Cost of living in Picayune research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Picayune is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in Mississippi, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in Picayune is 89, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Picayune is 0.9x lower than the national average.
Picayune ranks as the #39 cheapest in Mississippi out of 68.
Picayune ranks as the #1,060 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Picayune is $190,180.
The median income in Picayune is $37,270.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Picayune has an overall cost of living index of 89, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Mississippi, Picayune has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than Mississippi's index of 84.
The standard of living in Picayune ranks as #39 most affordable out of the 68 places we measured in Mississippi. By definition, that implies Picayune ranks as the #29 most expensive place in the Magnolia State.
For more reading on life in Picayune, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Picayune. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Picayune is 105.
The Groceries index in Picayune is 95.
The Health index in Picayune is 114.
The Housing index in Picayune is 68.
The Transportation index in Picayune is 90.
The Utilities index in Picayune is 79.
| Living Expense | Picayune | Mississippi | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 89 | 84 | 100 | |
| Services | 105 | 90 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 95 | 95 | 100 | |
| Health | 114 | 96 | 100 | |
| Housing | 68 | 63 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 90 | 90 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 79 | 85 | 100 | |
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Mississippi, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Picayune is $190,180.
The Median Rent in Picayune is $907.
The Median Income in Picayune is $37,270.
The Home Value To Income in Picayune is 5.1x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Picayune is 0.29x.
| Statistic | Picayune | Mississippi | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $190,180 | $188,640 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $907 | $923 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $37,270 | $54,915 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 5.1x | 3.4x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.29x | 0.2x | 0.21x |
| Item | Picayune | Mississippi |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.22 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $13.3 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $12.33 | $18 |
| Haircut | $21.67 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $43.17 | $45.56 |
| Item | Picayune | Mississippi |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $6.15 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.39 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.55 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $5.31 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $12.61 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $10.23 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.57 | $3.7 |
| Item | Picayune | Mississippi |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $128.17 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $127.78 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $129.44 | $113.29 |
| Item | Picayune | Mississippi |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.14 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $68.0 | $59.92 |
| Item | Picayune | Mississippi |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $149.86 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $186.9 | $192.25 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Picayune. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
New Orleans, LA has a cost of living index of 108, 1.2x Picayune.
Metairie, LA has a cost of living index of 107, 1.2x Picayune.
Kenner, LA has a cost of living index of 101, 1.1x Picayune.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Picayune |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Orleans, LA | 376,035 | 108 | 1.2x |
| Metairie, LA | 138,995 | 107 | 1.2x |
| Kenner, LA | 65,113 | 101 | 1.1x |
| Slidell, LA | 28,664 | 99 | 1.1x |
| Chalmette, LA | 22,447 | 97 | 1.1x |
| Hammond, LA | 20,790 | 95 | 1.1x |
| Gretna, LA | 17,468 | 96 | 1.1x |
| Long Beach, MS | 16,876 | 98 | 1.1x |
| Bogalusa, LA | 10,539 | 86 | 1.0x |
| Meraux, LA | 7,492 | 97 | 1.1x |