CallataGuides

Business phone system for tax preparation services in Mississippi

192 tax preparation services operated in Mississippi in 2023. Where they are, how big their teams are, and what phone service costs them.

Establishments
192CBP 2023
Employees
1,008mid-March 2023
Per 100k residents
6.5U.S. 8.5
State rank
35th of 51by count

Tax preparation services in Mississippi by the numbers

Mississippi had 192 tax preparation services in 2023, according to Census County Business Patterns (NAICS 541213, Tax Preparation Services). They employed 1,008 people in mid-March and reported $15.1 million in annual payroll. That is the 35th highest count among the 51 states and DC with published figures. Tax preparation services make up 0.32% of the 60,465 business establishments in the state.

Per 100,000 residents (2024 estimate) Mississippi has 6.5 tax preparation services, 22.9% below the national rate of 8.5. The average establishment has 5.3 employees against 4.7 nationally. Payroll per employee is $15,019, 39.7% below the U.S. figure of $24,908.

Tax preparation services: Mississippi compared with the U.S., 2023
MeasureMississippiUnited States
Establishments19228,762
Mid-March employees1,008133,868 (moderate noise)
Annual payroll$15,139,000$3,334,416,000
Employees per establishment5.34.7
Payroll per employee$15,019$24,908
Establishments per 100,000 residents6.58.5

Census County Business Patterns 2023 (mid-March employment; annual payroll). Employees and payroll flagged high-noise are shown but not used in the text. Residents: Census Vintage 2024 estimates.

Where tax preparation services in Mississippi are concentrated

Census published tax preparation office counts for 12 metro or micropolitan areas that include part of Mississippi. The largest is Memphis, TN-MS-AR, with 127 establishments (a multi-state area; its count covers every state it spans). Single-state metro and micropolitan areas account for 68% of the statewide total; the rest are outside any published area or in areas Census suppressed.

Tax preparation services by metro or micropolitan area, Mississippi, 2023
AreaEstablishmentsEmployeesPer 100k residents
Memphis, TN-MS-AR127—9.5
Gulfport, MS361818.4
Jackson, MS332905.4
Hattiesburg, MS13—8.3
Meridian, MS10—11.7
Tupelo, MS9—6.8
Starkville, MS6—9.7
Picayune, MS63210.2
McComb, MS6—11.4
Laurel, MS4—4.9
Cleveland, MS4914.1
Columbus, MS394.5

Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023; population from Census Vintage 2024 estimates.

Team sizes at tax preparation services in Mississippi

61.8% of Mississippi's tax preparation services with employees had fewer than five people in March 2023, compared with 69.1% nationally. 92.1% had fewer than ten. That is the size of team where a missed call usually means nobody was free, not that nobody was on staff.

Tax preparation services in Mississippi by employment size, 2023
Employment sizeEstablishmentsShareU.S. share
1–4 employees11861.8%69.1%
5–9 employees5830.4%20.9%
10–19 employees126.3%7.3%
20–49 employees31.6%2.3%
50 or more employees00.0%0.5%

Employment-size classes count establishments by mid-March 2023 employment. Establishments with no March employees are excluded from the size classes, so shares are of establishments with employees. Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023.

What tax preparation services in Mississippi use the phone for

Tax preparers do much of their year's business in a few months, and a missed call in March is often a lost return. Seasonal staff need to share one business number without giving out personal phones.

Typical inbound and outbound calls for tax preparation services in Mississippi:

After-hours calls

Evening and weekend calls spike in tax season, so a greeting with hours and a way to request an appointment helps.

Callata voicemail is transcribed and triaged for urgency, and business-hours routing decides where calls go once you close.

Callata vs. per-seat pricing for tax preparation services in Mississippi

Tax preparation services in Mississippi average 5.3 employees, so the comparison uses a 5-person team. Priced per seat, 5 users would run $150.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core and $124.75 on Ooma Office Pro (month-to-month list prices, checked September 28, 2026). On Callata the same 5 people cost $99.00 a month, less than either per-seat plan.

The annual difference against RingCentral's monthly list price comes to $612. Some vendors discount annual contracts; the table shows month-to-month prices.

Monthly list price for a 5-person tax preparation office
Provider (plan)Pricing basisPer monthPer year
Callata (Callata Office)$99 incl. 5 users, $20 per extra user$99.00$1,188.00
Quo (Starter)$19.00 per user$95.00$1,140.00
Nextiva (Core)$23.00 per user$115.00$1,380.00
Ooma (Office Pro)$24.95 per user$124.75$1,497.00
Dialpad (Standard)$27.00 per user$135.00$1,620.00
RingCentral (RingEX Core)$30.00 per user$150.00$1,800.00

Competitor prices are each vendor's published month-to-month list price per user for its lowest plan that includes business calling and texting, checked September 28, 2026: Quo Starter $19, Nextiva Core $23, Ooma Office Pro $24.95 (Essentials excludes texting; one-time $29.95 activation not included), Dialpad Standard $27, RingCentral RingEX Core $30 ($20 billed annually). Prices exclude taxes and fees and may change; annual contracts lower some competitors' prices.

Area codes in Mississippi

Mississippi has 5 geographic area codes in service according to NANPA. You can choose local numbers in the area codes your clients know, subject to carrier inventory, or port your current number for free.

Area codes in Mississippi by assigned exchanges
Area codeExchangesTime zoneIn service sinceOverlay with
601783Central1947769
662756Central1999471
228274Central1997none
769254Central2005601
4710Central2026662

Exchanges are NANPA-assigned central office codes (NPA-NXX) in the rate centers matched to the area's named places. Source: NANPA utilized code and NPA reports.

How Callata works for tax preparation services in Mississippi

Callata is a business phone system priced at $99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user. Callata Office includes up to 3 local business numbers, unlimited inbound calling, 1,500 pooled outbound US and Canada minutes per user each month, a browser softphone that can also ring your cell, voicemail with transcription, call recording with AI summaries, business-hours routing and E911 on every number.

If you already have a number in Mississippi, porting it to Callata is free. Texting from a local number requires a one-time carrier registration (10DLC, $49), and the numbers available in any area code depend on carrier inventory when you choose them.

Optional AI agents (receptionist, sales, support or scheduler) can answer calls after hours or when nobody picks up, take messages, text, email and transfer to your team. They are billed from prepaid AI minutes at $0.25 per minute, identify themselves as AI, and may only place outbound calls to people who consented, between 8am and 9pm.

Avoid sending Social Security numbers or full tax documents by text.

Frequently asked questions

How many tax preparation services are in Mississippi?

192 in 2023, according to Census County Business Patterns. They employed 1,008 people in mid-March.

Which Mississippi metro area has the most tax preparation services?

Memphis, TN-MS-AR, with 127 establishments in 2023.

What does a phone system cost a 5-person tax preparation office?

$150.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core or $124.75 on Ooma Office Pro at month-to-month list prices (checked September 28, 2026); $99.00 on Callata ($99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user).

Do I need to register to text customers from a Mississippi number?

Yes. US carriers require business texting from local numbers to be registered (10DLC). On Callata the registration is a one-time $49 fee, and texting turns on once it is approved.