Mississippi
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
State Profile
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Taxes
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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
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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
Crime & Safety
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Violent Crime Rate
Near national avg
Property Crime Rate
Near national avg
Traffic Fatality Rate
Among the most dangerous
Healthcare
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State Healthcare Rank
Bottom tier
Life Expectancy
Well below national avg
Medicaid Expansion
Uninsured Rate
Above national avg (~9%)
Education
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K-12 Quality Rank
Bottom 10 nationally
School Choice / Vouchers
Childcare
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Avg Infant Care (Full-Time)
Below national avg
Utilities & Daily Costs
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Avg Monthly Energy Bill
Below national avg
Avg Monthly Groceries
2-person household, moderate spending
Road Quality Rank
Airports & Travel
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Nonstop Destinations
From state's primary airport
Major Hub Airport
Regional airport — connections via hub
Culture & Lifestyle
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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
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Car Insurance (Avg Annual)
Traffic Fatality Rate
Broadband Access
Below national avg
Social & Legal
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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
Environment & Climate
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Air Quality (Annual AQI)
Near national avg
Natural Disaster Risk
Primary Hazards
Politics & Gun Laws
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2024 Presidential Vote
Gun Laws
Carry Permit
Purchase Permit Required
Gambling
Jobs & Economy
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Job Market
+0.7% job growth · 4.1% unemployment
Top Industries
Tech Jobs
Healthcare Jobs
Remote Work
Median Household Income
Business Climate
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Corporate Income Tax
LLC Formation Fee
LLC Annual Fee
Business Climate Rank
Daily Life
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Gas Price (Regular)
Well below avg (-0.39 vs national avg)
Consumer Fireworks
Consumer fireworks broadly legal
Weather & Natural Risks
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Winter Severity
Avg January high: 55°F
Summer Heat
Hot summers
Annual Rainfall
Tornado Risk
Hurricane Risk
Wildfire Risk
Flood Risk
Natural Hazards
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Venomous Snakes
Spider Hazard
Scorpions
Hurricane Risk
Tornado Risk
Wildfire Risk
Earthquake Risk
Armadillo Leprosy Risk
Danger score is a composite index. Methodology ↗
Veteran Benefits
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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 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 →
Trending in Mississippi
It's tax day again. Deadline to file with Mississippi, IRS is today. - The Clarion-Ledger
The Clarion-Ledger · Jun 8
Mosley named MSU executive director of Housing, Residence Life - Mississippi State University
Mississippi State University · Jun 5
Mississippi Prisoners Begged for Help. They Died in Solitary Instead. - The Marshall Project
The Marshall Project · Jun 8
Governor Reeves Announces Launch of Mississippi Statewide AI Framework - Office of Governor Tate Reeves (.gov)
Office of Governor Tate Reeves (.gov) · May 21
Mississippi higher education officials address enrollment trends, campus planning - Tippah News
Tippah News · Jun 10
What Residents Say
Worth a move to Mississippi from Florida?
The cost of living is dirt cheap, but there is a crime problem. On the upside, there are roughly two jobs for every resident here in MS and we' ......
reddit.com ↗
Scared of living on 4k a month w/ gf (Mississippi)
Mississippi has one of the lowest costs of living in the US. You'll do very well on $4K. Where are you living that you're going to pay $1K and ......
reddit.com ↗
I currently live in Pennsylvania and me and my boyfriend ...
I currently live in Pennsylvania and me and my boyfriend are looking into moving to Mississippi, what's the average cost of living for you guys?...
reddit.com ↗
Working in MS but dont want to live there. 5% premium ...
Potential move, need to know soon so hopefully someone can fact check me on the tax situation. Job would be in Northern MS. Young, single, no kids ......
reddit.com ↗
Moving to Jackson : r/jacksonms
Sales tax is usually 7%, income tax rates typically depend on your rate of pay, property taxes vary by your location (realtor.com is your friend) ......
reddit.com ↗
Cost of living : r/mississippi
All of these people saying that it's not that different outside of housing costs are wrong. Taxes, utilities, restaurants…everything is cheaper....
reddit.com ↗
Thinking of moving to Mississippi looking for advice
our grocery tax is super high. it's expensive to be poor in MS, maybe worse than other states, but I guess if you're rich you're okay. it's ......
reddit.com ↗
How much are people in Mississippi struggling financially ...
How are people in Mississippi surviving these days financially? Especially given that it's considered to be one of the poorest states?...
reddit.com ↗
Where in Mississippi can 2 people live best on $70k ...
Where in Mississippi can 2 people live best on $70k (before taxes) with a paid for house and paid for health insurance and no debt?...
reddit.com ↗
How cheap are groceries and housing in Mississippi ...
I was only addressing grocery and property taxes. When it comes to tax burden by state, Mississippi ranks as 19th highest, with Florida at #46 ......
reddit.com ↗
Stay Current
Get notified when Mississippi tax laws, gun laws, or social policy changes.
Mississippi Guides
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.