Pass Christian honored by Coastal Living magazine

PASS CHRISTIAN, Miss. (WLOX) - Another Coast city is on the national map.

In its Spring issue, the magazine Coastal Living has placed Pass Christian on the list of “Best Places to Live On The Coast for 2023.”

It’s a big honor, but not surprising for those who make Pass Christian their home.

For Jennifer and John Burdon, the simple things make Pass Christian a hidden gem.

“I like the pace, the pace of life, the people,” he said. “It’s definitely a slower pace than what I was used to prior to coming here.”

“It’s got some pretty nice winter weather and the view is hard to beat of the water and it’s just a lot of really friendly people and a nice community,” Jennifer added.

Their city joins towns from all over the country – including California and Hawaii – and is the first Mississippi Gulf Coast community to be named to the list.

“I was elated,” said Mayor Jimmy Rafferty. “Because not too long ago, Bay St. Louis and Ocean Springs won an award. And then, this just came out of the blue. But it’s an exciting thing for Pass Christian.”

The effect of the national exposure is immeasurable.

“Well, I think we’re going to have more people coming here,” Rafferty said. “Tourism is the No. 1 driver of economic development. And we have a lot of areas that are still undeveloped after Katrina. And that’s what we’re trying to do. I refer to it as measured growth.”

The magazine cited Pass Christian’s natural and manmade beauty as well as affordable real estate and outdoor amenities.

Commercial opportunities here are not only full of character, but they also sustain life.

“You can do business here without even leaving town 99 percent of the time,” said Martin Hardware employee Stephen Grannan. “I mean, I go days and days and days without ever leaving the city.”

But the residents are the foundation.

“These people are good people,” Grannan said. “They’re kind, they’re polite. They will bend over backward to help you. It’s amazing the friends I’ve made here since I moved back three years ago.”

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