← All States

Mississippi

R+17  ·  Moderate tax burden  ·  COL index 82

B+

4.7%

Income Tax

283

Violent Crime / 100K

71.9

Life Expectancy

$180K

Median Home

$700

Childcare / Mo

State Profile

43/100
255075100TAXES70SAFETY74HEALTH6SCHOOLS0AFFORDABLE91LONGEVITY16

Stay Current

Get notified when Mississippi tax laws, gun laws, or social policy changes.

Taxes

Income Tax

Reducing to 4% by 2026

4.7% flat

Property Tax

~$1,152/yr on median home

0.64% / yr

Sales Tax

7.07% avg

Social Security

Exempt

Pension / IRA

Fully Exempt

Estate Tax

None

Inheritance Tax

None

Capital Gains

Taxed as income

Housing & Cost of Living

Cost of Living Index

National avg = 100

82

Median Home Price

$180,000

Median Rent (2BR)

$950/mo

Home Insurance

$2,500/yr

Flood Insurance

$1,200/yr

Homestead Exemption

Home equity protected from creditors

Unlimited

Asset Protection

Strong

Crime & Safety

Violent Crime Rate

Near national avg

283 / 100K

Property Crime Rate

Near national avg

2,080 / 100K

Traffic Fatality Rate

Among the most dangerous

22 / 100K

Healthcare

State Healthcare Rank

Bottom tier

#47 of 50

Life Expectancy

Well below national avg

71.9 yrs

Medicaid Expansion

Not Expanded

Uninsured Rate

Above national avg (~9%)

16.8%

Education

K-12 Quality Rank

Bottom 10 nationally

#50 of 50

School Choice / Vouchers

Available

Childcare

Avg Infant Care (Full-Time)

Below national avg

$700/mo

Utilities & Daily Costs

Avg Monthly Energy Bill

Below national avg

$105/mo

Avg Monthly Groceries

2-person household, moderate spending

$380/mo

Road Quality Rank

#19 of 50

Airports & Travel

Nonstop Destinations

From state's primary airport

35+ routes

Major Hub Airport

Regional airport — connections via hub

No

Culture & Lifestyle

Urban Population

Mostly rural

50% urban

Restaurant Density

Limited dining options

350/100K

Religious Congregations

Strong religious community

290/100K

Pro Sports Teams

NFL + NBA + MLB + NHL + MLS

None

Major Venues

Stadiums, arenas, amphitheaters (10K+ capacity)

2 venues

Craft Breweries

0.7/100K residents — Limited

20 breweries

Craft Distilleries

15 distilleries

Live Music

Delta Blues birthplace (Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters); Dockery Farms; B.B. King's hometown

Decent

Transportation

Car Insurance (Avg Annual)

$1,770

Traffic Fatality Rate

22 / 100K

Broadband Access

Below national avg

72% of households

Social & Legal

Abortion Access

Total ban; trigger law took effect after Dobbs

Banned

LGBTQ+ Protections

Hostile

Marijuana

Medical Only

Minimum Wage

$7.25/hr

Right to Work

Yes

Sports Betting

Illegal

Casino Gambling

Commercial casinos

Online Gambling

Illegal

State Lottery

Gulf Coast and Tunica casino corridor well-established. No sports betting — one of few commercial casino states without it.

Yes

Age of Consent

16

Sex Education

Sex ed required by state

Abstinence-only

Environment & Climate

Air Quality (Annual AQI)

Near national avg

32

Natural Disaster Risk

Very High

Primary Hazards

hurricanetornadoflood

Politics & Gun Laws

2024 Presidential Vote

R+17

Gun Laws

Gun ControlF
2A LibertyA+

Carry Permit

No permit required

Purchase Permit Required

No

Gambling

Legal

Jobs & Economy

Job Market

+0.7% job growth · 4.1% unemployment

Weak

Top Industries

ManufacturingGovernmentRetail

Tech Jobs

#48 of 50

Healthcare Jobs

#40 of 50

Remote Work

9% of workers

Median Household Income

$46,637

Daily Life

Gas Price (Regular)

Well below avg (-0.39 vs national avg)

$2.91/gal

Consumer Fireworks

Consumer fireworks broadly legal

Legal

Weather & Natural Risks

Winter Severity

Avg January high: 55°F

Mild

Summer Heat

Hot summers

92°F avg July

Annual Rainfall

59" / yr

Tornado Risk

High

Hurricane Risk

High

Wildfire Risk

Low

Flood Risk

High

Veteran Benefits

Veteran-Friendly Score

6.5% of state population are veterans

20/100

Property Tax Exemption

Partial exemption for service-connected disability

Disability Only

Military Retirement Pay

Taxed

Active Duty Pay

Taxed

VA Facilities Access

Adequate

Notable Benefits

Standard federal VA benefits

Explore Mississippi counties

Income, housing, poverty, healthcare — ranked by county

Explore Counties

See your full cost of living in Mississippi

Housing, taxes, childcare, insurance — all estimated.

Calculate

Compare Similar States

MS vs WV

Mississippi vs West Virginia

COL 82 vs 82 · 4.7% vs 5.12% income tax

Full comparison →

MS vs AR

Mississippi vs Arkansas

COL 82 vs 85 · 4.7% vs 3.9% income tax

Full comparison →

MS vs KY

Mississippi vs Kentucky

COL 82 vs 85 · 4.7% vs 4% income tax

Full comparison →

MS vs KS

Mississippi vs Kansas

COL 82 vs 86 · 4.7% vs 5.7% income tax

Full comparison →

Stay Current

Get notified when Mississippi tax laws, gun laws, or social policy changes.

Data is informational only. Verify with a tax professional, real estate agent, and local sources before making relocation decisions. Crime data: FBI UCR ~2022. Healthcare: Commonwealth Fund / US News ~2023. Education: Education Week ~2023. Housing: Zillow / Census ACS ~2024. Insurance: rate surveys ~2024. Sponsored links marked “Sponsored” may earn a commission. This does not affect our data or rankings.

Your Priorities

Adjust and every page updates live

Quick Profiles

Dial in your priorities

Annual Income

$150K
$0$500K$5M+

Retirement Savings

$0
None$500K$10M+

Social Security

None
None$150K/yr

My Property Is Worth

$400K
Tax burden ↓$1M$50M+

Home Buying Budget

$400K
Hard to find$250K$5M+

Monthly Rent Budget

Don't care
Don't care$10K/mo

Job Market

Don't care
Don't careHot market

Airport Access

Don't care
Don't careMust have hub

City vs Country

Mid-size city
Deep countryBig city

Sunshine

Don't care
Don't careMax sunshine

Food Scene

Don't care
Don't careWorld-class

Political Preference

Neutral
LiberalConservative

Gun Laws

Neutral
Gun Control2A Freedom

Abortion Access

Neutral
Pro-ChoiceNeutralPro-Life

Community

None
AvoidDon't careSeek

Sports & Entertainment

Don't care
Don't careMust have pro teams

Cannabis Laws

Neutral
Prefer LegalNeutralPrefer Prohibition