After the American Civil War, the bottomlands of the Pearl River were developed for agriculture.

Thereafter, growth in the area came from the urban expansion of the capital, control of flood threats from the Pearl River, and improved transportation due to accessible interstates and Jackson-Evers International Airport.

The following January the community voted for an 11 square miles (28 km2) boundary that included the Pearl River to Airport Road, excluding East Jackson and all areas south of Interstate 20 except Cunningham Heights and Grandview Heights.

A majority at that meeting also agreed to name the city "Pearl", rather than the alternative proposals of "Riverview" or "Brightsville".

[10] The first mayor, Harris Harvey, was elected, along with council members Jimmy Joe Thompson, W.D.

On June 29, 1973, Governor William Winter presided over the first annual Pearl Day Celebration, with the swearing in of the city's new officials, who met for the first time on July 3, 1973.

The first franchise by the City of Pearl for cable television installation was granted on July 6, 1976.

On October 1, 1997, Luke Woodham went on a shooting spree that ended at Pearl High School, killing two and injuring seven, after earlier stabbing his mother to death.

Neighboring settlements include Flowood, Brandon, Richland, and the state capital Jackson.

In the most recent census (2010), the racial demographics have changed similar to many other Jackson suburbs.

The team had their first game at the brand new Trustmark Park on April 18, 2005, losing to the Montgomery Biscuits.

[18] The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality operates the Central Regional Office and the MDEQ Laboratory in unincorporated Rankin County, near Pearl.

[22] The Rankin County campus of Hinds Community College opened in Pearl on July 1, 1983.

[24] Pearl is served by Jackson-Evers International Airport, located at Allen C. Thompson Field in Rankin County.