2026 editionSouthPop. 2,954,160Capital Jackson20th state, admitted 1817Cook PVI R+15
Is Mississippi a Good Place to Live? Mississippi Rankings, Cost of Living, Crime & Taxes
Mississippi ranks #46 of 50 with a composite score of 41.9 and a D grade, strongest in affordability (#1) and weakest in health (#50). The median household earns $59,127 (27% below the national median), homes typically cost $197,606 (46% below the national average), and violent crime is 227 per 100,000 (31% below the national average).
Mississippi is the cheapest state in the country, and the price is the paycheck: a family of four at $75,000 comes out at a $16,959 surplus, the most of any state, while median income is $59,127, #50 of 50. The ledger's other side ranks last on livability and #50 on health, with life expectancy of 72.6 years.
Mississippi by the numbers
Six measures every state is judged on, each with Mississippi's rank of 50 and the national figure beside it.
Sources, latest releases: Census Bureau ACS (income), Zillow Research (home value), BEA Regional Price Parities (cost index), FBI state crime estimates (crime), BLS LAUS (unemployment), WalletHub tax burden study (taxes). Rank 1 is the best value in each measure: highest income, lowest cost, lowest crime.
Read the Mississippi overview
Mississippi scores above the national average in 3 of 11 categories and ranks #12 of 14 states in the South, behind 11 regional neighbors. Its biggest edge over the country is typical home value ($197,606, 46% below the national average); its biggest shortfall is median household income ($59,127, 27% below the national median). That mix of top-10 finishes (1) and bottom-10 finishes (6) is why the composite alone undersells the tradeoffs a mover here faces.
Where does Mississippi rank in each category?
All 11 categories that make up the composite, heaviest weight first. Mississippi is top 10 in 1 and bottom 10 in 6.
| Category | Score | Rank | Grade | Weight | US avg | The numbers behind it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | 30.4 | #43 of 50 | D | 15% | 47.1 | Its unemployment rate is 3.8% and median household income is $59,127. |
| Safety | 79.0 | #14 of 50 | B+ | 12% | 68.9 | The FBI estimates 226.9 violent crimes and 1,263.8 property crimes per 100,000 residents. |
| Health | 18.1 | #50 of 50 | F | 12% | 54.4 | Life expectancy is 72.6 years, 40.4% of adults have obesity, and 9.7% of residents are uninsured. |
| Education | 62.9 | #22 of 50 | B | 12% | 57.5 | Eighth graders average 269 in NAEP math and 254 in reading, and the high school graduation rate is 88.9%. |
| Affordability | 91.9 | #1 of 50 | A+ | 10% | 65.2 | Typical home value $197,606 (3.3x median income); cost of living index 87 (100 = US); center-based infant care $6,492 a year. |
| Fiscal Health | 43.8 | #43 of 50 | D | 8% | 58.1 | It carries $3,140 of debt per resident, has 60% of pensions funded, and holds a AA- credit rating. |
| Growth | 30.9 | #35 of 50 | C | 7% | 38.8 | Population grew 0.14% last year; Census net domestic migration is -0.3 per 1,000 residents (the Moving section below uses IRS household counts, a different series). |
| Transportation | 29.6 | #50 of 50 | F | 7% | 49.8 | The average commute is 26.4 minutes, 0.3% of workers use public transit, and 6.2% work from home. |
| Livability | 17.5 | #50 of 50 | F | 7% | 34.3 | It has 1.686 restaurants and 0.009 arts venues per 1,000 residents, plus 0.039 bars and 0.047 social associations per 1,000. |
| Outdoor Access | 14.7 | #35 of 50 | C | 6% | 29.4 | 6.5% of its land is public, with 2.38 recreation facilities per 10,000 residents. |
| Environment | 22.7 | #48 of 50 | D | 4% | 42.5 | Its median air quality index is 43, 5% of its electricity is renewable, and its FEMA disaster risk score is 36.4. |
Weight, US average and the evidence sentence for each category are shown on wider screens.
