1st Advantage MortgageIn Tunica County, Mississippi, the typical household earns $39,364 a year and the typical rent is $977. 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 Tunica County
- What it costs to live in Tunica County
- Paychecks and income spread in Tunica County
- Jobs and commutes in Tunica County
- Cities, towns and CDPs in Tunica County
- The counties around Tunica County
- Debt-to-income at Tunica County's medians
- Reading the Tunica County data as a borrower
- Who lives in Tunica County, in numbers
- Steps before you apply in Tunica County
- Mississippi rules that apply in Tunica County
- More guides for Tunica County
- Frequently asked questions
A quick profile of Tunica County
The latest five-year Census estimate puts Tunica County's population at 9,475; only 70 of Mississippi's 82 county-level areas are larger. It covers 454 square miles of land, or about 21 people per square mile. It is one of the counties that make up the Memphis, TN-MS-AR metropolitan statistical area (OMB, 2023). The Census Bureau counts 6 places in the county (1 incorporated, 5 census-designated); the largest is Tunica Resorts, with about 2,281 residents, or 24% of the county. With so few households sampled, Tunica County estimates can move a lot between releases.
What it costs to live in Tunica County
Median gross rent, utilities included, comes to $977 in Tunica County versus $954 statewide. Rent takes 30% or more of income for 58% of renter households here. With a median value of $175,900, a typical Tunica County house costs 4.5 times what the median household earns in a year. The ownership rate is 40%. Half the housing stock was built before 1994.
| Tunica County | Mississippi | U.S. county median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $977/mo | $954/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $175,900 | $169,800 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 40% | 70% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 58% | 51% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 33% | 26% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 22.0% | 14.4% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 21% | 15% | n/a |
For the many renters in Tunica County, deposits, moving costs and card balances are typical reasons to borrow. Keep the amount small and the term short. 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?
Paychecks and income spread in Tunica County
The median household income in Tunica County is $39,364; statewide it is $56,447, so Tunica County runs 30% below Mississippi as a whole. In the state ranking that is 67th of 82.
| Band | Tunica County | Compared with Mississippi |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 43.7% | +11.2 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 40.7% | -0.5 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 12.1% | -8.5 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 3.5% | -2.2 pts |
The spread is wide: 16% of Tunica County households make $100,000 or more, and 44% make less than $35,000. Census counts 31.1% of Tunica County residents in poverty, against 18.9% across Mississippi. A household earning below the $39,364 median should test any payment carefully; one earning above it should still pick the shortest term it can manage.
Jobs and commutes in Tunica County
The biggest employer of Tunica County residents, by industry, is arts, lodging and food service at 21% of workers, followed by transportation, warehousing and utilities (19%). Arts, lodging and food service stands out: 21% of workers here, versus 9% statewide. Averaged over the five survey years, 13.3% of the labor force was out of work and looking. 29% of commuters travel 45 minutes or more each way, and 1% work from home. Households without a car make up 10.7% of the total (6.3% statewide).
| Where residents work | Tunica County | Difference from Mississippi |
|---|---|---|
| Arts, lodging and food service | 20.9% | +12.2 pts |
| Transportation, warehousing and utilities | 18.8% | +11.4 pts |
| Education and health care | 16.4% | -9.0 pts |
| Retail trade | 11.5% | +0.1 pts |
| Manufacturing | 8.9% | -4.1 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 5.5% | -2.0 pts |
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.
Cities, towns and CDPs in Tunica County
The table lists the 6 largest of 6 Census places in Tunica County, by population. Together all 6 hold about 3,882 people, so roughly 59% of residents live outside any named place. None of the 6 has its own city guide, so this page covers all of them.
| Name | Kind | Pop. | Income | Rent | Miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tunica Resorts | CDP | 2,281 | $45,661 | $1,122 | 12 mi |
| Tunica | town | 838 | $39,282 | $621 | 3 mi |
| North Tunica | CDP | 429 | n/a | $830 | 4 mi |
| White Oak | CDP | 314 | n/a | n/a | 1 mi |
| Dundee | CDP | 20 | n/a | n/a | 9 mi |
| Austin | CDP | 0 | n/a | n/a | 4 mi |
CDPs are unincorporated communities the Census Bureau defines for counting.
