1st Advantage MortgageThe median Carroll County household earns $59,327, and 18% of residents live below the poverty line. Your income, debts and credit decide what you qualify for. Get offers in writing, compare the total repaid, and never pay a fee up front.
On this page
- Carroll County by the numbers
- Rent, home values and ownership in Carroll County
- Household income in Carroll County
- Employment and commuting in Carroll County
- Cities, towns and CDPs in Carroll County
- The counties around Carroll County
- A Carroll County household budget, worked through
- More Carroll County figures
- Borrowing situations common in Carroll County
- Steps before you apply in Carroll County
- Checking a lender's license in Mississippi
- Nearby and statewide guides
- Frequently asked questions
Carroll County by the numbers
With an estimated 9,686 residents (ACS 2020 to 2024), Carroll County ranks 69th of 82 in Mississippi for population. Spread over 628 square miles, that works out to roughly 15.4 residents per square mile. No metropolitan area includes Carroll County in the 2023 federal delineation, so its numbers stand on their own rather than as part of a metro. Vaiden is the biggest of its 3 Census places, at roughly 1,158 people (12% of the county total). With so few households sampled, Carroll County estimates can move a lot between releases.
Rent, home values and ownership in Carroll County
Renters in Carroll County pay a median of $662 a month, 31% below the Mississippi figure of $954. 23% of renting households spend 30% or more of income on rent, and 6% spend half or more. Home values center on $109,600, or 1.8 years of median income. 84% of Carroll County households own their home and 16% rent.
| Housing | Carroll County | Mississippi statewide | Typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $662/mo | $954/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $109,600 | $169,800 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 84% | 70% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 23% | 51% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 21% | 26% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 14% | 15% | n/a |
In an owner-heavy county like Carroll County, many borrowers can also choose a home equity loan or line of credit. Those can price lower but put the house on the line, so compare the two in writing; our personal loan vs. HELOC guide walks through it.
Household income in Carroll County
Half of Carroll County households take in less than $59,327 a year and half take in more, 5% above the Mississippi median of $56,447. Only 14 Mississippi counties post a higher median.
| Income band | Share in Carroll County | Difference from Mississippi |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 35.4% | +2.9 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 43.2% | +1.9 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 18.9% | -1.7 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 2.6% | -3.2 pts |
Some 35% of households here live on less than $35,000 a year; 21% have six-figure incomes. 17.9% of residents fall below the federal poverty line (statewide: 18.9%). Income from any regular source can count, including Social Security, pensions and disability benefits, as long as you can document it.
Employment and commuting in Carroll County
By the Census industry count, 28% of employed Carroll County residents work in education and health care and 13% in construction. The sharpest difference from the state is in construction, at 13% locally and 7% for Mississippi. ACS puts five-year average unemployment at 1.6% in Carroll County. Long commutes are common here: 18% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work.
| Industry | Share of Carroll County workers | vs Mississippi |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 28.1% | +2.7 pts |
| Construction | 12.7% | +5.9 pts |
| Transportation, warehousing and utilities | 11.5% | +4.1 pts |
| Manufacturing | 10.7% | -2.3 pts |
| Retail trade | 8.8% | -2.6 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 6.1% | -2.7 pts |
Industry shapes paperwork. Salaried and public jobs are easy to verify, while hourly, tipped, commission or contract earners in Carroll County should have bank statements and tax returns ready.
Cities, towns and CDPs in Carroll County
The table lists the 3 largest of 3 Census places in Carroll County, by population. Together all 3 hold about 2,085 people, so roughly 78% of residents live outside any named place. No Carroll County place has a separate guide yet; this county page serves all 3.
| Name | Kind | Pop. | Income | Rent | Miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vaiden | town | 1,158 | n/a | n/a | 12 mi |
| North Carrollton | town | 538 | $15,263 | n/a | 5 mi |
| Carrollton | town | 389 | $85,000 | $1,710 | 4 mi |
The counties around Carroll County
Six nearby counties, 17 to 38 miles away by the straight-line distance between their centers. None of the six report a higher median household income than Carroll County; Attala County is highest at $51,639 and Holmes County lowest at $32,538.
| County | Miles | Median household income | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carroll County | - | $59,327 | $662/mo | 84% |
| Montgomery County, MS | 17 mi | $41,748 | $734/mo | 76% |
| Leflore County, MS | 23 mi | $35,277 | $689/mo | 52% |
| Grenada County, MS | 24 mi | $48,804 | $807/mo | 67% |
| Holmes County, MS | 24 mi | $32,538 | $590/mo | 61% |
| Attala County, MS | 31 mi | $51,639 | $825/mo | 75% |
| Tallahatchie County, MS | 38 mi | $37,466 | $732/mo | 65% |
A Carroll County household budget, worked through
Carroll County at the medians, through a lender's eyes (what DTI means):
- $59,327 a year is $4,944 of gross monthly income
- Rent at the median, $662, takes 13% of that
- Under a 35% cap, $1,730 total minus rent leaves $1,068
- 45% debt-to-income limit: $1,563 left for all other debt payments
Car, student loan and card payments come out of that room first. Try your own numbers in the calculator.
More Carroll County figures
Degree holders: 21% of adults over 25. 9.6% of residents have no health coverage.
| Indicator | Carroll County | All of Mississippi | U.S. county median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 48.6 | 38.6 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 21.2% | 25.1% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 16.6% | 12.9% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 9.6% | 11.0% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 4.5% | 6.3% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 7.5% | 5.9% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 17.9% | 18.9% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 1.6% | 5.8% | 4.4% |
| Commute length | Carroll County |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 15.5% |
| 15 to 29 min | 42.3% |
| 30 to 44 min | 23.8% |
| 45 to 59 min | 9.4% |
| 60+ min | 9.0% |
Borrowing situations common in Carroll County
Based on the Carroll County data above, these borrowing questions are most likely to matter locally.
- Vehicle repairs. 18% of Carroll County workers commute 45+ minutes, so a breakdown can cost a paycheck. Get two written estimates.
- 29% mobile homes. Many are not titled as real estate, so home-equity options may not apply; an unsecured loan is the usual route.
- Older households. A 48.6 median age means fixed-income borrowing is common; a fixed payment and short term limit risk.
Steps before you apply in Carroll County
Steps that save money for Carroll County residents:
- Know the exact dollar figure you need before talking to a lender.
- Prequalify with soft pulls where offered, then compare in writing.
- Confirm the lender is licensed in Mississippi.
- Lock paid-off cards after consolidating so balances stay at zero.
Checking a lender's license in Mississippi
Licensing happens at the state level, so a lender working with Carroll County borrowers answers to the Mississippi Department of Banking and Consumer Finance. Banks and credit unions have their own regulators, and the CFPB takes complaints about any lender. See the Mississippi state guide for the statewide picture.
Nearby and statewide guides
For statewide rules and data, see the Mississippi guide.
Frequently asked questions
Is Carroll County a high-income county?
Its $59,327 median ranks 15th of 82 Mississippi counties and compares with $65,681 for the median U.S. county.
How much is rent in Carroll County?
Median gross rent, utilities included, is $662 a month; 23% of renters spend 30% or more of income on it.
I own my home in Carroll County. Personal loan or HELOC?
A HELOC uses the house as collateral; a personal loan usually does not. With 84% of homes owner-occupied here, many readers can compare both in writing.
I live in a small Carroll County town. Is this my guide?
Yes. If your town has no city guide, this county page is the local one; it covers Vaiden, North Carrollton, Carrollton.
Is the fit check different in Carroll County?
No. It is identical everywhere, and it never looks at your neighborhood.