Grades follow rank, not score: A+ for ranks 1–5, A for 6–10, B+ for 11–18, B for 19–26, C+ for 27–34, C for 35–42, D for 43–48, F for 49–50. US avg is the mean score of the 50 states. Click a category for its 50-state ranking.
Category shape
Mississippi's 11 category scores. A balanced state fills the wheel evenly; Mississippi bulges toward affordability and dips at health.
How expensive is Mississippi?
Mississippi's cost of living index is 87 against a national baseline of 100, 13% below the national average and #2 of 50 (1 = cheapest). The typical home is worth $197,606 (46% below the national average); buying it takes an income of about $55,591, $3,536 less than the median household earns. Inside the state the spread is wide: among tracked cities, Tupelo is cheapest (index 83.6) and Horn Lake priciest (92.2).
Housing market snapshot · August
Cool marketRanked #49 of 50 most expensive by typical value and #3 on price relative to income (1 = most affordable). The median household earns enough to buy the typical home.
Full Mississippi housing market: 26-year chart, rent vs. buy, cities →What a household keeps at $75,000
| Household | Mississippi | Median state | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Family of fourTwo adults, two kids, one in daycare | +$16,959 | −$11,758 | #1 of 50 |
| Single adultOne-bedroom rent, no childcare | +$39,183 | +$31,418 | #3 of 50 |
| Retiree coupleOwn the home, no payroll tax | +$44,580 | +$35,970 | #2 of 50 |
Take-home pay minus housing, childcare, utilities, groceries and transport for a $75,000 household, from the affordability engine. Positive = money left over; negative = costs exceed take-home. Rank 1 = most left over.
What are taxes like in Mississippi?
Mississippi's tax mix is middle of the pack on income, property and sales taxes. The total state and local tax burden comes to 9.06% of income, 0.3 points above the national average (#32 of 50, 1 = lightest). Property tax is 0.76% of home value (#19), and combined sales tax averages 7.06% (#28).
Tax Foundation (rates) and WalletHub tax burden study (burden as a share of income), latest releases. Rank 1 = lowest. Income tax is the top marginal rate including typical local taxes where they apply.
Can the state pay its bills?
Fiscal health scores 43.8 out of 100, #43 of 50. Pew Fiscal 50, Census state finances and the rating agencies, latest releases.
Is Mississippi safe?
Mississippi reports 227 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, 31% below the national average and #15 of 50 (1 = safest). Property crime runs 1,264 per 100,000, 18% below the national average (#15 of 50). The safety score is 79 out of 100, #14 of 50; among tracked cities, Madison has the lowest violent crime rate.
Mississippi vs. the United States, per 100,000 residents
FBI state crime estimates, latest release. US is the mean of the 50 states; blue = below it, terracotta = above it. Florida and North Dakota use the FBI's prior-year estimate because their latest year is based on limited data.
Safest tracked cities in Mississippi
| City | Population | Violent / 100K | Property / 100K |
|---|---|---|---|
| Madison | 27,946 | 21 | 410 |
| Brandon | 25,542 | 50 | 303 |
| Starkville | 25,721 | 58 | 1,847 |
| Horn Lake | 26,647 | 79 | 1,459 |
| Pearl | 27,737 | 83 | 646 |
Lowest violent crime among the 20 Mississippi cities we track. City rates come from each city's police agency and are not strictly comparable across agencies.
What is the job market like in Mississippi?
Mississippi's unemployment rate is 3.8%, 0.2 points below the national average and #22 of 50 (1 = lowest), and the median household earns $59,127, 27% below the national median. Real GDP grew +0.5% in the latest year (#47 of 50) and GDP per capita is $38,882, 40% below the national average. The population is growing 0.14% a year, 0.4 points below the national average. The economy score is 30.4 out of 100, #43 of 50.
Census Bureau ACS (income), BLS LAUS (unemployment), BEA (GDP), Census population estimates (growth), latest releases.
