Community Profile

Brookhaven is located the middle of the Pine Belt, towering evergreens blanket Brookhaven in cool shade, perfect for a tall glass of iced tea.

The lush woodlands of the Homochitto National Forest in northwestern Lincoln County are exemplary of the natural beauty of the Pine Belt. Sportsmen from all over the South flock to the Homochitto for the quail, deer and wild turkey hiding among the magnificent pines. 

Brookhaven’s rich history began when founder Samuel Jayne built his home, a store and a grist mill on the banks of the Bogue Chitto River. Trade flourished thanks to the local Choctaw Indians, whose influences still remain throughout the area.  

The river which begins just north of Brookhaven, flows into the Gulf of Mexico, making for some great fishing holes and water parks along the way. Lake Lincoln State Park has a 500-acre lake for swimming, skiing and fishing, as well as campgrounds and picnic areas. Brookhaven offers a wonderful climate with long summers, mild winters and beautiful fall and spring seasons, perfect for most outdoor sports. Choose from several area private and public golf courses, tennis courts, several lakes for boating and fishing, hunting camps, hiking trails, bike trails and exercise facilities. 

Locomotives chug along the tracks running through the center of town, and the Old Brookhaven Depot still stands as a testament to the prosperity the railroad brought to the city, and is home to the Military Memorial Museum with photos, artifacts and personal items of area veterans dating back to WW1.And some noted cottage industries, apparel, gift and antique shops in the city make it fun to shop for a unique treasure or an elegant piece from the past. 

Hundreds of cyclists converge on Brookhaven in the Spring for the annual Mississippi Grand Prix-a four race event. The opening Criterium, set in the historic downtown, is a definite crowd pleaser. Autumn is a season for celebration in historic downtown as hundreds of artisans, craftsmen and vendors line the streets and entertainment fills the air when the Ole Brook Festival, “Mississippi’s Premier Family Festival”, comes to town. Those who relish stunning examples of Southern architecture, the charm of Turn-of-the-Century bungalows and beautiful old mansions on streets lined with 100 year old live oaks will enjoy the annual Christmas Tour of Homes.

Brookhaven is home to Whitworth College, one of the oldest schools for women in the country. Its stately grounds, which once vexed students with the rigors of higher education, are now restored and challenge artistically talented and gifted high school students to reach their full potential as the only residential School of the Arts in the State. 

The many cultural opportunities and special-interest classes at Copiah-Lincoln Community College in Wesson (just 9 miles north of Brookhaven) and the mobile training lab located in Brookhaven continue the tradition of excellent education in the area. And students over age 65 enjoy the added bonus of free academic tuition. The Retirement and Learning Enrichment Program also offers educational opportunities for those over 50.  

Fast becoming the South’s premiere center for the Arts, Brookhaven historically has been at the forefront of Southern culture and charm. But it is the mix of old and new that sets it apart. Home to the state’s second longest-running community theatre, the Ole Brook Wind Symphony, The Brookhaven Trust for the Preservation of History, Culture and the Arts, many civic and community clubs and organizations, Brookhaven strives to provide its residents a stimulating style of life.  

Brookhaven provides a safe haven for adults and children alike and has been recognized as a “Homeseeker’s Paradise” since the early 1900’s and was one of the first cities to receive the prestigious “Seal of Approval” designation by the American Association of Retirement Communities in September, 2005. It is ideally located on Interstate 55, it’s an easy hour’s drive south of Jackson, two hours north of New Orleans and in less than three hours, you can enjoy Mississippi’s beautiful Gulf Coast.  

Consider the many advantages of this quaint small town with an insatiable appetite for history, culture, education, advanced medical technology and services, recreation and a quality of lifestyle. This is an involved community of friendly, down to earth people who take great pride in where they live and work hard to make it better.

Population:                                                                                                        16,000               

Hospital beds:                                                                                                   122

Physicians                                                                                                         36

Average cost of Home                                                                                     $75,000

Average Cost of a New 2,000 sq. ft. Brick Home on a ½ acre lot:                    $150,000