out of work in Meridian might have hurt.
sad to say but Meridian has seen better days
used to be the state’s largest city till after WWII
best parts of Mississippi to live in would be the northern burbs of Jackson though the city itself is like the bad part of Durham
southern Memphis burbs are ok
Hattiesburg is liked by folks I know who live there.
The coast was great but really really got whacked by Katrina....devastation ...for 20 miles of beach you have anywhere from 2-1000 yards of serious wipeout
what was once beautiful Spanish Oaks with moss and old stately Antebellum and Victorian home , motels, commerical districts...all gone.....just sand, dirt and maybe 35% of the trees...seriously pruned.
best parts of Mississippi today are rural....I would opt Madison county were I to move back...I have 100s of kin there.
Oxford is great but run by the Left.
But the biggest demographic in the state vote even more conservative than Mormons I think...
Peavey is still there.
Sorry to read your thoughts on Meridian.
I’d say Jackson has seen much better days.
I have family in Madison.
They love it.
You’re right about most folks voting more conservative than Utah.