Highest-paying tracked occupations in Mississippi, adjusted for cost of living
| Occupation | Cost-adjusted | Median wage | Metro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Family Medicine Physicians | $238,010 | $207,069 | Jackson |
| Lawyers | $128,178 | $111,515 | Jackson |
| Software Developers | $119,353 | $103,837 | Jackson |
| General & Operations Managers | $92,276 | $80,280 | Jackson |
| Computer Systems Analysts | $90,516 | $78,749 | Jackson |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, latest release, for the 20 occupations we track. Cost-adjusted wage divides the metro median by its cost of living index.
How are Mississippi's schools and healthcare?
Mississippi's education score is 62.9 out of 100, #22 of 50. Eighth graders average 269 in NAEP math (#35 of 50) and 254 in reading (#41 of 50), and the high school graduation rate is 88.9%, 3.3 points above the national average (#12 of 50).
Mississippi is #50 of 50 for health, with a life expectancy of 72.6 years, 4.3 years below the national average. 40.4% of adults have obesity (#49 of 50) and 9.7% of residents have no health insurance (#41 of 50). The health score is 18.1 out of 100, weighted 12% of the composite.
CDC National Center for Health Statistics (state life tables), CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (obesity), and Census Bureau American Community Survey (health insurance), latest releases.
Who is moving to Mississippi, and who is leaving?
Mississippi lost a net 3,125 households to other states in the latest IRS release: 30,358 moved in and 33,483 moved out, -1.1 per 1,000 residents (#40 of 50). Arriving households report an average income of $56,878 against $53,551 for those leaving. The Census Bureau's American Community Survey, which counts people rather than households, shows a net +10.8K people (64.5K in, 53.7K out, ±10.5K), pointing the other way, so treat the direction as uncertain.
Where should you live in Mississippi?
By composite score, the best of the 20 Mississippi cities we track are Madison (68.8), Brandon (63.2), and Olive Branch (60.3). Tupelo is the cheapest (cost index 83.6), Madison the richest ($119,338), and Gulfport the fastest growing (+2.2% a year). City ranks are among the 20 Mississippi cities we cover, not every city in the state.
Standout cities in Mississippi
| Best for | City | Measure |
|---|---|---|
| Safest | Madison | 21 violent crimes per 100K |
| Cheapest | Tupelo | cost of living index 83.6 |
| Most walkable | Jackson | walkability 10.7 of 20 |
| Cleanest air | Meridian | median AQI 35 (county) |
| Best schools | Pearl | 96% graduation rate |
| Richest | Madison | $119,338 |
Among the 20 Mississippi cities we track. Safest uses a full year of FBI reports from the city's own police agency; air quality is measured by county, so cities in the same county share a reading.
Regions of Mississippi
State government, the medical center and the suburbs that ring the capital; Madison and Rankin counties hold the schools and incomes, Jackson proper the cheapest homes.
The fastest-growing corner of the state and functionally a Memphis suburb: newer subdivisions, low crime, solid county schools, and commuters who cross the state line every morning.
Casinos, shipbuilding and Keesler; the state's most varied economy and its only beach life, with hurricane and wind-insurance exposure priced into every house from Waveland to Pascagoula.
Hill country and college towns: Ole Miss in Oxford, Mississippi State in Starkville, Toyota and furniture around Tupelo; low costs, low crime, and small cities newcomers like best.
The Delta's flat farm country in the northwest, shrinking and poor; Vicksburg on the river; Hattiesburg's university and hospitals; Meridian's rail town. Cheap, rural, and far from the growth.
