Mississippiflat 4.7% income tax, 17th lowest property tax, median home $180K
R+17 · Moderate tax burden · COL index 82
4.7%
Income Tax
283
Violent Crime / 100K
71.9
Life Expectancy
$180K
Median Home
$700
Childcare / Mo
Mississippi in plain English
Worth knowing before you move to Mississippi
Mississippi exempts all retirement income from its income tax, which is a flat 4% on income over $10,000 for 2026 and is scheduled to be eliminated over the coming decade. Home prices and overall cost of living are the lowest in the country. The state also ranks last or near last on health, income and school measures, and the Gulf coast carries hurricane exposure.
What Mississippi taxes, and what it doesn't
Mississippi levies a flat 4.7% income tax. A household earning $75,000 pays an effective 3.5%, about $2,600 a year; at $150,000 the effective rate is 3.7%. Among the 41 states that tax income, Mississippi has the 8th lowest effective rate at $100,000 of income.
Property tax runs 0.64% of home value a year, roughly $1,152 on the state's median home of $180K. The national effective rate is about 1.10%, and Mississippi has the 17th lowest rate of the 50 states.
Combined state and local sales tax averages 7.07%, the 22nd highest in the country (the state portion is 7%).
For retirees: Social Security benefits are not taxed, pension income is fully exempt, and there is no estate or inheritance tax.
Capital gains are taxed as ordinary income.
Housing and the cost of living in Mississippi
Mississippi's cost of living index is 82, where 100 is the national average; that is the cheapest of the 50 states.
The median home costs $180K, 41% below the national figure and the 2nd lowest among the states. A two-bedroom rents for about $950 a month.
Carrying costs matter as much as the price: home insurance averages $2,500 a year, flood coverage adds about $1,200 where it is needed, car insurance runs $1,770.
Budget $105 a month for electricity and gas, $380 a month in groceries for two, $700 a month for full-time infant care.
Safety, health and schools
Violent crime is 283 incidents per 100,000 residents in the FBI's 2023 Crime Data Explorer figures, below the median state (387); Mississippi is the 14th safest of the 50 by that measure. Property crime is 2,080 per 100,000.
Life expectancy is 71.9 years (County Health Rankings 2024). 16.8% of residents have no health insurance, and the state has not expanded Medicaid. The Commonwealth Fund's 2023 scorecard ranks Mississippi's health system 47th of 50.
Education Week's 2023 Quality Counts report ranks K-12 schools 50th in the country, and the state runs a school-choice voucher program.
Politics, guns and social policy
Politically, Mississippi is a solidly Republican state that went to Trump by 17 points in 2024.
On guns, no permit is required to carry a concealed handgun, and Giffords grades the state's gun laws F.
Abortion is banned with narrow exceptions. Marijuana is medical only. Mississippi is a right-to-work state, and the minimum wage is $7.25 an hour.
Climate, risk and getting around
Natural disaster risk is very high. The main hazards are hurricane, tornado, flood. Annual average air quality index is 32 (under 50 is good).
Mississippi has no top-25 hub airport, with about 35 nonstop destinations from its busiest airport.
Written from the figures on this page. Rankings compare the 50 states. Sources and years are listed with each figure below.
Largest counties in Mississippi
State Profile
Taxes
Sources: state revenue departments · Tax Foundation 2026 · income-tax brackets 2026
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Taxes
Sources: state revenue departments · Tax Foundation 2026 · income-tax brackets 2026
Income Tax
Reducing to 4% by 2026
Property Tax
~$1,152/yr on median home
Sales Tax
Social Security
Pension / IRA
Estate Tax
Inheritance Tax
Capital Gains
Housing & Cost of Living
Sources: Zillow · Census ACS · iii.org and state insurers 2026 · WRLURI 2018 · Census 2024 (HOA)
▾
Housing & Cost of Living
Sources: Zillow · Census ACS · iii.org and state insurers 2026 · WRLURI 2018 · Census 2024 (HOA)
Price Level vs US (BEA)
Below US average (100)
Mortgages 90+ Days Late
FHFA, latest quarter
Cost of Living Index
National avg = 100
Median Home Price
Median Rent (2BR)
Home Insurance
Near national avg (~$1,900/yr)
Flood Insurance
Homestead Exemption
Home equity protected from creditors
Asset Protection
Homes in HOAs
Moderate HOA presence (Census ACS 2024)
Zoning Restrictiveness
More restrictive than most states (Wharton WRLURI 2018)
Short-Term Rentals (Airbnb)
No statewide STR law; local control.
