Business & Economic Development
An interstate exit and room to build
Poplarville sits where Highway 26 meets Interstate 59, about an hour from Hattiesburg, the Gulf Coast and New Orleans - three markets, one address, and a city small enough to answer the phone.
Location
The geography does the selling
Pearl River County sits between Hattiesburg, the Mississippi Gulf Coast and New Orleans. From Poplarville you can reach two ports, an interstate and three metro workforces inside an hour.
~1 hr
to Hattiesburg
North on Highway 11 or I-59 to the Pine Belt's largest market.
~1 hr
to the Gulf Coast
South-east to Gulfport, Biloxi, the port and the beaches.
~1 hr
to New Orleans
South-west down I-59 and I-10 to the Crescent City and its port.
M13
general aviation
Poplarville / Pearl River County Airport, three miles from downtown.
Why Poplarville
What you get by being here
About an hour from everywhere
The city's own phrase for it. Hattiesburg, the Mississippi Gulf Coast and New Orleans are each roughly an hour out, and Interstate 59 runs along the edge of town. You can serve three markets from one address.
A 130-acre industrial park on the interstate
The Pearl River County Industrial Park sits inside the city limits at Highway 26 and I-59, with interstate frontage and state site-development money already committed to its infrastructure.
A college in the middle of town
Pearl River Community College has trained this county's workforce since 1909. Customised workforce programmes are available to employers without leaving the city limits.
A city that answers the phone
Poplarville is small enough that permits, water service and questions get handled by people you can reach directly. City Hall aims to answer every submission within 24 to 48 hours.
Pearl River County Industrial Park
130 acresA 130-acre industrial site inside the City of Poplarville with direct Interstate 59 frontage. The State of Mississippi has backed it with a $250,000 Premier Site development grant and a further $1.44 million site development grant for a water tower, power line relocation and other industrial infrastructure.
Poplarville, at Highway 26 and Interstate 59
Poplarville / Pearl River County Airport
M13A public general aviation field on 140 acres about three miles south-east of town, giving local industry a runway inside the county line.
The county's economic development arm, working to bring industry to Pearl River County and support the businesses already here. Recruitment is focused on aerospace, the blue economy, distribution, polymers, advanced manufacturing and healthcare.
Resources
Getting started in Poplarville
Whether you are opening a storefront downtown or siting a plant, these are the doors to knock on.
Zoning, the zoning map and the development plan
Confirm what a parcel is zoned for before you buy or build. The zoning ordinance, map, subdivision regulations, minimum landscape ordinance and comprehensive development plan are published together.
Permits and inspections
Building, electrical, plumbing and gas, mechanical, accessory and sign permits all issue from City Hall, with code enforcement in the same office.
Central Business District tax abatement
Poplarville abates taxes on qualifying building improvements in the central business district. The ordinance and the application are published by the city.
Beer and light wine permits
Separate rules apply to restaurants, grocery and convenience stores, and curbside or drive-up sales. Start with the city's published policy.
Poplarville Area Chamber of Commerce
Membership, a map of the city, local business listings and the events calendar that keeps downtown busy.
Pearl River County Economic Development District
Site selection, incentives, workforce data and the county's industrial park at Highway 26 and I-59.
Mississippi Development Authority
State-level incentives, tax credits, workforce training funds and export assistance.
Mississippi Secretary of State - Business Services
Register a business entity, file annual reports and search existing registrations.
Pearl River Community College
Workforce training and customised programmes for area employers, on a campus inside the city.