All 20 tracked cities, best to worst
| # | City | Grade | Score | Population | Income | Violent / 100K | Cost index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Madison | A+ | 68.8 | 27,946 | $119,338 | 21 | 89 |
| 2 | Brandon | A | 63.2 | 25,542 | $92,783 | 50 | 89 |
| 3 | Olive Branch | B+ | 60.3 | 47,019 | $100,606 | 175 | 92.2 |
| 4 | Pearl | B+ | 58.9 | 27,737 | $61,695 | 83 | 89 |
| 5 | Clinton | B | 57.8 | 27,195 | $74,745 | 95 | 89 |
| 6 | Oxford | B | 57.3 | 26,411 | $64,451 | 140 | 83.6 |
| 7 | Southaven | B | 56.0 | 56,226 | $78,483 | 266 | 92.2 |
| 8 | Tupelo | C+ | 55.5 | 37,791 | $66,257 | 310 | 83.6 |
| 9 | Ridgeland | C+ | 52.6 | 24,587 | $66,038 | 320 | 89 |
| 10 | Biloxi | C | 52.2 | 48,861 | $57,204 | 351 | 90 |
| 11 | Starkville | C | 52.0 | 25,721 | $42,125 | 58 | 83.6 |
| 12 | Horn Lake | C | 50.6 | 26,647 | $53,311 | 79 | 92.2 |
| 13 | Hattiesburg | C | 49.3 | 48,619 | $46,342 | 256 | 87.6 |
| 14 | Gulfport | D | 47.2 | 73,003 | $49,919 | 569 | 90 |
| 15 | Columbus | D | 46.5 | 23,348 | $42,235 | 470 | 83.6 |
| 16 | Jackson | D | 45.4 | 146,631 | $42,071 | 400 | 89 |
| 17 | Pascagoula | D | 44.7 | 21,710 | $52,222 | 431 | 90 |
| 18 | Meridian | D | 44.3 | 34,137 | $36,562 | 554 | 83.6 |
| 19 | Vicksburg | F | 40.6 | 20,589 | $45,781 | 681 | 83.6 |
| 20 | Greenville | F | 37.6 | 28,166 | $40,083 | — | 83.6 |
Swipe the table sideways for more columns. Rank is among the 20 Mississippi cities we track: every city of 50,000 or more, plus the state's other largest places. City scores use city-level Census, FBI, BLS, CDC, EPA and NCES data, and a category with no city data is left out of the score rather than filled with the state's figure.
Best cities in Mississippi for…
| # | City | Score | Education | Safety | Affordability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Madison | 69.3 | 64.1 | 100.0 | 66.9 |
| 2 | Brandon | 66.9 | 61.9 | 100.0 | 75.7 |
| 3 | Oxford | 64.3 | 63.4 | 88.7 | 78.0 |
| 4 | Pearl | 63.8 | 63.3 | 96.8 | 82.3 |
| 5 | Olive Branch | 62.4 | 56.1 | 88.2 | 68.0 |
Who is Mississippi best for?
The same 11 category scores, re-weighted for six kinds of household. Rank is among the 50 states; click through for the best Mississippi cities for each.
Weights differ by household: families lean on education, safety and housing; retirees on fiscal health, healthcare and cost. See the weights →
How does Mississippi compare with its neighbors?
Mississippi ranks #46. Among its bordering states, Tennessee ranks highest (#24) and Louisiana lowest (#50). Arkansas is the most similar on the composite score and Tennessee the most different. Bordering states are listed best to worst; the national line is the mean of the 50 states.
| State | Overall | Score | Median income | Typical home | Cost index | Violent crime | Tax burden | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mississippi | #46 | 41.9 | $59,127 | $197,606 | 87 | 227 | 9.06% | |
| Tennessee | #24 | 57.1 | $71,997 | $334,108 | 91.9 | 492 | 6.38% | Compare → |
| Alabama | #37 | 48.5 | $66,659 | $241,613 | 88.8 | 348 | 7.99% | Compare → |
| Arkansas | #48 | 40.1 | $62,106 | $227,264 | 86.9 | 532 | 8.61% | Compare → |
| Louisiana | #50 | 30.0 | $60,986 | $217,039 | 88.2 | 515 | 8.94% | Compare → |
| United States | — | 57.9 | $80,903 | $368,697 | 100 | 328 | 8.74% |
Overall rank, median income, cost index and tax burden columns are shown on wider screens.
How the score works
Eleven categories, each scored 0–100 and weighted into one composite. Grades follow rank.
The weights
Economy 15% · Safety 12% · Health 12% · Education 12% · Affordability 10% · Fiscal Health 8% · Growth 7% · Transportation 7% · Livability 7% · Outdoor Access 6% · Environment 4%. The composite is the weighted sum, stretched linearly so states spread across most of the 0–100 range.
