The Coast's geography is as rich as its history and culture. It is home for some 360,000 people. The cities of Pascagoula, Gautier, Ocean Springs, D'Iberville, Biloxi, Gulfport, Long Beach, Pass Christian and Bay St. Louis may seem alike when viewed from the highway. But get out of your car, and you will see how each offers different lifestyles. North of the Coast cities, it is still possible to find a more rural lifestyle by buying a few acres and building a home or renting a house.
Coast cities offer old and new neighborhoods, with a delightful mixture of architecture.
Each community is distinct and individual in its politics, its attractions, businesses and people. At 581 square miles, Harrison County is the central of the three coastal counties. As you travel down scenic U.S. 90, the division is obvious because bays separate Harrison from the other counties. This county has five incorporated cities and the largest population. Cosmopolitan Life bustles in the county near the beach, but in the rural communities north of Interstate 10, there are plenty of horses, pinewoods, farms and even a few hiking trails.