Pool swim season in Jackson, MS
When can you swim in an outdoor pool in Jackson, MS?
An unheated pool in Jackson reaches 78°F in Jun to Sep, about 4 months a year. The air allows up to 7 swimmable months with a heater (Apr to Oct).
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What each heater buys you in Jackson
| Option | Months | Swimmable | Energy/yr | All-in/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No heater | 4 | Jun to Sep | $0 | $0 |
| Solar cover only | 6 | May to Oct | $0 | $50 |
| Solar panels + cover | 7 | Apr to Oct | $0 | $283 |
| Heat pump + cover | 7 | Apr to Oct | $93 | $643 |
| Gas heater + cover | 7 | Apr to Oct | $211 | $636 |
For a 450 sq ft pool held at 80°F, at MS prices of 15.1¢/kWh electricity and $17/Mcf gas. All-in spreads the purchase over the equipment's life.
The cheapest way to the full season in Jackson
Solar cover only: 6 of 7 possible months for about $50 a year all-in, which works out near $25 for each month it adds.
Before you pay for any heater, buy a solar cover: on its own it adds 2 months here for about $50 a year (why a cover comes first). If you get quotes, ask for gas as well as a heat pump: once the purchase price is counted, gas comes out cheaper all-in here (heat pump or gas).
Weather station: Jackson Hawkins Field, 1.6 mi away (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). Water temperature is estimated from air and sunshine, not measured.
Jackson month by month: air, sun and pool water
| Month | Air high | Air avg | Sun kWh/m²/day | Water, unheated | Water, covered | Heat pump $ | Gas $ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 57° | 47° | 2.7 | 48° | 54° | – | – |
| Feb | 62° | 51° | 3.2 | 50° | 56° | – | – |
| Mar | 70° | 59° | 4.4 | 57° | 63° | – | – |
| Apr | 77° | 66° | 5.6 | 65° | 71° | $80 | $179 |
| May | 84° | 74° | 6.2 | 73° | 79° | $9 | $23 |
| Jun | 90° | 80° | 6.6 | 81° | 87° | – | – |
| Jul | 92° | 83° | 6.2 | 85° | 91° | – | – |
| Aug | 92° | 83° | 5.8 | 85° | 91° | – | – |
| Sep | 88° | 78° | 5.1 | 82° | 88° | – | – |
| Oct | 79° | 67° | 4.2 | 74° | 80° | $4 | $9 |
| Nov | 67° | 56° | 3.2 | 62° | 68° | – | – |
| Dec | 60° | 50° | 2.4 | 52° | 58° | – | – |
Heating costs most in Apr (about $80 with a heat pump, $179 with gas). Sunshine peaks in Jun at 6.6 kWh/m²/day (NASA satellite data, 33.9 km grid cell). Highlighted months are swimmable with no heater.
How Jackson compares with nearby cities
Jackson ranks 3 of 41 Mississippi cities for unheated swim months, and no nearby city gets a longer unheated season.
| City | Distance | Unheated months | Heat pump months | Heat pump $/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pearl, MS | 8 mi | 4 | 7 | $113 |
| Clinton, MS | 8 mi | 4 | 7 | $93 |
| Ridgeland, MS | 8 mi | 4 | 7 | $93 |
| Flowood, MS | 8 mi | 4 | 7 | $113 |
| Byram, MS | 10 mi | 4 | 7 | $93 |
| Madison, MS | 12 mi | 4 | 7 | $93 |