From raw numbers to scores
Every raw measure is placed on a 0–100 scale between a fixed floor and ceiling, inverted where lower is better (crime, cost, taxes), then combined within its category. The same scale applies to every state.
Letter grades
Grades follow rank, not score: A+ for ranks 1–5, A for 6–10, B+ for 11–18, B for 19–26, C+ for 27–34, C for 35–42, D for 43–48, F for 49–50. A C+ state is not failing; it is in the middle third.
Cities, budgets and neighbors
The 20 Mississippi city scores, the household budgets and the neighbor table on this page are computed from the same sources as the state score. City ranks are among the cities we track, not all cities in the state.
Editor's notes
Passages marked as editor's notes are written for this state and add context the numbers cannot: regions, tradeoffs, who the state fits. Every figure inside them is pulled from the data at build time, so the words cannot drift from the numbers.
Always the latest release
Each source is the most recent release its agency has published. The page is rebuilt when a source updates, so the score can move without any change in the state itself.
What the score cannot tell you
Weather and climate, culture and pace, politics beyond the Cook index shown for context, the quality of a specific school, hospital or neighborhood, job prospects in your field, and anything without a public, comparable, 50-state source. Statewide averages also hide the metro-versus-rural split, which is why the editor's notes name places.
Category briefs
Economy: Unemployment rate and median household income. Safety: Violent and property crime rates per 100,000 residents. Health: Health outcomes, behaviors, and access to care. Education: K-12 school quality, test scores, and graduation rates. Full methodology →
Key takeaways
What the Mississippi numbers say when read together.
Affordability is Mississippi's strongest suit
Mississippi is a #46 state overall but #1 of 50 for affordability, 45 places better than its composite rank, with a score of 91.9 against a national average of 65.2. Safety (#14) is next. Affordability carries 10% of the composite.
Health is where Mississippi falls furthest behind
Mississippi ranks #50 of 50 for health, 4 places below its overall #46, with a score of 18.1 against a national average of 54.4. At 12% of the composite, it is the category holding the overall score down most.
Typical home value is 46% below the national average
Mississippi's typical home value is $197,606, 46% below the national average of $368,697, #2 of 50 (1 = cheapest). The largest gap in the other direction is median household income: $59,127, 27% below the national median. Source: Zillow Research ZHVI, latest release.
More households leave than arrive
Mississippi ranks #40 of 50 on net household flow per 1,000 residents (-1.1). The households arriving report $3,327 more in average income than those leaving ($56,878 against $53,551), so the state is trading up on income even as the headcount shrinks. Tennessee is both the largest source and the largest destination.
A middle income stretches further here than in most states
A family of four earning $75,000 ends the year at a $16,959 surplus after housing, childcare, utilities, groceries, transport and taxes, against a $11,758 shortfall in the median state (#1 of 50). A single adult on the same income comes out at a $39,183 surplus; a retiree couple at a $44,580 surplus. Infant childcare runs $6,492 a year, 58% below the national average.
Mississippi sits 3rd among its 5-state neighborhood
2 of Mississippi's 4 bordering states rank above its #46; the closest match on the composite is Arkansas. Median income among them runs from $60,986 in Louisiana to $71,997 in Tennessee; Mississippi is at $59,127.
Frequently asked questions about living in Mississippi
Is Mississippi a good place to live?
Mississippi ranks #46 of 50 with a D grade, #12 of 14 in the South. It is top 10 in affordability and bottom 10 in economy, fiscal health, environment, health, transportation, and livability. On the six headline measures it beats the national figure on 4 of 6 (home prices, cost of living, violent crime, and unemployment) and trails on income and tax burden. Whether that adds up to a good place to live depends on what you weigh; the household rankings below re-weight the same numbers for families, retirees and remote workers.
Where does Mississippi rank among US states?
Mississippi ranks #46 of 50 overall with a composite score of 41.9 (grade D), and #12 of 14 states in the South. Its best category rank is #1 (affordability) and its worst #50 (health). The composite weights eleven categories, with economy, safety, health and education counting most; grades follow rank, so D means rank 43–48.
