Mississippi Is Number One At All Of These Things

To us residents, Mississippi will always be number one. But just in case you want proof, we dug up some stats to support this claim. From catfish to cacti, here are nine things in which Mississippi ranks the best.

We’re aware that these uncertain times are limiting many aspects of life as we all practice social and physical distancing. While we’re continuing to feature destinations that make our state wonderful, we don’t expect or encourage you to go check them out immediately. We believe that supporting local attractions is important now more than ever and we hope our articles inspire your future adventures! And on that note, please nominate your favorite local business that could use some love right now: https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/nominate/

1. Being Charitable Bureau of Land Management/Flickr It’s a well-known fact that the average pay in Mississippi is lower than that of most states; however, did you know the state is extremely generous? Actually, according to the Catalogue of Philanthropy’s “Generosity Index,” it is the most charitable state. 2. Catfish Production Jonathan Ball/Flickr Mississippi growers raise more catfish than any other state. In fact, approximately 70% of the nation’s catfish comes from Mississippi, and don't forget, Belzoni is the “Catfish Capitol of the World.” 3. Religion Michael McCarthy/Flickr Located in the Bible Belt, the fact that Mississippians are religious is definitely not headline-making news, but are you aware that the state has been ranked the most religious in the entire country? Additionally, over half of the state’s residents consider themselves to be “very religious,” and Mississippi is home to one of the largest Baptist populations in the world. 4. Preparing Delicious Food Jimmy Smith/Flickr There’s no denying it; Mississippi is the place to go for the BEST seafood, barbecue, fried food, slugburgers, tamales, and, of course, good ole southern comfort food. 5. Upholstered Furniture Production Mike Grauer Jr./Flickr Next time you’re relaxing on a comfy sofa just remember, Mississippi is the nation’s largest producer of upholstered furniture. 6. Producing the Nation’s Best Snow Sled The Children's Museum of Indianapolis/Wikimedia West Point’s Blazon-Flexible Flyer, Inc. has earned a reputation for producing the “best snow sled in the United States.” A pretty impressive feat considering a majority of the state rarely sees snow. 7. Bringing Music to the World Evangutierrez/Flickr Not only is the state accredited with being the birthplace of the Blues and the King of Rock and Roll but Meridian’s Peavey Electronics is the world’s largest manufacturer of musical amplification equipment. 8. Cactus Production Super Dave Videos/You Tube The city of Edwards is home to the world’s only cactus plantation, which includes more than 3,000 varieties of cacti. 9. Being Hospitable edgraws/Flickr The epitome of true southern hospitality, Mississippi wasn’t given the nickname the "Hospitality State" by chance. And let’s be honest; nobody does hospitality like Mississippians.

In what other ways does Mississippi rank number one?