pick perennials, shrubs and trees whose tag range includes your zone.
What changed on the 2023 map
The 2023 map, released by the USDA and Oregon State University's PRISM Climate Group, uses weather data from 1991 to 2020 and far more weather stations than the 2012 map. Nationally, about half the country moved to the next warmer half zone and the rest stayed in the same half zone, so if your plant tags or old garden notes use a 2012 zone for Mississippi, it is worth checking your ZIP code again.
Frequently asked questions
What planting zone is Mississippi?
Mississippi spans USDA plant hardiness zones 7b to 9a on the 2023 map. The most common zone by ZIP code is 8b.
How do I find my exact zone in Mississippi?
Zones can change over short distances with elevation and nearness to water. Enter your ZIP code in the zone finder for the zone the 2023 USDA map gives your ZIP code.
Zones: 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map ZIP code listings, PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State University. Place names: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Not the official USDA map.