Is it expensive to live in Mississippi?
At #2 of 50 for cost of living (1 = cheapest), Mississippi is 13% below the national average: its index is 87 against a national baseline of 100. The typical home value is $197,606 (46% below the national average), and buying it takes an income of about $55,591 against a median household income of $59,127. At $75,000, a family of four comes out at a $16,959 surplus after all costs, #1 of 50 (1 = most left over).
Does Mississippi have a state income tax?
Yes. Mississippi's top state income tax rate is 4.4% (#18 of 50, 1 = lowest), and the total state and local tax burden is 9.06% of income, 0.3 points above the national average. Property tax is 0.76% of home value and combined sales tax 7.06%.
What is the crime rate in Mississippi?
Mississippi reports 227 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, 31% below the national average and #15 of 50 (1 = safest), and 1,264 property crimes per 100,000, 18% below the national average (#15). Its safety score is 79 out of 100, #14 of 50. Figures are FBI estimates from the latest release.
Does Mississippi have good schools?
Mississippi is #22 of 50 for education (score 62.9 out of 100). Its public school students average 269 in eighth-grade math on NAEP (#35) and 254 in eighth-grade reading (#41), and the high school graduation rate is 88.9%, 3.3 points above the national average (#12). Among tracked cities with at least three schools, Pearl has the highest graduation rate at 96%.
Why are people leaving Mississippi?
Mississippi lost a net 3,125 households in the latest IRS release: 30,358 moved in and 33,483 moved out, -1.1 per 1,000 residents (#40 of 50). The largest source of arrivals is Tennessee (5,685 households) and the most common destination is Tennessee (5,641). Arriving households report an average income of $56,878 against $53,551 for those leaving, so movers in earn more than movers out. The IRS files count tax returns and say nothing about motives.
Is Mississippi a red or blue state?
Mississippi is a solidly red state: its Cook Partisan Voting Index is R+15, meaning it votes about 15 points more Republican than the country as a whole. The political lean is shown for context and is not part of the composite score.
What are the downsides of living in Mississippi?
The paycheck, and how far you are from a hospital. Median household income is $59,127, #50; life expectancy is 72.6 years, #49; livability and transportation both rank #50. The state loses households on net, -3,125. Daily life in Madison, Oxford or Ocean Springs is pleasant; a mover should still arrive with a job, a doctor and a plan for the drive.
Is Mississippi a good place to retire?
For the tax bill, one of the best; for the health system, one of the hardest. Social Security, pensions and withdrawals are exempt from state income tax, property tax is 0.76%, and a retiree couple at $75,000 ends the year at a $44,580 surplus, $8,610 above the national median. Retire near Jackson's medical center, the coast or Hattiesburg and the deal holds; in the Delta you'll drive for care.
Is Mississippi safe?
Safer than most people assume. Violent crime statewide is 227 per hundred thousand, 31% below the national average, #15 of 50. The exception is Jackson, whose violent-crime problem is well documented and whose FBI data is incomplete, plus Vicksburg and Gulfport at the high end. Madison, Brandon, Clinton and the DeSoto County suburbs are as safe as anywhere in the South.
Why is Mississippi so cheap?
Because incomes are low and demand is flat. The price-to-income ratio is 3.3x, 29% below the national average, so homes are cheap relative to local wages too, and population growth of +0.14% keeps sellers from pushing prices. The typical home value is $197,606, 46% below the national average. Land is plentiful, permitting is easy, and there is no coastal or tech premium. The cheapness is real, priced for the local paycheck.
What are the biggest industries in Mississippi?
Shipbuilding at Ingalls in Pascagoula, autos, agriculture, casinos and government. Nissan in Canton and Toyota outside Tupelo anchor manufacturing, with furniture, poultry, catfish and cotton across the rest. Casinos run the coast and Tunica, Keesler Air Force Base sits in Biloxi, and Jackson holds state government and the medical center. Among tracked metros, family medicine physicians in Jackson earn the best cost-adjusted wage, $207,069.
All the numbers
Every metric behind Mississippi's 11 category scores, with the national figure beside each. Pick a category.