Tippah County, MS: personal loan guide and local data

Who lives in Tippah County

Tippah County is home to about 21,523 people, according to the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, which makes it the 41st most populous of 82 county-level areas in Mississippi. It covers 458 square miles of land, or about 47 people per square mile. It sits outside every metropolitan statistical area in the July 2023 OMB delineation. The Census Bureau counts 6 places in the county (5 incorporated, 1 census-designated); the largest is Ripley, with about 5,377 residents, or 25% of the county.

What Tippah County households earn

At $52,542, the typical Tippah County household income is 20% below the median U.S. county ($65,681). That places it 29th among Mississippi's 82 county-level areas.

Some 32% of households here live on less than $35,000 a year; 19% have six-figure incomes. The poverty rate is 18.9%, the same as the state's 18.9%. Income inequality, measured by the Gini index, comes to 0.441 here. For a borrower in Tippah 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.

Tippah County housing compared with Mississippi

Renters in Tippah County pay a median of $790 a month, 17% below the Mississippi figure of $954. 36% of renting households spend 30% or more of income on rent, and 13% spend half or more. With a median value of $124,100, a typical Tippah County house costs 2.4 times what the median household earns in a year. 75% of Tippah County households own their home and 25% rent.

In an owner-heavy county like Tippah 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.

Jobs and commutes in Tippah County

Education and health care employs 24% of working residents, the largest share; manufacturing is next with 22%. Compared with Mississippi, the county leans toward manufacturing (22% against 13%). ACS puts five-year average unemployment at 5.5% in Tippah County. Long commutes are common here: 18% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work.

Where long drives are the norm, a car repair is one of the most common surprise bills. A small repair fund can keep a breakdown from turning into a loan.

How Tippah County compares with nearby counties

Six nearby counties, 16 to 33 miles away by the straight-line distance between their centers. 2 of the six report a higher median household income than Tippah County; Union County is highest at $55,505 and Benton County lowest at $46,016. Some neighbors are in Tennessee. Lender licensing is state by state, so a loan for a Tippah County resident follows Mississippi rules.

Tippah County towns compared

6 Census places fall mainly inside Tippah County; the 6 biggest are below. They account for 8,371 residents, leaving about 61% of the county in unincorporated, unnamed areas. Falkner has the highest median household income on the list ($58,472) and Walnut the lowest ($27,159), counting places with at least 500 residents. Median rent ranges from $512 in Walnut to $825 in Falkner. No Tippah County place has a separate guide yet; this county page serves all 6.

CDPs are unincorporated communities the Census Bureau defines for counting.

Debt-to-income at Tippah County's medians

Tippah County at the medians, through a lender's eyes (what DTI means):

• Start: $4,378 gross per month ($52,542 / 12)
• 18% goes to median rent ($790)
• $961: what a 40% 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.

Reading the Tippah County data as a borrower

Based on the Tippah County data above, these borrowing questions are most likely to matter locally.

• Medical bills. 12% of Tippah County residents are uninsured. Before borrowing for care, ask the provider about financial assistance and payment plans.
• Keeping the car running. At 18% with long commutes, repairs are a frequent Tippah County emergency; first decide if the car is worth fixing.
• Manufactured homes. 18% of Tippah County housing units are mobile homes, and their repairs are often paid with unsecured loans. Get the quote in writing.
• Lower-cost alternatives. In a county with 19% in poverty, nonprofit credit counseling may beat a loan (options).

Tippah County households compared

18% of Tippah County adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or more. About 12% go without health insurance.

Checking a lender's license in Mississippi

The Mississippi Department of Banking and Consumer Finance is the place to verify any lender's Mississippi license. A CFPB complaint gets forwarded to the company for a response. The Mississippi guide covers state rules in more detail.

A Tippah County borrower's checklist

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.
• Verify the Mississippi license before giving out your Social Security number.
• Pick the shortest term whose payment still fits.

More guides for Tippah County

The Mississippi guide covers the whole state.

• Mississippi state guide