The City of Ocean Springs is recognized as having the highest per capita income in the State of Mississippi .  The estimated average per capita income in 2000 for a resident of Ocean Springs is $19,805.  That income level does not necessarily reflect the wages paid within the City of Ocean Springs .  With the exception of some major manufacturers and the United States government, most jobs on the Mississippi Gulf Coast are retail or service oriented.  Generally, jobs in the retail and services sectors tend to be lower paying than jobs in the manufacturing or technology  industries that often demand higher skills from their workforce.  Per capita incomes on the Mississippi Gulf Coast are expected to rise slightly faster than the national average. 

Median household income for residents of the City is estimated to be $42,575, compared to a metro area average of $40,500.  Based on the CACI ACORN Profile, 41.8% of households in Ocean Springs are considered “affluent.”  The same study shows that 36.9% are considered “upscale households.”  Characteristics of the “affluent” and “upscale” households are: upper-income “empty nesters,” prosperous baby boomers, urban professional couples, baby boomers with children, and older settled married couples.  

The City of Ocean Springs has more retail and service businesses than any other type of establishment, with this sec­tor playing  a dominant role in the City’s local economy.  Nearly 50% of land used for commercial purposes is for retail trade.  A growing portion of the retail trade is developing in response to the promotion of the City as cultural tourist destination.   The City is home to the Walter Anderson Museum of Art, the developing Mary C. O’Keefe Cultural Center for Arts and Education, and Shearwater Pottery as well as other small galleries, such as Local Color Gallery, OSAA Co-op Gallery, and Peggy Pelham Gallery. 

 Recent studies have shown that arts-related institutions draw more visitors than professional sports events.  Nationally, the centers of American cities are showing impressive results ensuing from a recent consideration of cities as the centers of American culture; the same is true for Ocean Springs.  It is now recognized nationally that there are significant revenues generated from museums and galleries contributing to local employment, business prosperity and tax revenues.  A city’s overall image is directly related to its arts and cultural institutions, which can play a major role attracting and retaining skilled professionals in the area.  Moreover, there is renewed awareness that collaborations among arts institutions and business interests can be mutually beneficial.  In theory a cultural district should offer diverse attractions and be incorporated into the sensibly developed patterns of the city.

 To engender its own individuality, an “arts district” should have at least four to five “attractors” within a three- to -four- block radius of one another, and the walkways between them should be inviting.  Success also depends on the intermixed private enterprises, including cafes, restaurants, and bars; frame and print stores, hotels, nightclubs, and various specialty retail shops that are open at night.  To compliment the institutions and their supporting businesses, public art and murals, artist-in-residence programs, and festivals should be encouraged.  Ocean Springs has many of the preceding in place or in development.  

The Health Care industry also contributes significantly to the City’s economy.  Roughly 19% of the City’s land in commercial use is for health related professions.  Other services make up 28.9% of the commercial land.  Only 5% of the City’s non-residential land is dedicated to manufacturing and related type uses.  The City needs to maintain and encourage investment in the commercial sector of its economy, while at the same time diversifying into other sectors such as manufacturing, technology, and research and development.