Before you decide to relocate to Mississippi, it’s important to research the exact cost of living around the state. And that’s what we’re going to help you do.
These are the places in Mississippi that cost a pretty penny — the most expensive cities in the state.
We used Saturday Night Science to compare the 2019-2023 American Community Survey on cost of living for the 62 places in Mississippi with more than 5,000 people.
After we saved up for months and could finally afford it, we landed on this list of the ten most expensive cities in Mississippi for 2025.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Most Expensive Places To Live In Mississippi For 2025
What’s the most expensive place to live in Mississippi? Well, HomeSnacks crunched the numbers and discovered that Madison is the most expensive place to live in Mississippi.
Kosciusko (the cheapest place to live in Mississippi) can show these guys how to live on a budget in the coming years. Read on for how these places had costs rise faster than inflation.
And if you already knew these places were expensive, check out some more reading about Mississippi and the most expensive cities in the country:
The 10 Most Expensive Places To Live In Mississippi For 2025
/10
Population: 27,775
Cost Of Living Index: 102
Median Income: $120,918
Average Home Price: $334,700
Home Price To Income Ratio: 2.8x
More on Madison: Data
The overall cost of living in Madison is 102. The median income in Madison comes in at $120,918 and the average home value is $334,700 for 2025.
2. Long Beach
/10
Population: 16,876
Cost Of Living Index: 96
Median Income: $71,121
Average Home Price: $205,300
Home Price To Income Ratio: 2.9x
More on Long Beach:
The overall cost of living in Long Beach is 96. The median income in Long Beach comes in at $71,121 and the average home value is $205,300 for 2025.
3. Pass Christian
/10
Population: 5,942
Cost Of Living Index: 96
Median Income: $74,302
Average Home Price: $257,300
Home Price To Income Ratio: 3.5x
More on Pass Christian:
The overall cost of living in Pass Christian is 96. The median income in Pass Christian comes in at $74,302 and the average home value is $257,300 for 2025.
4. Diamondhead
/10
Population: 9,338
Cost Of Living Index: 95
Median Income: $86,208
Average Home Price: $236,700
Home Price To Income Ratio: 2.7x
More on Diamondhead:
The overall cost of living in Diamondhead is 95. The median income in Diamondhead comes in at $86,208 and the average home value is $236,700 for 2025.
/10
Population: 26,086
Cost Of Living Index: 94
Median Income: $59,901
Average Home Price: $333,400
Home Price To Income Ratio: 5.6x
More on Oxford: Data
The overall cost of living in Oxford is 94. The median income in Oxford comes in at $59,901 and the average home value is $333,400 for 2025.
/10
Population: 17,580
Cost Of Living Index: 94
Median Income: $71,451
Average Home Price: $282,200
Home Price To Income Ratio: 3.9x
More on Hernando: Data
The overall cost of living in Hernando is 94. The median income in Hernando comes in at $71,451 and the average home value is $282,200 for 2025.
/10
Population: 9,971
Cost Of Living Index: 94
Median Income: $70,082
Average Home Price: $231,900
Home Price To Income Ratio: 3.3x
More on Bay St. Louis: Data
The overall cost of living in Bay St. Louis is 94. The median income in Bay St. Louis comes in at $70,082 and the average home value is $231,900 for 2025.
/10
Population: 10,384
Cost Of Living Index: 93
Median Income: $83,204
Average Home Price: $288,400
Home Price To Income Ratio: 3.5x
More on Flowood: Data
The overall cost of living in Flowood is 93. The median income in Flowood comes in at $83,204 and the average home value is $288,400 for 2025.
9. Biloxi
/10
Population: 49,011
Cost Of Living Index: 92
Median Income: $55,958
Average Home Price: $203,200
Home Price To Income Ratio: 3.6x
More on Biloxi:
The overall cost of living in Biloxi is 92. The median income in Biloxi comes in at $55,958 and the average home value is $203,200 for 2025.
/10
Population: 46,538
Cost Of Living Index: 92
Median Income: $98,421
Average Home Price: $269,900
Home Price To Income Ratio: 2.7x
More on Olive Branch: Data
The overall cost of living in Olive Branch is 92. The median income in Olive Branch comes in at $98,421 and the average home value is $269,900 for 2025.
