Some of you might be asking yourself, at this very moment, is Mississippi a good place?
The answer is unequivocally yes… if you know where to locate the best counties to live in Mississippi.
Lucky for you, we’re here to help you identify the best counties to live in the Magnolia State based on the most recently available data from the Census. And this isn’t our first rodeo — we’ve been using Saturday Night Science to rank places for years.
The question becomes if you wanted to relocate to the best part of Mississippi, where would you go? To answer that, we looked at crime, cost of living, and demographic data for all 82 counties in the state.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Table | FAQs | Summary
The 10 Best Counties To Live In Mississippi For 2024
Madison County is the county to be when it comes to living the good life in Mississippi. And you should avoid Humphreys County if you can — at least according to the data.
Now you know exactly where to move in Mississippi. Keep on reading for more about the top ten and a detailed methodology.
Or, check out the best places to live in Mississippi and the cheapest places to live in Mississippi.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The Best Counties To Live In Mississippi For 2024
1. Madison County
Biggest Place: Jackson
Population: 109,257
Median Income: $79,105 (2nd best)
Median Home Price: $320,951 (best)
Unemployment Rate: 4.2% (12th best)
More on Madison County: Data
2. Desoto County
Biggest Place: Southaven
Population: 186,214
Median Income: $79,666 (best)
Median Home Price: $285,309 (3rd best)
Unemployment Rate: 4.4% (17th best)
More on Desoto County: Data
3. Rankin County
Biggest Place: Jackson
Population: 157,185
Median Income: $76,460 (3rd best)
Median Home Price: $252,134 (4th best)
Unemployment Rate: 4.4% (16th best)
More on Rankin County: Data
4. Lafayette County
Biggest Place: Oxford
Population: 56,172
Median Income: $59,748 (9th best)
Median Home Price: $313,253 (2nd best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.8% (2nd best)
More on Lafayette County: Data
5. Hancock County
Biggest Place: Bay St. Louis
Population: 46,010
Median Income: $63,623 (6th best)
Median Home Price: $230,238 (7th best)
Unemployment Rate: 6.2% (37th best)
More on Hancock County: Data
6. Itawamba County
Biggest Place: Fulton
Population: 23,888
Median Income: $57,252 (10th best)
Median Home Price: $144,494 (3best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.8% (3rd best)
More on Itawamba County: Data
7. Lee County
Biggest Place: Tupelo
Population: 83,343
Median Income: $64,479 (5th best)
Median Home Price: $187,233 (12th best)
Unemployment Rate: 5.6% (27th best)
More on Lee County: Data
8. Lamar County
Biggest Place: Hattiesburg
Population: 64,425
Median Income: $67,972 (4th best)
Median Home Price: $248,011 (5th best)
Unemployment Rate: 5.8% (30th best)
More on Lamar County: Data
9. Warren County
Biggest Place: Vicksburg
Population: 44,341
Median Income: $54,117 (17th best)
Median Home Price: $162,802 (2best)
Unemployment Rate: 4.7% (19th best)
More on Warren County: Data
10. Lowndes County
Biggest Place: Columbus
Population: 58,547
Median Income: $53,687 (18th best)
Median Home Price: $161,932 (22nd best)
Unemployment Rate: 6.2% (38th best)
More on Lowndes County: Data
Methodology: How do you determine which Mississippi county is the best?
To give you the best county in Mississippi, we have to look at a handful of metrics that signal the quality of a place. To do that, we made assumptions about what’s in a “best county” and what isn’t. For reference, we are trying to make the kind of argument you’d make at a bar using facts, Saturday Night Science.
With that in mind, we went to two of the best data sources on the internet. Namely, the American Community Survey data and FBI Crime data for the most recent period.
We paid particular attention to:
- Violent Crime Rates
- Property Crime Rates
- Median Home Values
- Median Income
- Unemployment Rates
- Adult Education Levels
- Health Insurance Coverage
- Poverty Rates
We then ranked each county in Mississippi across each of the criteria from one to 82, with one being the best.
Taking the average rank across all criteria, we created a quality of life score with the county posting the lowest overall score being the “Best County To Live In Mississippi.”
The result is some of the safest, quietest, and best counties to raise a family in the Magnolia State.
We updated this article for 2024. This report is our tenth time ranking the best counties to live in Mississippi.
Read on to see why Madison County is the best county, while Humphreys County is probably in contention for being the worst county in Mississippi.
Summary: The Best Counties In Mississippi To Call Home For 2024
Living in Mississippi can vary from one part of the state to the next — who woulda thought?
The best counties in Mississippi are Madison County, DeSoto County, Rankin County, Lafayette County, Hancock County, Itawamba County, Lee County, Lamar County, Warren County, and Lowndes County.
But now you know the outstanding parts and the parts to avoid, and that’s why you came here to learn at the end of the day.
You are welcome.
