In Mississippi, the median household income is $56,447 and 70% of homes are owner-occupied (ACS 2020 to 2024). A safe personal loan starts with a license check, three written offers compared on total cost, and a payment that fits your own budget.
On this page
- Mississippi by the numbers
- What the numbers mean for Mississippi borrowers
- Largest places in Mississippi
- The next 20 places in Mississippi
- Counties with the most residents
- How Mississippi earns a living
- More context for Mississippi budgets
- Checking a lender in Mississippi
- Can Mississippi residents use the questionnaire?
- Local guides in Mississippi
- Frequently asked questions
Mississippi by the numbers
Start with the numbers. These Census Bureau estimates (five-year ACS, 2020 to 2024) cover what Mississippi households earn, what they pay for housing and how they get to work.
| What we measured | Mississippi | United States | Rank of 51 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $56,447 | $80,734 | 51st |
| Poverty rate | 18.9% | 12.5% | 2nd |
| Jobless rate, 5-year ACS | 5.8% | 5.2% | 11th |
| Rent, median gross (monthly) | $954 | $1,413 | 48th |
| Rent-burdened renters (30%+) | 51% | 51% | 17th |
| Median home value | $169,800 | $332,700 | 50th |
| Homes owner-occupied | 70% | 65% | 15th |
| Mortgaged owners paying 30%+ on housing | 26% | 28% | 26th |
| Home value to income ratio | 3.0x | 4.1x | 48th |
| Commutes of 45 minutes or longer | 14% | 17% | 25th |
| Working from home | 6% | 15% | 51st |
| Adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree | 25% | 36% | 50th |
| Age, median | 38.6 | 38.9 | 33rd |
| Income inequality (Gini index) | 0.482 | 0.483 | 8th |
| Households earning under $35,000 | 32% | 21% | 1st |
| Share of households at $100,000+ | 26% | 41% | 51st |
What the numbers mean for Mississippi borrowers
Incomes are spread unevenly: 32% of Mississippi households earn under $35,000 (U.S.: 21%), while 26% earn $100,000 or more (U.S.: 41%) and 6% top $200,000. Our partners generally look for at least $30,000 in yearly income from any regular source, so households near the bottom of that range may be better served by free options first.
Mississippi's median household income is $56,447, 51st of 51 and 30% below the U.S. figure of $80,734. Medians describe the middle household, not yours, so test any payment against your own take-home pay.
6% of the Mississippi workforce works from home, while 14% face a one-way trip of 45 minutes or longer. Where commutes are long, a car repair is often the emergency that sends people looking for a loan; see our auto repair guide.
Poverty affects 18.9% of Mississippi residents (U.S. 12.5%), and the five-year average unemployment rate was 5.8%. If you were recently out of work, wait until you have a few steady paychecks before you apply.
Largest places in Mississippi
These 12 places hold the biggest populations in Mississippi. Income, rent and home values come from the 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey.
| City or town | County | People | Median income | Rent (median) | Typical home value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson | Hinds County, Rankin County | 146,631 | $42,071 | $1,055 | $111,700 |
| Gulfport | Harrison County | 73,003 | $49,919 | $1,086 | $174,600 |
| Southaven | DeSoto County | 56,226 | $78,483 | $1,445 | $236,300 |
| Biloxi | Harrison County | 48,861 | $57,204 | $1,089 | $225,100 |
| Hattiesburg | Forrest County, Lamar County | 48,619 | $46,342 | $1,005 | $165,900 |
| Olive Branch | DeSoto County | 47,019 | $100,606 | $1,829 | $290,000 |
| Tupelo | Lee County | 37,791 | $66,257 | $976 | $212,800 |
| Meridian | Lauderdale County | 34,137 | $36,562 | $910 | $107,900 |
| Greenville | Washington County | 28,166 | $40,083 | $872 | $103,800 |
| Madison | Madison County | 27,946 | $119,338 | $1,853 | $352,900 |
| Pearl | Rankin County | 27,737 | $61,695 | $1,175 | $182,500 |
| Clinton | Hinds County | 27,195 | $74,745 | $1,118 | $225,800 |
Counting places of 20,000 or more people, median household income in Mississippi tops out at $119,338 in Madison and bottoms out at $36,562 in Meridian. The state has 3 places over 50,000 and 42 over 10,000. Median rent in that group ranges from $820 in Vicksburg to $1,853 in Madison.