Crime & Safety
Sources: FBI Crime Data Explorer 2023 · SafeHome registry counts 2025 · HUD PIT 2024
▾
Crime & Safety
Sources: FBI Crime Data Explorer 2023 · SafeHome registry counts 2025 · HUD PIT 2024
Violent Crime Rate
Near national avg
Property Crime Rate
Near national avg
Traffic Fatality Rate
Among the most dangerous
Registered Sex Offenders
Above the state median (SafeHome 2025)
Homeless Population
Low homelessness rate; 47% unsheltered (HUD 2024 PIT)
More on Mississippi
Healthcare#47 of 50▾
Sources: Commonwealth Fund 2023 · KFF · CDC
State Healthcare Rank
Bottom tier
Life Expectancy
Well below national avg
Medicaid Expansion
Uninsured Rate
Above national avg (~9%)
EducationK-12 #50 of 50▾
Sources: Education Week 2023 · NCES · state statutes (school choice)
College Completion Rate
College Scorecard, in-state institutions (mean)
Avg College Cost of Attendance
College Scorecard 2024
K-12 Quality Rank
Bottom 10 nationally
School Choice / Vouchers
HS Graduation Rate
Near national avg (~87%)
Pupil-Teacher Ratio
Near national avg (~16)
Childcare$700/mo infant care▾
Sources: Child Care Aware · Census ACS 2022
Avg Infant Care (Full-Time)
Below national avg
Utilities & Daily Costs$105/mo energy▾
Sources: EIA (electricity, weekly gas) · USDA · eGRID 2022
Grid Carbon Intensity
Near US average (~820)
Avg Monthly Energy Bill
Below national avg
Electricity Rate
Below national avg (13¢)
Energy Mix
Avg Monthly Groceries
2-person household, moderate spending
Road Quality Rank
Airports & Travel35+ nonstop routes▾
Sources: FAA · BTS
Nonstop Destinations
From state's primary airport
Major Hub Airport
Regional airport. Connections via hub
Culture & Lifestyle50% urban▾
Sources: Census CBP · Brewers Association 2024 · Pollstar · AANR/TNS · AGA 2024
Urban Population
Mostly rural
Restaurant Density
Limited dining options
Religious Congregations
Strong religious community
Pro Sports Teams
NFL + NBA + MLB + NHL + MLS
Major Venues
Stadiums, arenas, amphitheaters (10K+ capacity)
Craft Breweries
0.7/100K residents: Limited
Craft Distilleries
Live Music
Delta Blues birthplace (Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters); Dockery Farms; B.B. King's hometown
Transportation$1,770/yr car insurance▾
Sources: NHTSA FARS · FCC · insurance rate surveys 2024 · IIHS helmet laws 2026
Car Insurance (Avg Annual)
Traffic Fatality Rate
Broadband Access
Below national avg
Work From Home
State residents who primarily work from home (ACS)
Social & Legal$7.25/hr minimum wage▾
Sources: Guttmacher · KFF · NCSL · state statutes 2026
Formal Volunteering Rate
AmeriCorps / Census CPS 2023 (US ~28%)
Votes in Local Elections
AmeriCorps / Census CPS 2023
Abortion Access
Total ban; trigger law took effect after Dobbs
LGBTQ+ Protections
Marijuana
Minimum Wage
Right to Work
Sports Betting
Casino Gambling
Online Gambling
State Lottery
Gulf Coast and Tunica casino corridor well-established. No sports betting — one of few commercial casino states without it.
