Pontotoc, Mississippi
Pontotoc is a city of 5,806 people in Pontotoc County, Mississippi.
Why visit Pontotoc
Townapedia lists 1 museum or landmark, 3 parks and trails and 3 places to eat in and around town.
Highlights include Lochinvar.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 90°F; January lows average 31°F.
Weather in Pontotoc
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Pontotoc
Pontotoc is a city in and the county seat of Pontotoc County, Mississippi, located to the west of the larger city of Tupelo. Its population was 5,640 at the 2020 census. Pontotoc is a Chickasaw word that means, "Land of the Hanging Grapes". A section of the city largely along Main Street and Liberty Street has been designated the Pontotoc Historic District and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
From the Wikipedia article Pontotoc, Mississippi (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks1
Lochinvar
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.9 mi
Human settlement in Mississippi, United States of America
Parks, trails and playgrounds3
Restaurants and cafes3
Churches and places of worship11
Saint Christopher Catholic Church
Church · Roman Catholic · 2.3 mi
431 Pineridge Drive, Pontotoc
History
The Chickasaw nation occupied this area long before Europeans colonized the Southeast, the last in a succession of indigenous peoples who had this territory for thousands of years. In the early 1830s, they were forced to Indian Territory west of the Mississippi River through the federal program of Indian removal. Pontotoc is a Chickasaw word meaning "Land of Hanging Grapes".
In the late 19th century, outlaws Jesse and Frank James and their gang came into this area. They once hid at an old house that had been used as a Union Army hospital during the Battle of Harrisburg or Battle of Tupelo in the Civil War. The house was located at a crossroad in east Pontotoc County, near the Lee County line.
The Town Square Museum is located in the historic US post office near the county courthouse. This space is used to house and display Pontotoc memorabilia. A full-service post office continues to operate in the building, which was built in 1937 during the Great Depression. It was one of numerous projects of the Works Progress Administration (WPA) under President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Investment in this program created work opportunities in construction of needed public buildings and infrastructure across the country, employing thousands of workers.
From the History section of Pontotoc, Mississippi on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Shopping2
Gas and EV charging2
Schools, colleges and libraries12
Pontotoc Ridge Career & Tech. Cnt.
School · 0.8 mi
354 Center Ridge Drive, Pontotoc
South Pontotoc Elementary School
School · 4.9 mi
1523 South Pontotoc Rd, Pontotoc
Healthcare1
Map of Pontotoc
35 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 51°F | 31°F | 4.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Feb | 56°F | 35°F | 5.6 in | 0.1 in |
| Mar | 64°F | 42°F | 5.5 in | 0.1 in |
| Apr | 73°F | 50°F | 6.1 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 80°F | 60°F | 5.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 87°F | 67°F | 4.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 90°F | 70°F | 4.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 90°F | 69°F | 5.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 85°F | 63°F | 3.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 74°F | 51°F | 4.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 63°F | 41°F | 4.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Dec | 54°F | 34°F | 6.3 in | 0.1 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Pontotoc Exp Stn Hcn (8 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Pontotoc County has had 14 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for hurricanes.
- 2026-02-06: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2026-01-24: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2021-10-22: Hurricane Ida (Hurricane)
- 2021-08-28: Hurricane Ida (Hurricane)
- 2020-04-05: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Tupelo Regional Airport (TUP) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 14 miles away.
- Tupelo 16 mi east, about 26 min by car
- New Albany 16 mi north, about 26 min by car
- Okolona 23 mi southeast, about 37 min by car
- Guntown 23 mi northeast, about 38 min by car
- Houston 25 mi south, about 40 min by car
- Nettleton 25 mi southeast, about 40 min by car
- Baldwyn 27 mi northeast, about 44 min by car
- Oxford 31 mi west, about 50 min by car
- Fulton 35 mi east, about 56 min by car
- Amory 36 mi southeast, about 57 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
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Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Pontotoc County Courthouse, Michaelswikiusername at English Wikipedia, CC BY 3.0
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.