Incorporated as a city in 1870 and named after the native Tupelo gum tree, Tupelo is a model city of nearly 35,000 citizens offering a high quality of life and a broad range of attractions. Tupelo’s most famous resident, Elvis Presley, was born here on Jan. 8, 1935, in a shotgun house that today is the centerpiece of the city's $46 million tourism and hospitality industry. But this beautiful Southern community has much more to offer, including the picturesque Natchez Trace Parkway national park, for which it is a headquarters and a diverse mix of affordable homes. The primary economic sector is manufacturing, which employs 25 percent of the workforce.
