You’re probably never going to make enough money to live in the richest counties in Mississippi.
The median household income in Desoto County, the richest county in Mississippi is $85,297, significantly higher than the US median of $74,580, which means based purely on math most people never make enough to live there.
And that’s okay because it’s still fun to look at the people living in the lap of luxury.
So we used Saturday Night Science and the most recent Census to rank home prices and incomes for all 82 counties in the Magnolia State. Let’s star gaze together.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Table | Summary
The 10 Richest Counties In Mississippi For 2026
What is the richest county in Mississippi? The richest county in Mississippi is Desoto County. In contrast, the poorest county in state is Holmes County, according to the Census 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.
The Richest Counties In Mississippi For 2026
1. Desoto County
Biggest Place: Southaven
Population: 191,301
Median Income: $85,297 (highest)
Median Home Price: $298,836 (3rd highest)
More on Desoto County: Data
2. Madison County
Biggest Place: Jackson
Population: 111,647
Median Income: $83,441 (2nd highest)
Median Home Price: $334,032 (2nd highest)
More on Madison County: Data
3. Rankin County
Biggest Place: Jackson
Population: 158,854
Median Income: $79,357 (3rd highest)
Median Home Price: $265,117 (5th highest)
More on Rankin County: Data
4. Lafayette County
Biggest Place: Oxford
Population: 58,327
Median Income: $67,185 (8th highest)
Median Home Price: $401,964 (highest)
More on Lafayette County: Data
5. Lamar County
Biggest Place: Hattiesburg
Population: 65,713
Median Income: $70,909 (4th highest)
Median Home Price: $264,021 (6th highest)
More on Lamar County: Data
6. Tate County
Biggest Place: Senatobia
Population: 28,321
Median Income: $69,704 (5th highest)
Median Home Price: $238,526 (7th highest)
More on Tate County: Data
7. Hancock County
Biggest Place: Bay St. Louis
Population: 46,167
Median Income: $67,708 (7th highest)
Median Home Price: $232,471 (8th highest)
More on Hancock County: Data
8. Jackson County
Biggest Place: Pascagoula
Population: 145,249
Median Income: $66,201 (9th highest)
Median Home Price: $212,490 (11th highest)
More on Jackson County: Data
9. Lee County
Biggest Place: Tupelo
Population: 83,034
Median Income: $67,863 (6th highest)
Median Home Price: $201,405 (15th highest)
More on Lee County: Data
10. Harrison County
Biggest Place: Gulfport
Population: 210,891
Median Income: $59,479 (13th highest)
Median Home Price: $223,161 (9th highest)
More on Harrison County: Data
Methodology: How do you determine which Mississippi county is the richest?
To determine the richest county in Mississippi, we have to look at a handful of metrics that correlate with how rich people are. To do that, we made assumptions about what makes a county rich. 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 the American Community Survey data and Zillow for the most recent reporting period for data on the following:
- Average Home Price
- Median Income
We then ranked each county in Mississippi for each of the criteria from one to 82, with one being the richest.
Taking the average rank across the two criteria, we created a Rich Score with the county posting the lowest overall score being the “Richest County In Mississippi.”
The result is some of the places with the most expensive real estate and highest earners in the Magnolia State.
We updated this article for 2026. This report is our first time ranking the richest counties to live in Mississippi. We have also ranked the richest states and richest cities in the United States.
Summary: The Richest Counties In Mississippi For 2026
Living in Mississippi can vary from one part of the state to the next, with pretty extreme variance in home prices and incomes across counties.
The richest counties in Mississippi are DeSoto County, Madison County, Rankin County, Lafayette County, Lamar County, Tate County, Hancock County, Jackson County, Lee County, and Harrison County.
Now you know the parts of the state where Goodwill will have the best goodies, and that’s what you came here to learn at the end of the day.
You are welcome.