The next 20 places in Mississippi
From Horn Lake (26,647 residents) down to Grenada (12,375).
| Community | Residents | Median income | Rent (median) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Horn Lake | 26,647 | $53,311 | $1,435 |
| Oxford | 26,411 | $64,451 | $1,071 |
| Starkville | 25,721 | $42,125 | $916 |
| Brandon | 25,542 | $92,783 | $1,382 |
| Ridgeland | 24,587 | $66,038 | $1,336 |
| Columbus | 23,348 | $42,235 | $897 |
| Pascagoula | 21,710 | $52,222 | $894 |
| Vicksburg | 20,589 | $45,781 | $820 |
| Gautier | 19,046 | $61,926 | $1,040 |
| Ocean Springs | 18,646 | $79,712 | $1,358 |
| Hernando | 17,949 | $76,950 | $1,302 |
| Laurel | 17,679 | $47,661 | $909 |
| Long Beach | 17,009 | $70,332 | $1,215 |
| Corinth | 14,323 | $44,226 | $601 |
| Clarksdale | 14,231 | $36,382 | $774 |
| Natchez | 14,192 | $36,735 | $806 |
| Greenwood | 14,086 | $35,473 | $678 |
| D'Iberville | 13,203 | $66,016 | $1,249 |
| Byram | 12,799 | $70,445 | $1,343 |
| Grenada | 12,375 | $46,303 | $802 |
Measured as a year of median rent against median household income, housing weighs most in Horn Lake (32%) and least in Corinth (16%) among these 20 places.
Counties with the most residents
Mississippi has 82 counties or equivalents. The 16 most populous are below.
| County | Population | Median household income | Median gross rent | Typical home value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hinds County | 218,533 | $49,402 | $1,061 | $159,900 |
| Harrison County | 210,891 | $59,479 | $1,115 | $212,200 |
| DeSoto County | 191,301 | $85,297 | $1,451 | $269,600 |
| Rankin County | 158,854 | $79,357 | $1,270 | $237,400 |
| Jackson County | 145,249 | $66,201 | $1,101 | $193,100 |
| Madison County | 111,647 | $83,441 | $1,186 | $311,100 |
| Lee County | 83,034 | $67,863 | $957 | $199,500 |
| Forrest County | 78,272 | $53,640 | $972 | $168,000 |
| Lauderdale County | 71,504 | $50,817 | $953 | $133,300 |
| Jones County | 66,472 | $52,216 | $869 | $143,100 |
| Lamar County | 65,713 | $70,909 | $1,126 | $224,700 |
| Lafayette County | 58,327 | $67,185 | $1,085 | $315,400 |
| Lowndes County | 57,838 | $53,812 | $930 | $164,100 |
| Pearl River County | 57,458 | $58,135 | $906 | $182,300 |
| Oktibbeha County | 51,771 | $46,695 | $915 | $237,700 |
| Hancock County | 46,167 | $67,708 | $977 | $224,200 |
DeSoto County posts the highest county median income in Mississippi at $85,297, while Issaquena County posts the lowest at $31,429.
How Mississippi earns a living
Top four employers of Mississippi residents by industry, with the gap to the U.S. mix.
| Industry | Share of Mississippi workers | National share | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education, health care and social assistance | 25% | 24% | +1.9 pts |
| Manufacturing | 13% | 10% | +3.1 pts |
| Retail trade | 11% | 11% | +0.6 pts |
| Arts, entertainment, lodging and food service | 9% | 9% | +0.1 pts |
Relative to the nation, manufacturing is overrepresented in Mississippi (13% vs 10%). Hourly workers with variable schedules should average several months of pay when sizing a payment.
More context for Mississippi budgets
Owners make up 70% of Mississippi households. With a median home value of $169,800, 50th of 51, a house costs about 3.0 years of median household income. The owner cost burden rate, for households with a mortgage, is 26%.
Median gross rent in Mississippi is $954 a month, ranking 48th, and 51% of renters are cost-burdened by the Census definition, compared with 51% nationally. When rent rises at renewal, a fixed loan payment can collide with it, so leave room for the next increase.
With a median age of 38.6 and 25% of adults holding a four-year degree, Mississippi has a Gini inequality index of 0.482, ranking 8th from most to least unequal.
Checking a lender in Mississippi
A two-minute check protects you: look the lender up before you share a Social Security number. In Mississippi the banking agency named by CSBS is the Mississippi Department of Banking and Consumer Finance.
- Confirm the license on NMLS Consumer Access before you upload documents.
- Legitimate lenders take fees out of the loan or bill them later, never by gift card or wire first (FTC).
- Complaints can go to the state agency and to the CFPB.
Can Mississippi residents use the questionnaire?
You can start it, and the location step is where you find out: if partners are not yet taking Mississippi requests, you will see a short email waitlist and nothing more is asked.
Local guides in Mississippi
Open a local guide for a closer look at your own city (1 in Mississippi):
Frequently asked questions
Which agency licenses lenders in Mississippi?
Start with the Mississippi Department of Banking and Consumer Finance, Mississippi's banking agency in the CSBS directory. Many lenders' state licenses also appear on NMLS Consumer Access, and the CFPB takes complaints nationwide.
What do households in Mississippi earn?
About $56,447. Half of Mississippi households earn more and half less; nationally the midpoint is $80,734.
How much do Mississippi renters pay?
Median gross rent is $954 a month, and 51% of renter households spend 30 percent or more of income on rent (ACS 2020 to 2024). Nationally the figures are $1,413 and 51%.
How common are long commutes in Mississippi?
14% of Mississippi workers travel 45 minutes or more to work, against 17% nationally (ACS 2020 to 2024). Long drives raise fuel and repair costs, so build them into any loan budget.