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 2018-2022 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 2024.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Most Expensive Places To Live In Mississippi For 2024
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 2024
/10
Population: 27,595
Cost Of Living Index: 102
Median Income: $124,575
Average Home Price: $389,530
Home Price To Income Ratio: 3.1x
More on Madison: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Madison is 102. The median income in Madison comes in at $124,575 and the average home value is $389,530 for 2024.
/10
Population: 16,809
Cost Of Living Index: 96
Median Income: $66,573
Average Home Price: $225,244
Home Price To Income Ratio: 3.4x
More on Long Beach: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Long Beach is 96. The median income in Long Beach comes in at $66,573 and the average home value is $225,244 for 2024.
/10
Population: 5,802
Cost Of Living Index: 96
Median Income: $65,000
Average Home Price: $289,217
Home Price To Income Ratio: 4.4x
More on Pass Christian: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Pass Christian is 96. The median income in Pass Christian comes in at $65,000 and the average home value is $289,217 for 2024.
/10
Population: 9,360
Cost Of Living Index: 95
Median Income: $80,504
Average Home Price: $246,567
Home Price To Income Ratio: 3.1x
More on Diamondhead: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Diamondhead is 95. The median income in Diamondhead comes in at $80,504 and the average home value is $246,567 for 2024.
/10
Population: 25,713
Cost Of Living Index: 94
Median Income: $56,784
Average Home Price: $323,812
Home Price To Income Ratio: 5.7x
More on Oxford: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Oxford is 94. The median income in Oxford comes in at $56,784 and the average home value is $323,812 for 2024.
/10
Population: 17,262
Cost Of Living Index: 94
Median Income: $69,761
Average Home Price: $326,012
Home Price To Income Ratio: 4.7x
More on Hernando: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Hernando is 94. The median income in Hernando comes in at $69,761 and the average home value is $326,012 for 2024.
/10
Population: 9,788
Cost Of Living Index: 94
Median Income: $63,508
Average Home Price: $236,101
Home Price To Income Ratio: 3.7x
More on Bay St. Louis: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Bay St. Louis is 94. The median income in Bay St. Louis comes in at $63,508 and the average home value is $236,101 for 2024.
/10
Population: 10,204
Cost Of Living Index: 93
Median Income: $89,144
Average Home Price: $318,663
Home Price To Income Ratio: 3.6x
More on Flowood: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Flowood is 93. The median income in Flowood comes in at $89,144 and the average home value is $318,663 for 2024.
/10
Population: 49,141
Cost Of Living Index: 92
Median Income: $55,775
Average Home Price: $224,489
Home Price To Income Ratio: 4.0x
More on Biloxi: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Biloxi is 92. The median income in Biloxi comes in at $55,775 and the average home value is $224,489 for 2024.
/10
Population: 45,938
Cost Of Living Index: 92
Median Income: $93,762
Average Home Price: $325,825
Home Price To Income Ratio: 3.5x
More on Olive Branch: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Olive Branch is 92. The median income in Olive Branch comes in at $93,762 and the average home value is $325,825 for 2024.
Methodology: How We Determined The Most Expensive Places To Live In The Magnolia State For 2024
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 2018-2022 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 2024. 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 2024
