1st Advantage MortgageHarrison County households have a median income of $59,479 and median rent of $1,115 a month (ACS 2020 to 2024). 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
- A quick profile of Harrison County
- Jobs and commutes in Harrison County
- How much Harrison County households make
- Harrison County housing compared with Mississippi
- Harrison County and the counties next door
- Places inside Harrison County
- A Harrison County household budget, worked through
- Harrison County households compared
- Reading the Harrison County data as a borrower
- Checklist for Harrison County applicants
- Licensing and complaints for Harrison County
- Related local guides
- Frequently asked questions
A quick profile of Harrison County
With an estimated 210,891 residents (ACS 2020 to 2024), Harrison County ranks 2nd of 82 in Mississippi for population. Packed into 574 square miles, that is close to 368 residents for every square mile of land. The federal metro definitions (OMB, July 2023) place it in the Gulfport-Biloxi, MS metropolitan area. Gulfport is the biggest of its 9 Census places, at roughly 73,003 people (35% of the county total).
Jobs and commutes in Harrison County
By the Census industry count, 26% of employed Harrison County residents work in education and health care and 15% in arts, lodging and food service. Arts, lodging and food service stands out: 15% of workers here, versus 9% statewide. ACS puts five-year average unemployment at 7.1% in Harrison County. About 78% drive to work alone and 11% have trips of 45 minutes or more.
| Industry | Share of Harrison County workers | vs Mississippi |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 26.0% | +0.6 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 15.5% | +6.7 pts |
| Retail trade | 11.0% | -0.4 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 8.3% | +0.8 pts |
| Construction | 7.7% | +0.9 pts |
| Manufacturing | 6.5% | -6.5 pts |
Industry shapes paperwork. Salaried and public jobs are easy to verify, while hourly, tipped, commission or contract earners in Harrison County should have bank statements and tax returns ready.
How much Harrison County households make
Half of Harrison County households take in less than $59,479 a year and half take in more, 5% above the Mississippi median of $56,447. In the state ranking that is 13th of 82.
| Band | Harrison County | Compared with Mississippi |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 28.1% | -4.3 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 44.4% | +3.2 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 21.7% | +1.2 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 5.8% | 0.0 pts |
The spread is wide: 27% of Harrison County households make $100,000 or more, and 28% make less than $35,000. 17.1% of residents fall below the federal poverty line (statewide: 18.9%). For a borrower in Harrison County, the county median is only context: a lender looks at the income you can document, so pay stubs, benefit letters or tax returns matter more than any average.
Harrison County housing compared with Mississippi
A typical Harrison County rental runs $1,115 a month including utilities, which is 17% above Mississippi. Rent takes 30% or more of income for 50% of renter households here. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $212,200, about 3.6 times the median household income. The ownership rate is 62%.
| Measure | Harrison County | Mississippi | Median U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,115/mo | $954/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $212,200 | $169,800 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 62% | 70% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 50% | 51% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 31% | 26% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 7.1% | 14.4% | n/a |
When half or more of renters are already stretched, a new payment needs a stress test: what happens if a paycheck is a week late?
Harrison County and the counties next door
Nearest neighbors first, measured between county centers (24 to 40 miles). Hancock County leads the group on income ($67,708), Pearl River County trails ($58,135), and Harrison County out-earns 2 of the six. Some neighbors are in Louisiana. Lender licensing is state by state, so a loan for a Harrison County resident follows Mississippi rules.
| Nearby county | Center to center | Household income | Gross rent | Owner-occupied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harrison County | - | $59,479 | $1,115/mo | 62% |
| Hancock County, MS | 24 mi | $67,708 | $977/mo | 79% |
| Stone County, MS | 26 mi | $61,413 | $936/mo | 81% |
| Jackson County, MS | 27 mi | $66,201 | $1,101/mo | 73% |
| St. Bernard Parish, LA | 36 mi | $58,651 | $1,082/mo | 70% |
| Pearl River County, MS | 39 mi | $58,135 | $906/mo | 80% |
| George County, MS | 40 mi | $59,758 | $844/mo | 82% |
Places inside Harrison County
9 Census places fall mainly inside Harrison County; the 9 biggest are below. They account for 163,628 residents, leaving about 22% of the county in unincorporated, unnamed areas. Among places of 500 or more people, median income runs from $49,919 in Gulfport to $78,212 in Pass Christian. Rent is cheapest in Gulfport ($1,086) and steepest in Lyman ($1,358). Live in one of these Harrison County communities, or between them? This is your local guide.