Methodology: How We Determined The Most Expensive Places To Live In The Magnolia State For 2025
The two most important things to think about when it comes to being able to afford a city in Mississippi are:
- How much money do I make?
- How much do I have to spend to live there?
You need to understand your costs in the context of how much money you make.
For example, if the median household earns $100,000 and spends $40,000 on housing, it’s actually cheaper to live there than a place with a median income of $50,000 and housing costs of $21,000. You might spend more on housing, but you have more money overall to play with.
With that example in mind, we derived several statistics from the latest Census American Community Survey 2019-2023 around incomes and costs. They are:
- Overall Cost Of Living Index
- Median Home Price / Median Income (lower is better)
- Median Income / Median Rent (Higher is better)
- Median Home Price
You can then compare these metrics in each of the places in Mississippi to figure out which is the most expensive.
You are left with a “Cost of Living Index” by taking the average rank of each of these metrics for each city.
So we used that cost of living index to rank all of the 62 places in Mississippi that have more than 5,000 people.
The place with the highest cost of living in Mississippi according to the data is Madison. We updated this article for 2025. This article is our tenth time ranking the most expensive places to live in Mississippi.
Summary: Taking A Chunk Out Of Your Paycheck In Mississippi For 2025
Well, there you have it, the places in Mississippi that have the highest cost of living, with Madison ranking as the most expensive city in the Magnolia State.
The most expensive cities in Mississippi are Madison, Long Beach, Pass Christian, Diamondhead, Oxford, Hernando, Bay St. Louis, Flowood, Biloxi, and Olive Branch.
Here’s a look at the most affordable cities in Mississippi according to the data:
- Kosciusko
- Clarksdale
- Forest
For more Mississippi reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In Mississippi
- Cheapest Places To Live In Mississippi
- Most Dangerous Cities In Mississippi
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Mississippi
- Safest Places In Mississippi
- Worst Places To Live In Mississippi
Most Expensive Cities In Mississippi
| Rank | City | Cost Of Living | Population | Median Income | Average Home Price | Home/Income Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Madison | 102 | 27,775 | $120,918 | $334,700 | 2.8x |
| 2 | Long Beach | 96 | 16,876 | $71,121 | $205,300 | 2.9x |
| 3 | Pass Christian | 96 | 5,942 | $74,302 | $257,300 | 3.5x |
| 4 | Diamondhead | 95 | 9,338 | $86,208 | $236,700 | 2.7x |
| 5 | Oxford | 94 | 26,086 | $59,901 | $333,400 | 5.6x |
| 6 | Hernando | 94 | 17,580 | $71,451 | $282,200 | 3.9x |
| 7 | Bay St. Louis | 94 | 9,971 | $70,082 | $231,900 | 3.3x |
| 8 | Flowood | 93 | 10,384 | $83,204 | $288,400 | 3.5x |
| 9 | Biloxi | 92 | 49,011 | $55,958 | $203,200 | 3.6x |
| 10 | Olive Branch | 92 | 46,538 | $98,421 | $269,900 | 2.7x |
