West Hattiesburg, MS Cost Of Living

Demographics | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In West Hattiesburg, MS Summary

Cost of living in West Hattiesburg 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 West Hattiesburg 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 West Hattiesburg is 92, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in West Hattiesburg is 0.9x lower than the national average.

  • West Hattiesburg ranks as the #48 cheapest in Mississippi out of 68.

  • West Hattiesburg ranks as the #1,501 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in West Hattiesburg is $244,391.

  • The median income in West Hattiesburg is $38,269.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
92
West Hattiesburg's Overall Cost Of Living
0.9x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in West Hattiesburg, MS?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, West Hattiesburg has an overall cost of living index of 92, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Mississippi, West Hattiesburg has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than Mississippi's index of 84.

The standard of living in West Hattiesburg ranks as #48 most affordable out of the 68 places we measured in Mississippi. By definition, that implies West Hattiesburg ranks as the #20 most expensive place in the Magnolia State.

For more reading on life in West Hattiesburg, check out:

48 out of 68
In Mississippi
1,501 out of 6,489
In America

West Hattiesburg Cost Of Living Vs. Mississippi

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in West Hattiesburg. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in West Hattiesburg is 99.

  • The Groceries index in West Hattiesburg is 96.

  • The Health index in West Hattiesburg is 107.

  • The Housing index in West Hattiesburg is 84.

  • The Transportation index in West Hattiesburg is 95.

  • The Utilities index in West Hattiesburg is 88.

Living Expense West Hattiesburg Mississippi National Average
Overall 92 84 100
Services 99 90 100
Groceries 96 95 100
Health 107 96 100
Housing 84 63 100
Transportation 95 90 100
Utilities 88 85 100
For more reading on cost of living around Mississippi, check out:
West Hattiesburg Cost of Living Vs. MS

West Hattiesburg, MS Housing Cost Breakdown

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 West Hattiesburg is $244,391.

  • The Median Rent in West Hattiesburg is $1,014.

  • The Median Income in West Hattiesburg is $38,269.

  • The Home Value To Income in West Hattiesburg is 6.4x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in West Hattiesburg is 0.32x.

Statistic West Hattiesburg Mississippi United States
Median Home Value $244,391 $188,640 $303,400
Median Rent $1,014 $923 $1,348
Median Income $38,269 $54,915 $78,538
Home Value To Income 6.4x 3.4x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.32x 0.2x 0.21x
$244,391
Median Home Value
$1,014
Median Rent
$38,269
Median Income

West Hattiesburg, MS Costs By Category

Detailed West Hattiesburg Services Costs Vs. Mississippi

Item West Hattiesburg Mississippi
Shampoo $1.17 $1.28
Movie $10.62 $12.13
Bowling $17.33 $18
Haircut $24.75 $24.26
Beauty Salon $45.72 $45.56

Detailed West Hattiesburg Groceries Costs Vs. Mississippi

Item West Hattiesburg Mississippi
Ground Beef $5.76 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.74 $1.57
Milk $4.55 $4.67
Potatoes $5.16 $4.93
Pizza $11.24 $12.09
Beer $9.16 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.59 $3.7

Detailed West Hattiesburg Health Costs Vs. Mississippi

Item West Hattiesburg Mississippi
Optometrist $122.28 $125.68
Doctor $128.94 $135.78
Dentist $138.76 $113.29

Detailed West Hattiesburg Transportation Costs Vs. Mississippi

Item West Hattiesburg Mississippi
Gasoline $3.08 $3.46
Tire Balancing $60.67 $59.92

Detailed West Hattiesburg Utilities Costs Vs. Mississippi

Item West Hattiesburg Mississippi
All Electricity $162.85 $193.99
Phone $187.62 $192.25

West Hattiesburg SnackAbility

5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
3/10
Housing
6
Affordability
5
Diversity
9.5
Safety
N/A
Amenities
8.5
Education
6
Commute
7

Cost Of Living In Cities Around West Hattiesburg

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around West Hattiesburg. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Hattiesburg, MS has a cost of living index of 86, 0.9x West Hattiesburg.

  • Laurel, MS has a cost of living index of 82, 0.9x West Hattiesburg.

  • Petal, MS has a cost of living index of 89, 1.0x West Hattiesburg.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. West Hattiesburg
Hattiesburg, MS 48,507 86 0.9x
Laurel, MS 17,129 82 0.9x
Petal, MS 11,195 89 1.0x
Bogalusa, LA 10,539 86 0.9x
Columbia, MS 5,804 79 0.9x

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