| Community | Type | Residents | Household income (median) | Rent (median) | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gulfport | city | 73,003 | $49,919 | $1,086 | 1 mi |
| Biloxi | city | 48,861 | $57,204 | $1,089 | 9 mi |
| Long Beach | city | 17,009 | $70,332 | $1,215 | 6 mi |
| D'Iberville | city | 13,203 | $66,016 | $1,249 | 11 mi |
| Pass Christian | city | 6,097 | $78,212 | $1,198 | 12 mi |
| Lyman | CDP | 2,298 | $75,455 | $1,358 | 7 mi |
| DeLisle | CDP | 1,906 | $71,917 | n/a | 12 mi |
| Saucier | CDP | 1,014 | $50,183 | n/a | 15 mi |
| Henderson Point | CDP | 237 | $66,036 | n/a | 14 mi |
A Harrison County household budget, worked through
How much room does a median Harrison County budget have? Take median income, subtract median rent, and check what is left under a few common debt-to-income limits.
- Start: $4,957 gross per month ($59,479 / 12)
- Rent at the median, $1,115, takes 22% of that
- $1,016: what a 43% ratio leaves once rent is paid
Car, student loan and card payments come out of that room first. Try your own numbers in the calculator.
Harrison County households compared
College graduates make up 27% of the adult population. About 13% go without health insurance.
| Residents | Harrison County | Mississippi | Middle U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.5 | 38.6 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 27.5% | 25.1% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 10.6% | 12.9% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 13.1% | 11.0% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 6.5% | 6.3% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 7.1% | 5.9% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 17.1% | 18.9% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 7.1% | 5.8% | 4.4% |
| Travel time to work | Workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 28.5% |
| 15 to 29 min | 43.2% |
| 30 to 44 min | 17.6% |
| 45 to 59 min | 4.6% |
| 60+ min | 6.2% |
Reading the Harrison County data as a borrower
The county's numbers point to a few situations that come up often for Harrison County borrowers.
- Medical bills. 13% of Harrison County residents are uninsured. Before borrowing for care, ask the provider about financial assistance and payment plans.
- 50% rent-burdened. A payment on top of high rent needs a cushion; size it with the calculator.
- Check your file. An error fixed before you apply can change the offers a Harrison County borrower sees (free reports).
Checklist for Harrison County applicants
Four checks before you sign anything:
- Size the loan to the bill, not to the most a lender offers.
- 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.
Licensing and complaints for Harrison County
No county office licenses personal lenders. For Harrison County, check the Mississippi Department of Banking and Consumer Finance. A CFPB complaint gets forwarded to the company for a response. Statewide data and rules: Mississippi guide.
Related local guides
The Mississippi guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median household income in Harrison County?
$59,479 a year in the 2020 to 2024 Census survey, versus $56,447 for Mississippi. It ranks 13th of 82 in the state.
How much is rent in Harrison County?
Median gross rent, utilities included, is $1,115 a month; 50% of renters spend 30% or more of income on it.
Does this page cover Gulfport?
Yes, along with the other 8 Census places in Harrison County, such as Biloxi, Long Beach, D'Iberville.
Does my county matter to the questionnaire?
Only your state does. Whether you live in Harrison County or elsewhere in Mississippi, the same rules apply.
Who regulates personal lenders for Harrison County residents?
The Mississippi Department of Banking and Consumer Finance licenses consumer lenders in Mississippi; the CFPB takes complaints about any lender, and the FTC wants to hear about fee-first offers.