Brandon is the county seat for Rankin County - one of the fastest growing counties in the state. Located east of Jackson, it has seven incorporated towns, including Brandon and Flowood. It is a "Bedroom Community" with top rated 5A schools. The schools in Brandon offer many extracurricular activities, special education plus an Outdoor Learning Center. Buyers relocating to this area consider the Northwest Rankin Schools to be their "choice" schools. Hinds Jr. College has an extension in Pearl, one of the seven incorporated towns in Rankin County.

Special events that the city has added through the years have made its residents very proud and patriotic - Veteran's Day Celebration (hosting events for all veterans and active members of the military), the Mayor's Easter Egg Hunt, Brandon Day, Christmas Day Parade and the Black Rose Theatre. The Ross Barnett Reservoir is a popular spot for all kinds of water related activities, including skiing and sailing on the 33,000 acre lake, fishing and camping (the Reservoir borders Rankin County with gated neighborhoods and upscale developments with waterfront properties). Another big event during the summer is in Pearl where Trustmark Park is located and home to the Atlanta Braves AA Team (a $20 million facility). In the same area Bass Pro Shop opened a fabulous store to the delight of fishermen and hunters. Outside the city limits of Rankin County one will find many deer camps, as this is a big sport in the late Fall and early winter.

In 2005 Rankin County was rated one of the Top Rural places to live and the residents still would agree to this fact!