Housing decision brief
Marion County, MS Housing Market
Marion County screens as a higher purchase price, below-state rent, a manageable tax-rate signal market. Use the page as a decision brief, not just a price lookup, because local income, taxes, and data confidence change how affordable the county really is.
45th lowest home value out of 82 Mississippi counties with data | 27th lowest rent out of 82
Median home value
$117,000
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$700/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$624/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
2.8x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
28.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$76/mo
Median owner cost screens below median rent.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Lower rent
$700/mo is 7% below Mississippi county median
Rent burden below pressure line
28.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $76/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
What to Check
Lower income base
$42,320 median income is 12% below Mississippi county median
Water quality cross-check
Water quality grade is D. Review water data before treating housing cost as the full story.
Health context
Health score is 10.3 out of 100, so affordability should be weighed against local health indicators.
Crime data coverage
Crime data coverage is partial. Treat zero or low crime rates as incomplete until you check the source coverage.
Best Fit For
- Buyers comparing homes to local incomes
- Households weighing ownership against renting
Poor Fit For
- Households dependent on a deep local wage market
- Buyers who will not investigate local water systems before moving
- Anyone treating reported crime rates as complete without source context
County vs State vs National
The county number only matters after you see the benchmark. These comparisons show where Marion County is genuinely cheap, where it is average, and where the hidden cost may be.
| Metric | County | State | U.S. | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Median home value Lower usually helps affordability. | $117,000 | $114,900 | $281,900 | Near state median2% above Mississippi county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $700 | $756 | $1,163 | 7% favorable7% below Mississippi county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $624 | $615 | $1,672 | Near state median1% above Mississippi county median |
Median household income | $42,320 | $48,207 | $74,755 | 12% pressure12% below Mississippi county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.74% | 1.00% | 1.02% | 26% favorable26% below Mississippi county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 28.00% | 29.00% | N/A | Near state median28.00% of renter income goes to rent. |
Income Fit
A low price only helps if local income can carry the monthly cost. This panel compares the county income base with rent and owner-cost thresholds.
Rent cushion
+$14,320
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$15,577
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Marion County offers affordable rental housing at a median of $700/month , about 19.8% of the typical household income here.
Rent vs own
Renters in Marion County pay $700/month on average, compared to $624/month for homeowners. This market favors buyers by about 11%.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $28,000/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $26,743/year. With a median household income of $42,320, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 28.0% of renter households in Marion County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Marion County sits 7% less expensive than Lincoln County ($754/month) in terms of median gross rent.
Better Counties to Compare
Similar counties are matched on home value, rent, income, and state context. This is more useful than a simple nearest-price list.
| County | Home Value | Rent | Why compare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clay County, MS | $115,600 | $718/mo | Same-state comparison near $115,600 home value and $718/mo rent. |
| Benton County, MS | $109,300 | $729/mo | Same-state comparison near $109,300 home value and $729/mo rent. |
| Walthall County, MS | $120,600 | $718/mo | Same-state comparison near $120,600 home value and $718/mo rent. |
| Montgomery County, MS | $110,700 | $682/mo | Same-state comparison near $110,700 home value and $682/mo rent. |
| Chickasaw County, MS | $100,400 | $702/mo | Same-state comparison near $100,400 home value and $702/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Marion County
Is Marion County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Marion County?
How much income do you need for housing in Marion County?
What should I double-check before moving to Marion County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.