Biloxi is a city in Harrison County, Mississippi, in the United States. The 2000 census recorded the population as 50,644, though this figure has dropped by as much as 12% as a result of hurricane Katrina.

Forecasters project that by 2010 the Biloxi area population will experience a 20% increase from the pre‐Katrina population; by 2025 the population is projected to be 40% greater than before the storm.

The City of Biloxi has benefited greatly from the casino gaming industry since it was approved by local referendum in 1992. In fact, except in FY06 when Hurricane Katrina forced the temporary closure of Biloxi casinos, gaming tax revenues consistently are the largest revenue source for the City. These revenues have allowed Biloxi’s governing authority to keep property taxes low while increasing municipal services and capital spending.

The city lacks WIFI capabilities and the significant damage to its critical infrastructure as a result of Hurricane Katrina has limited interest in developing broadband initiatives. In fact, Mississippi has one of the lowest broadband penetration rates in the continental United States. With the destruction of a large portion (upwards of 80%) of the city’s affordable housing, focus has been placed on re‐building to support the large numbers of low‐skilled, low‐income casino/hotel employees upon whom the local economy depends. Nevertheless, the destruction posed by the hurricane has allowed the city to virtually begin from scratch, and with its relatively robust economy, the future of broadband in the city remains bright, if not immediate.