For the first time in 20 years, an economic study has been released on Port Pascagoula, and officials at Mississippi’s largest port are pleased with its findings.
“It’s not secret there has been tremendous growth at Port Pascagoula, and this study reaffirms what we have long known: our port is a driving force for not only Jackson County but for the entire state of Mississippi,” Port Pascagoula director Bo Ethridge said.
The study, conducted by the University of Southern Mississippi’s Trent Lott National Center for Economic Development and Entrepreneurship, found that the port drove billions in economic activity, supported thousands of jobs, and generated significant tax revenue in Fiscal Year 2024.
Specifically, the total economic output of Port Pascagoula is over $18 billion with over $879 million in tax revenue generated and 28,345 jobs supported.
“Partnering with the team at USM allowed us to capture the true scale of our economic impact, and these numbers show just how critical Port Pascagoula is to sustaining and strengthening Mississippi’s economy,” Ethridge continued.
Economic Impact Category | FY 2024 Value |
Jobs Supported | 28,345 |
Labor Income Generated | $1,882,395,953 |
Value Added (GDP) | $5,215,412,643 |
Total Economic Output | $18,250,657,563 |
Tax Revenue (Local, State, Federal) | $879,082,476 |
Port Pascagoula will continue to expand existing infrastructure and facilities, diversify cargo operations, and enhance intermodal connectivity, according to officials. It currently ranks nationally in the top 30 ports in the U.S. and No. 1 in Mississippi for total gross tonnage with approximately 32 million tons of cargo handled annually.