Here’s a look at the worst counties in Mississippi according to the data:
- Humphreys County
- Quitman County
- Tallahatchie County
For more Mississippi reading, check out:
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Mississippi
- Richest Cities In Mississippi
- Best Counties To Live In Mississippi
- Cheapest Places To Live In Mississippi
Detailed List Of The Best Counties In Mississippi
| Rank | County | Population | Median Income | Median Home Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Madison County | 109,257 | $79,105 | $320,951 |
| 2 | Desoto County | 186,214 | $79,666 | $285,309 |
| 3 | Rankin County | 157,185 | $76,460 | $252,134 |
| 4 | Lafayette County | 56,172 | $59,748 | $313,253 |
| 5 | Hancock County | 46,010 | $63,623 | $230,238 |
| 6 | Itawamba County | 23,888 | $57,252 | $144,494 |
| 7 | Lee County | 83,343 | $64,479 | $187,233 |
| 8 | Lamar County | 64,425 | $67,972 | $248,011 |
| 9 | Warren County | 44,341 | $54,117 | $162,802 |
| 10 | Lowndes County | 58,547 | $53,687 | $161,932 |
| 11 | Union County | 27,880 | $55,970 | $171,014 |
| 12 | Prentiss County | 24,945 | $51,578 | $129,580 |
| 13 | Pearl River County | 56,351 | $54,220 | $207,854 |
| 14 | Jackson County | 143,721 | $60,045 | $192,772 |
| 15 | Pontotoc County | 31,202 | $54,414 | $178,037 |
| 16 | Jones County | 67,152 | $49,451 | $144,576 |
| 17 | Monroe County | 34,168 | $51,190 | $139,969 |
| 18 | Jasper County | 16,320 | $43,914 | $125,018 |
| 19 | Marshall County | 33,980 | $51,431 | $180,413 |
| 20 | Tate County | 28,094 | $61,286 | $213,368 |
| 21 | Webster County | 9,942 | $55,657 | $151,932 |
| 22 | Oktibbeha County | 51,388 | $42,953 | $244,233 |
| 23 | Harrison County | 208,748 | $55,211 | $212,293 |
| 24 | Stone County | 18,360 | $55,894 | $175,079 |
| 25 | Forrest County | 77,917 | $49,340 | $167,997 |
| 26 | Franklin County | 7,690 | $43,942 | $139,667 |
| 27 | Tishomingo County | 18,837 | $45,545 | $158,260 |
| 28 | Lincoln County | 34,855 | $47,069 | $171,828 |
| 29 | Smith County | 14,310 | $51,983 | $150,705 |
| 30 | Carroll County | 9,930 | $42,285 | $164,261 |
| 31 | Simpson County | 25,889 | $50,867 | $134,469 |
| 32 | George County | 24,547 | $51,349 | $185,504 |
| 33 | Lauderdale County | 72,741 | $45,649 | $119,150 |
| 34 | Yalobusha County | 12,499 | $47,006 | $124,510 |
| 35 | Perry County | 11,511 | $48,333 | $130,671 |
| 36 | Newton County | 21,275 | $49,160 | $138,223 |
| 37 | Alcorn County | 34,717 | $47,716 | $144,804 |
| 38 | Choctaw County | 8,208 | $41,887 | $119,903 |
| 39 | Hinds County | 226,541 | $48,596 | $108,634 |
| 40 | Covington County | 18,323 | $40,164 | $146,317 |
| 41 | Calhoun County | 13,193 | $44,505 | $103,363 |
| 42 | Winston County | 17,741 | $45,516 | $129,532 |
| 43 | Grenada County | 21,474 | $45,745 | $119,981 |
| 44 | Walthall County | 13,888 | $37,145 | $141,148 |
| 45 | Clarke County | 15,553 | $46,329 | $112,217 |
| 46 | Panola County | 33,157 | $47,894 | $155,307 |
| 47 | Wilkinson County | 8,531 | $34,928 | $106,251 |
| 48 | Attala County | 17,842 | $42,680 | $115,912 |
| 49 | Amite County | 12,683 | $34,866 | $149,455 |
| 50 | Tippah County | 21,769 | $47,968 | $130,986 |
| 51 | Copiah County | 28,210 | $46,889 | $113,006 |
| 52 | Chickasaw County | 17,024 | $40,224 | $116,032 |
| 53 | Greene County | 13,672 | $50,000 | $142,384 |
| 54 | Benton County | 7,637 | $38,750 | $121,601 |
| 55 | Leake County | 21,335 | $46,669 | $137,209 |
| 56 | Neshoba County | 28,970 | $47,400 | $135,496 |
| 57 | Clay County | 18,598 | $37,412 | $129,681 |
| 58 | Scott County | 27,943 | $44,968 | $103,888 |
| 59 | Adams County | 29,425 | $37,271 | $117,979 |
| 60 | Jefferson Davis County | 11,291 | $36,473 | $91,069 |
| 61 | Pike County | 40,098 | $40,131 | $100,926 |
| 62 | Marion County | 24,362 | $38,399 | $125,790 |
| 63 | Lawrence County | 11,933 | $41,096 | $118,070 |
| 64 | Montgomery County | 9,803 | $36,845 | $99,995 |
| 65 | Wayne County | 19,760 | $34,875 | $135,700 |
| 66 | Jefferson County | 7,207 | $31,544 | $107,868 |
| 67 | Kemper County | 8,980 | $42,947 | $123,374 |
| 68 | Tunica County | 9,787 | $41,676 | $108,830 |
| 69 | Bolivar County | 30,688 | $37,845 | $128,378 |
| 70 | Noxubee County | 10,261 | $42,298 | $93,664 |
| 71 | Issaquena County | 1,206 | $17,900 | $111,562 |
| 72 | Sunflower County | 25,867 | $37,403 | $98,983 |
| 73 | Holmes County | 16,848 | $28,818 | $63,005 |
| 74 | Yazoo County | 27,467 | $41,867 | $94,700 |
| 75 | Washington County | 44,604 | $38,394 | $70,423 |
| 76 | Claiborne County | 9,044 | $34,282 | $90,328 |
| 77 | Coahoma County | 21,264 | $36,075 | $50,013 |
| 78 | Leflore County | 27,920 | $33,115 | $78,155 |
| 79 | Sharkey County | 3,910 | $41,000 | $89,344 |
| 80 | Tallahatchie County | 12,621 | $35,428 | $93,174 |
| 81 | Quitman County | 6,113 | $31,192 | $75,880 |
| 82 | Humphreys County | 7,744 | $31,907 | $81,969 |