The counties around Tunica County
Six nearby counties, 24 to 32 miles away by the straight-line distance between their centers. 4 of the six report a higher median household income than Tunica County; DeSoto County is highest at $85,297 and Quitman County lowest at $32,412. The list crosses into Arkansas, where different lending rules and regulators apply.
| County | Miles | Median household income | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tunica County | - | $39,364 | $977/mo | 40% |
| Tate County, MS | 24 mi | $69,704 | $963/mo | 76% |
| Lee County, AR | 25 mi | $34,375 | $667/mo | 59% |
| DeSoto County, MS | 27 mi | $85,297 | $1,451/mo | 78% |
| Quitman County, MS | 28 mi | $32,412 | $672/mo | 65% |
| Panola County, MS | 31 mi | $45,945 | $874/mo | 71% |
| Phillips County, AR | 32 mi | $40,134 | $737/mo | 51% |
Debt-to-income at Tunica County's medians
How much room does a median Tunica County budget have? Take median income, subtract median rent, and check what is left under a few common debt-to-income limits.
- Start: $3,280 gross per month ($39,364 / 12)
- Rent at the median, $977, takes 30% of that
- 36% debt-to-income limit: $204 left for all other debt payments
If your rent is above $977, the room shrinks dollar for dollar.
Reading the Tunica County data as a borrower
Based on the Tunica County data above, these borrowing questions are most likely to matter locally.
- Hospital bills in Tunica County. For the 13% of residents without coverage, the provider's charity-care program comes before any loan (details).
- Long drives. With 29% of commutes over 45 minutes, tires and repairs are fixed costs in many Tunica County budgets.
- Mobile home upkeep. 22% of units fall in this category; roof, skirting and HVAC jobs are common reasons to borrow.
- 31% below poverty. Emergency aid, payment plans and counseling (list) come first.
Who lives in Tunica County, in numbers
Degree holders: 14% of adults over 25. 13.1% of residents have no health coverage.
| Measure | Tunica County | Mississippi statewide | Typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.3 | 38.6 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 13.7% | 25.1% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 18.7% | 12.9% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 13.1% | 11.0% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 10.7% | 6.3% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 1.1% | 5.9% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 31.1% | 18.9% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 13.3% | 5.8% | 4.4% |
| Minutes to work | Tunica County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 39.8% |
| 15 to 29 min | 11.3% |
| 30 to 44 min | 19.8% |
| 45 to 59 min | 15.8% |
| 60+ min | 13.4% |
Steps before you apply in Tunica County
Steps that save money for Tunica County residents:
- Know the exact dollar figure you need before talking to a lender.
- Prequalify with soft pulls where offered, then compare in writing.
- Check the license, then the reviews, then the offer.
- Lock paid-off cards after consolidating so balances stay at zero.
Mississippi rules that apply in Tunica County
No county office licenses personal lenders. For Tunica County, check the Mississippi Department of Banking and Consumer Finance. Banks and credit unions have their own regulators, and the CFPB takes complaints about any lender. The Mississippi guide covers state rules in more detail.
More guides for Tunica County
The Mississippi guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
Is Tunica County a high-income county?
Its $39,364 median ranks 67th of 82 Mississippi counties and compares with $65,681 for the median U.S. county.
How does Tunica County rent compare with Mississippi?
$977 locally versus $954 for the state, 2% above.
I live in a small Tunica County town. Is this my guide?
Yes. If your town has no city guide, this county page is the local one; it covers Tunica Resorts, Tunica, North Tunica, White Oak, Dundee and 1 more.
Does my county matter to the questionnaire?
Only your state does. Whether you live in Tunica County or elsewhere in Mississippi, the same rules apply.
Is there a Tunica County office that licenses lenders?
No, licensing is statewide. In Mississippi it is the Mississippi Department of Banking and Consumer Finance.