CallataGuidesBusiness phone system for veterinary clinics in Gulfport, MS
Veterinary clinics in the Gulfport-Biloxi, MS metro area: 46 establishments in 2023, the local area codes, and what phone service costs a 9-person team.
- Establishments
- 46CBP 2023
- Employees
- 428mid-March 2023
- Per 100k residents
- 10.8U.S. 10.1
- Rank
- 129th of 851areas by count
How many veterinary clinics are in Gulfport, MS?
There were 46 veterinary clinics in the Gulfport-Biloxi, MS metro area in 2023, according to Census County Business Patterns (NAICS 541940, Veterinary Services). Together they reported 428 mid-March employees and $17.4 million of payroll for the year. That ranks 129th of the 851 metro and micropolitan areas where Census published a count for this industry.
With 427,000 residents in the Census 2024 estimate, that is 10.8 veterinary clinics per 100,000 people, 6.9% above the national rate of 10.1. Establishments average 9.3 employees, 32.8% below the U.S. average of 13.9. Payroll per employee comes to $40,600, 23.4% below the national $52,978.
| Measure | Gulfport, MS | Mississippi | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments | 46 | 283 | 34,296 |
| Mid-March employees | 428 | 3,208 | 475,106 |
| Annual payroll | $17,377,000 | $119,002,000 | $25,170,032,000 |
| Employees per establishment | 9.3 | 11.3 | 13.9 |
| Payroll per employee | $40,600 | $37,095 | $52,978 |
| Establishments per 100,000 residents | 10.8 | 9.6 | 10.1 |
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.
Establishment size: veterinary clinics in Gulfport, MS
Of the veterinary clinics in Gulfport, MS that had employees in March 2023, 23.9% had fewer than five (the U.S. share is 27.7%). 58.7% had fewer than ten. When a business has only a few people, whoever is free answers the phone, and calls that arrive while everyone is busy go to voicemail unless they are routed somewhere else.
| Employment size | Establishments | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–4 employees | 11 | 23.9% | 27.7% |
| 5–9 employees | 16 | 34.8% | 22.7% |
| 10–19 employees | 16 | 34.8% | 29.8% |
| 20–49 employees | 3 | 6.5% | 17.1% |
| 50 or more employees | 0 | 0.0% | 2.7% |
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.
Why the phone matters for veterinary clinics in Gulfport, MS
Veterinary front desks handle appointments, prescription refills, boarding questions and worried owners with sick animals, often all at once. Missing a call can mean missing an urgent case or a new client. That holds for veterinary clinics in Gulfport, MS as much as anywhere.
A few of the calls that come in to veterinary clinics in Gulfport, MS:
- An owner calls because their dog ate something it should not have.
- An owner calls to book boarding over a holiday.
- The clinic calls an owner with lab results.
After-hours calls
After-hours greetings typically direct emergencies to an emergency animal hospital and capture routine requests for the morning.
Business-hours routing in Callata sends calls to voicemail, a teammate's cell or an AI agent once the day ends, and voicemails arrive transcribed with an urgency flag.
What a phone system costs a veterinary clinic in Gulfport, MS
The average veterinary clinic in Gulfport, MS has 9.3 employees, so a 9-person team is a reasonable benchmark. Per-seat business phone plans bill every one of those people. At month-to-month list prices checked September 28, 2026, 9 users on RingCentral RingEX Core cost $270.00 a month and 9 on Ooma Office Pro cost $224.55. On Callata the same 9 people cost $179.00 a month, less than either per-seat plan.
The annual difference against RingCentral's monthly list price comes to $1,092. Some vendors discount annual contracts; the table shows month-to-month prices.
| Provider (plan) | Pricing basis | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Callata (Callata Office) | $99 incl. 5 users, $20 per extra user | $179.00 | $2,148.00 |
| Quo (Starter) | $19.00 per user | $171.00 | $2,052.00 |
| Nextiva (Core) | $23.00 per user | $207.00 | $2,484.00 |
| Ooma (Office Pro) | $24.95 per user | $224.55 | $2,694.60 |
| Dialpad (Standard) | $27.00 per user | $243.00 | $2,916.00 |
| RingCentral (RingEX Core) | $30.00 per user | $270.00 | $3,240.00 |
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.
Local area codes for veterinary clinics in Gulfport, MS
NANPA records place the exchanges of the area's named cities and towns in 2 area codes. 228 has the most, with 247 of 260 exchanges (95%). Callata's plan includes up to 3 local numbers; you can pick them in the area codes your pet owners recognize, subject to carrier inventory, or port the number you already have for free.
| Area code | Exchanges | Time zone | In service since | Overlay with |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 228 | 247 | Central | 1997 | none |
| 601 | 13 | Central | 1947 | 769 |
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 veterinary clinics
Callata Office costs $99 per month for up to 5 people, and each additional user is $20 a month. That covers up to 3 local numbers, calling from a browser or your cell, transcribed voicemail, recorded calls with AI summaries, after-hours routing and E911 on each number.
If you already have a number in Gulfport, MS, 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.
Frequently asked questions
How many veterinary clinics are there in Gulfport, MS?
Census County Business Patterns counted 46 veterinary clinics in the Gulfport-Biloxi, MS metro area in 2023. They employed 428 people in mid-March.
What does a business phone system cost for a 9-person veterinary clinic?
At month-to-month list prices checked September 28, 2026, 9 users cost $270.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core and $224.55 on Ooma Office Pro. On Callata, $99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user, the same team pays $179.00.
What area code should a veterinary clinic in Gulfport, MS use?
Area code 228 has the most assigned exchanges among the area's named places, followed by 601. If you already have a local number, you can port it to Callata for free.
Can an AI receptionist answer calls for a veterinary clinic?
Yes. Callata's optional AI agents can answer when the team is busy or closed, take a message, text, email or transfer the call. They disclose that they are AI and are billed from prepaid AI minutes at $0.25 per minute.