Here’s a look at the poorest counties in Mississippi according to the data:
- Holmes County
- Quitman County
- Claiborne County
For more Mississippi reading, check out:
- Safest Places In Mississippi
- Best Places To Live In Mississippi
- Best Counties To Live In Mississippi
- Richest Cities In Mississippi
Detailed List Of The Richest Counties In Mississippi
| Rank | County | Population | Median Income | Average Home Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Desoto County | 191,301 | $85,297 | $298,836 |
| 2 | Madison County | 111,647 | $83,441 | $334,032 |
| 3 | Rankin County | 158,854 | $79,357 | $265,117 |
| 4 | Lafayette County | 58,327 | $67,185 | $401,964 |
| 5 | Lamar County | 65,713 | $70,909 | $264,021 |
| 6 | Tate County | 28,321 | $69,704 | $238,526 |
| 7 | Hancock County | 46,167 | $67,708 | $232,471 |
| 8 | Jackson County | 145,249 | $66,201 | $212,490 |
| 9 | Lee County | 83,034 | $67,863 | $201,405 |
| 10 | Harrison County | 210,891 | $59,479 | $223,161 |
| 11 | Stone County | 18,894 | $61,413 | $201,655 |
| 12 | George County | 25,170 | $59,758 | $206,920 |
| 13 | Pearl River County | 57,458 | $58,135 | $193,922 |
| 14 | Marshall County | 33,979 | $53,458 | $216,684 |
| 15 | Union County | 28,122 | $55,505 | $197,435 |
| 16 | Carroll County | 9,686 | $59,327 | $174,370 |
| 17 | Smith County | 14,132 | $60,916 | $160,019 |
| 18 | Webster County | 9,972 | $58,789 | $162,162 |
| 19 | Lowndes County | 57,838 | $53,812 | $182,790 |
| 20 | Tishomingo County | 18,660 | $53,040 | $189,935 |
| 21 | Forrest County | 78,272 | $53,640 | $186,726 |
| 22 | Pontotoc County | 31,550 | $51,484 | $204,299 |
| 23 | Itawamba County | 24,036 | $55,546 | $161,731 |
| 24 | Greene County | 13,615 | $54,276 | $160,128 |
| 25 | Oktibbeha County | 51,771 | $46,695 | $275,090 |
| 26 | Warren County | 43,020 | $59,401 | $145,827 |
| 27 | Alcorn County | 34,289 | $51,260 | $181,275 |
| 28 | Simpson County | 25,691 | $56,381 | $151,651 |
| 29 | Lincoln County | 34,877 | $51,119 | $168,181 |
| 30 | Jones County | 66,472 | $52,216 | $159,236 |
| 31 | Monroe County | 33,747 | $51,866 | $157,592 |
| 32 | Leake County | 21,319 | $50,728 | $163,553 |
| 33 | Neshoba County | 28,932 | $57,013 | $140,641 |
| 34 | Franklin County | 7,622 | $52,939 | $148,958 |
| 35 | Winston County | 17,536 | $53,031 | $141,865 |
| 36 | Panola County | 32,808 | $45,945 | $188,483 |
| 37 | Perry County | 11,449 | $49,634 | $156,861 |
| 38 | Tippah County | 21,523 | $52,542 | $141,598 |
| 39 | Covington County | 18,148 | $45,051 | $173,287 |
| 40 | Walthall County | 13,839 | $48,905 | $155,251 |
| 41 | Newton County | 21,093 | $50,540 | $142,059 |
| 42 | Yalobusha County | 12,419 | $49,151 | $148,409 |
| 43 | Benton County | 7,589 | $46,016 | $157,537 |
| 44 | Choctaw County | 8,118 | $50,919 | $135,165 |
| 45 | Prentiss County | 25,184 | $49,724 | $139,713 |
| 46 | Lauderdale County | 71,504 | $50,817 | $124,823 |
| 47 | Hinds County | 218,533 | $49,402 | $132,560 |
| 48 | Attala County | 17,526 | $51,639 | $117,169 |
| 49 | Copiah County | 27,855 | $49,089 | $133,247 |
| 50 | Clay County | 18,383 | $43,125 | $149,429 |
| 51 | Jasper County | 16,059 | $48,660 | $134,993 |
| 52 | Tunica County | 9,475 | $39,364 | $155,893 |
| 53 | Grenada County | 21,217 | $48,804 | $132,497 |
| 54 | Marion County | 24,193 | $45,110 | $137,754 |
| 55 | Kemper County | 8,729 | $46,431 | $134,992 |
| 56 | Chickasaw County | 16,915 | $43,586 | $135,254 |
| 57 | Scott County | 27,718 | $48,786 | $123,938 |
| 58 | Wayne County | 19,718 | $37,619 | $143,318 |
| 59 | Amite County | 12,565 | $37,222 | $143,287 |
| 60 | Calhoun County | 12,922 | $43,125 | $124,022 |
| 61 | Clarke County | 15,314 | $46,108 | $106,867 |
| 62 | Montgomery County | 9,602 | $41,748 | $124,290 |
| 63 | Adams County | 28,803 | $43,644 | $116,583 |
| 64 | Lawrence County | 11,786 | $43,531 | $118,728 |
| 65 | Bolivar County | 29,534 | $39,585 | $124,659 |
| 66 | Pike County | 39,602 | $43,814 | $105,337 |
| 67 | Sharkey County | 3,872 | $40,000 | $120,583 |
| 68 | Yazoo County | 24,835 | $39,295 | $113,234 |
| 69 | Wilkinson County | 8,162 | $35,311 | $121,394 |
| 70 | Issaquena County | 928 | $31,429 | $125,877 |
| 71 | Sunflower County | 24,333 | $39,956 | $100,504 |
| 72 | Tallahatchie County | 11,764 | $37,466 | $109,214 |
| 73 | Washington County | 42,765 | $42,165 | $62,039 |
| 74 | Jefferson County | 7,068 | $38,305 | $101,819 |
| 75 | Jefferson Davis County | 11,117 | $38,548 | $96,084 |
| 76 | Noxubee County | 10,025 | $33,833 | $108,870 |
| 77 | Leflore County | 27,141 | $35,277 | $79,438 |
| 78 | Humphreys County | 7,395 | $33,731 | $86,252 |
| 79 | Coahoma County | 20,540 | $37,461 | $47,483 |
| 80 | Claiborne County | 8,582 | $31,897 | $94,521 |
| 81 | Quitman County | 5,774 | $32,412 | $79,071 |
| 82 | Holmes County | 16,191 | $32,538 | $76,673 |