| 11 | Gulfport | 91 | 72,533 | $46,044 | $167,100 | 3.6x |
| 12 | Brandon | 91 | 25,352 | $93,073 | $255,900 | 2.7x |
| 13 | Ocean Springs | 91 | 18,561 | $78,929 | $235,100 | 3.0x |
| 14 | Petal | 91 | 11,195 | $72,845 | $161,400 | 2.2x |
| 15 | Waveland | 91 | 7,066 | $58,795 | $201,800 | 3.4x |
| 16 | Ridgeland | 90 | 24,548 | $63,470 | $259,600 | 4.1x |
| 17 | Southaven | 89 | 55,531 | $76,159 | $214,800 | 2.8x |
| 18 | D’Iberville | 89 | 13,033 | $65,712 | $199,000 | 3.0x |
| 19 | Byram | 89 | 12,847 | $74,103 | $177,200 | 2.4x |
| 20 | Picayune | 89 | 11,839 | $37,270 | $146,500 | 3.9x |
| 21 | Hattiesburg | 88 | 48,507 | $44,140 | $153,600 | 3.5x |
| 22 | Clinton | 87 | 27,418 | $70,913 | $220,400 | 3.1x |
| 23 | Gautier | 87 | 19,026 | $62,480 | $162,700 | 2.6x |
| 24 | Starkville | 86 | 25,611 | $39,751 | $265,900 | 6.7x |
| 25 | McComb | 86 | 12,202 | $40,515 | $102,100 | 2.5x |
| 26 | Richland | 85 | 7,250 | $63,611 | $131,300 | 2.1x |
| 27 | Pearl | 84 | 27,458 | $54,643 | $170,900 | 3.1x |
| 28 | Horn Lake | 83 | 26,622 | $56,847 | $158,900 | 2.8x |
| 29 | Pascagoula | 83 | 21,812 | $43,286 | $132,500 | 3.1x |
| 30 | Natchez | 83 | 14,207 | $35,613 | $114,100 | 3.2x |
| 31 | Brookhaven | 83 | 11,656 | $36,269 | $111,500 | 3.1x |
| 32 | New Albany | 83 | 7,661 | $46,276 | $150,000 | 3.2x |
| 33 | Batesville | 83 | 7,432 | $46,492 | $190,800 | 4.1x |
| 34 | Philadelphia | 83 | 7,030 | $36,781 | $95,600 | 2.6x |
| 35 | Tupelo | 82 | 37,825 | $66,314 | $201,300 | 3.0x |
| 36 | Columbus | 82 | 23,616 | $40,588 | $121,200 | 3.0x |
| 37 | Canton | 82 | 10,863 | $34,812 | $111,800 | 3.2x |
| 38 | Senatobia | 82 | 8,306 | $52,370 | $208,000 | 4.0x |
| 39 | Laurel | 81 | 17,129 | $37,781 | $110,200 | 2.9x |
| 40 | Corinth | 81 | 14,450 | $41,243 | $164,200 | 4.0x |
| 41 | Moss Point | 81 | 12,066 | $46,684 | $107,700 | 2.3x |
| 42 | Cleveland | 81 | 10,855 | $43,519 | $162,300 | 3.7x |
| 43 | Amory | 81 | 6,564 | $51,592 | $140,700 | 2.7x |
| 44 | Meridian | 80 | 34,466 | $34,657 | $100,800 | 2.9x |
| 45 | Louisville | 80 | 6,018 | $37,679 | $135,800 | 3.6x |
| 46 | Columbia | 80 | 5,804 | $34,328 | $112,100 | 3.3x |
| 47 | Ripley | 80 | 5,415 | $56,641 | $132,500 | 2.3x |
| 48 | Jackson | 79 | 149,827 | $43,238 | $108,200 | 2.5x |
| 49 | Greenville | 79 | 28,833 | $36,297 | $100,800 | 2.8x |
| 50 | Vicksburg | 79 | 20,944 | $42,484 | $117,000 | 2.8x |
| 51 | Greenwood | 79 | 13,983 | $34,659 | $98,500 | 2.8x |
| 52 | Leakesville | 79 | 5,564 | $65,745 | $111,300 | 1.7x |
| 53 | Grenada | 78 | 12,484 | $42,470 | $152,100 | 3.6x |
| 54 | Booneville | 78 | 9,060 | $50,112 | $123,500 | 2.5x |
| 55 | Holly Springs | 78 | 6,861 | $47,344 | $110,900 | 2.3x |
| 56 | Yazoo City | 77 | 10,270 | $28,722 | $93,000 | 3.2x |
| 57 | Pontotoc | 77 | 5,717 | $50,230 | $144,300 | 2.9x |
| 58 | West Point | 76 | 9,967 | $35,055 | $119,300 | 3.4x |
| 59 | Indianola | 75 | 9,360 | $39,275 | $119,100 | 3.0x |
| 60 | Forest | 75 | 5,365 | $51,082 | $129,100 | 2.5x |
| 61 | Clarksdale | 74 | 14,423 | $35,210 | $84,200 | 2.4x |
| 62 | Kosciusko | 74 | 6,994 | $36,490 | $115,900 | 3.2x |