Age of Consent
Sex Education
Sex ed required by state
Nude Beaches & Naturist Clubs
No known naturist clubs or beaches; Mississippi naturists travel to Louisiana or Alabama clubs
Environment & ClimateAQI 32▾
Sources: EPA AQI · NOAA · FEMA National Risk Index
Air Quality (Annual AQI)
Near national avg
Natural Disaster Risk
Primary Hazards
Politics & Gun LawsR+17 · gun law grade F▾
Sources: OpenElections 2024 · Giffords 2025 · state statutes
2024 Presidential Vote
Gun Laws
Carry Permit
Purchase Permit Required
Carry in Bars
Carry in Restaurants
Carry in Places of Worship
Concealed prohibited in bars (open carry allowed; enhanced-permit exceptions); restaurants allowed.
Gambling
Jobs & Economy4.1% unemployment▾
Sources: BLS QCEW 2024 · BLS JOLTS 2024 · BLS union membership 2025 · Census ACS
Job Openings Rate (JOLTS)
Tight labor market (US ~4.5%)
Quits Rate (JOLTS)
Workers quit when they can find better; BLS 2024 average
Job Market
+0.7% job growth · 4.1% unemployment
Top Industries
Tech Jobs
Healthcare Jobs
Remote Work
Median Household Income
Union Membership
Among the least unionized states (BLS 2025)
Business Climate#22 of 50▾
Sources: Tax Foundation · state filings
Corporate Income Tax
LLC Formation Fee
LLC Annual Fee
Business Climate Rank
Daily Life$2.91/gal gas▾
Sources: American Pyrotechnics Association · state statutes 2026 · IIHS
Gas Price (Regular)
Well below avg (-0.39 vs national avg)
Consumer Fireworks
Consumer fireworks broadly legal
Motorcycle Helmet Law
Required for all riders (IIHS 2026)
Weather & Natural Risks92°F avg July▾
Sources: NOAA · NWS Storm Prediction Center · FEMA NRI
Winter Severity
Avg January high: 55°F
Summer Heat
Hot summers
Annual Rainfall
Tornado Risk
Hurricane Risk
Wildfire Risk
Flood Risk
Natural Hazards66/100 danger▾
Sources: USGS · CDC · USDA APHIS · NOAA · FEMA NRI 2023
Venomous Snakes
Spider Hazard
Scorpions
Hurricane Risk
Tornado Risk
Wildfire Risk
Earthquake Risk
Armadillo Leprosy Risk
Danger score is a composite index. Methodology ↗
Veteran Benefits76/100 veteran-friendly▾
Sources: VA.gov · Military.com state guide · Tax Foundation
Veteran-Friendly Score
7.6% of state population are veterans
Property Tax Exemption
100% disabled: full property tax exempt
Military Retirement Pay
Active Duty Pay
VA Facilities Access
Notable Benefits
Explore Mississippi counties
Income, housing, poverty, healthcare, ranked by county
See your full cost of living in Mississippi
Housing, taxes, childcare, insurance: all estimated.
Compare Similar States
MS vs WV
Mississippi vs West Virginia
COL 82 vs 82 · 4.7% vs 4.58% income tax
Full comparison →
MS vs AR
Mississippi vs Arkansas
COL 82 vs 85 · 4.7% vs 3.7% income tax
Full comparison →
MS vs KY
Mississippi vs Kentucky
COL 82 vs 85 · 4.7% vs 3.5% income tax
Full comparison →
MS vs KS
Mississippi vs Kansas
COL 82 vs 86 · 4.7% vs 5.58% income tax
Full comparison →
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Data is informational only. Verify with a tax professional, real estate agent, and local sources before making relocation decisions. Crime data: FBI Crime Data Explorer 2023. Healthcare: Commonwealth Fund 2023; life expectancy from County Health Rankings 2024. Education: Education Week 2023. Housing: Zillow monthly index and Census ACS 2022. Insurance: rate surveys 2024. Sponsored links marked “Sponsored” may earn a commission. This does not affect our data or rankings.