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 | 27,595 | $124,575 | $389,530 | 3.1x |
| 2 | Long Beach | 96 | 16,809 | $66,573 | $225,244 | 3.4x |
| 3 | Pass Christian | 96 | 5,802 | $65,000 | $289,217 | 4.4x |
| 4 | Diamondhead | 95 | 9,360 | $80,504 | $246,567 | 3.1x |
| 5 | Oxford | 94 | 25,713 | $56,784 | $323,812 | 5.7x |
| 6 | Hernando | 94 | 17,262 | $69,761 | $326,012 | 4.7x |
| 7 | Bay St. Louis | 94 | 9,788 | $63,508 | $236,101 | 3.7x |
| 8 | Flowood | 93 | 10,204 | $89,144 | $318,663 | 3.6x |
| 9 | Biloxi | 92 | 49,141 | $55,775 | $224,489 | 4.0x |
| 10 | Olive Branch | 92 | 45,938 | $93,762 | $325,825 | 3.5x |
| 11 | Gulfport | 91 | 72,524 | $43,499 | $190,647 | 4.4x |
| 12 | Brandon | 91 | 25,142 | $89,051 | $272,442 | 3.1x |
| 13 | Ocean Springs | 91 | 18,417 | $72,500 | $250,207 | 3.5x |
| 14 | Petal | 91 | 11,047 | $61,957 | $210,789 | 3.4x |
| 15 | Waveland | 91 | 7,075 | $56,396 | $204,521 | 3.6x |
| 16 | Ridgeland | 90 | 24,618 | $66,171 | $262,121 | 4.0x |
| 17 | Southaven | 89 | 54,908 | $72,513 | $258,896 | 3.6x |
| 18 | Byram | 89 | 12,922 | $72,536 | $200,046 | 2.8x |
| 19 | D’Iberville | 89 | 12,922 | $52,625 | $195,552 | 3.7x |
| 20 | Picayune | 89 | 11,804 | $35,649 | $183,125 | 5.1x |
| 21 | Hattiesburg | 88 | 48,466 | $41,024 | $199,812 | 4.9x |
| 22 | Clinton | 87 | 27,668 | $71,315 | $225,260 | 3.2x |
| 23 | Gautier | 87 | 19,007 | $57,757 | $172,204 | 3.0x |
| 24 | Starkville | 86 | 24,274 | $36,076 | $248,103 | 6.9x |
| 25 | McComb | 86 | 12,295 | $37,288 | $88,612 | 2.4x |
| 26 | Richland | 85 | 7,208 | $54,753 | $201,415 | 3.7x |
| 27 | Pearl | 84 | 27,255 | $56,838 | $182,229 | 3.2x |
| 28 | Horn Lake | 83 | 26,652 | $57,111 | $186,016 | 3.3x |
| 29 | Pascagoula | 83 | 21,904 | $41,679 | $130,667 | 3.1x |
| 30 | Natchez | 83 | 14,380 | $31,800 | $118,158 | 3.7x |
| 31 | Brookhaven | 83 | 11,714 | $32,869 | $166,022 | 5.1x |
| 32 | New Albany | 83 | 7,657 | $50,890 | $175,466 | 3.4x |
| 33 | Batesville | 83 | 7,464 | $57,813 | $170,642 | 3.0x |
| 34 | Philadelphia | 83 | 7,065 | $38,713 | $132,847 | 3.4x |
| 35 | Tupelo | 82 | 37,939 | $62,686 | $185,761 | 3.0x |
| 36 | Columbus | 82 | 23,896 | $38,954 | $151,954 | 3.9x |
| 37 | Canton | 82 | 10,951 | $33,411 | $200,822 | 6.0x |
| 38 | Senatobia | 82 | 8,288 | $56,780 | $220,794 | 3.9x |
| 39 | Laurel | 81 | 17,241 | $36,336 | $133,004 | 3.7x |
| 40 | Corinth | 81 | 14,520 | $40,546 | $144,798 | 3.6x |
| 41 | Moss Point | 81 | 12,173 | $44,779 | $125,200 | 2.8x |
| 42 | Cleveland | 81 | 11,082 | $42,005 | $147,968 | 3.5x |
| 43 | Amory | 81 | 6,642 | $52,298 | $144,341 | 2.8x |
| 44 | Meridian | 80 | 34,990 | $32,797 | $107,888 | 3.3x |
| 45 | Louisville | 80 | 6,061 | $36,078 | $127,400 | 3.5x |
| 46 | Columbia | 80 | 5,831 | $29,470 | $122,969 | 4.2x |
| 47 | Ripley | 80 | 5,440 | $53,175 | $132,221 | 2.5x |
| 48 | Jackson | 79 | 153,271 | $42,193 | $62,707 | 1.5x |
| 49 | Greenville | 79 | 29,495 | $35,148 | $66,483 | 1.9x |
| 50 | Vicksburg | 79 | 21,337 | $45,147 | $161,758 | 3.6x |
| 51 | Greenwood | 79 | 14,242 | $37,718 | $84,541 | 2.2x |
| 52 | Leakesville | 79 | 5,463 | $49,250 | $134,411 | 2.7x |
| 53 | Grenada | 78 | 12,594 | $40,714 | $120,441 | 3.0x |
| 54 | Booneville | 78 | 9,027 | $48,655 | $127,177 | 2.6x |
| 55 | Holly Springs | 78 | 6,942 | $45,552 | $123,433 | 2.7x |
| 56 | Yazoo City | 77 | 10,573 | $31,310 | $61,933 | 2.0x |
| 57 | Pontotoc | 77 | 5,676 | $49,235 | $176,634 | 3.6x |
| 58 | West Point | 76 | 10,063 | $32,846 | $124,955 | 3.8x |
| 59 | Indianola | 75 | 9,572 | $36,243 | $102,937 | 2.8x |
| 60 | Forest | 75 | 5,416 | $50,093 | $99,558 | 2.0x |
| 61 | Clarksdale | 74 | 14,769 | $35,377 | $45,333 | 1.3x |
| 62 | Kosciusko | 74 | 7,056 | $33,719 | $108,104 | 3.2x |
