Housing decision brief
Monroe County, MS Housing Market
Monroe 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.
42nd lowest home value out of 82 Mississippi counties with data | 37th lowest rent out of 82
Median home value
$115,200
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$721/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$637/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
2.2x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
26.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$84/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
$721/mo is 5% below Mississippi county median
Rent burden below pressure line
26.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $84/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
What to Check
Health context
Health score is 18.3 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
- 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 Monroe 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. | $115,200 | $114,900 | $281,900 | Near state medianAt the Mississippi county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $721 | $756 | $1,163 | 5% favorable5% below Mississippi county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $637 | $615 | $1,672 | Near state median4% above Mississippi county median |
Median household income | $51,231 | $48,207 | $74,755 | 6% favorable6% above Mississippi county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.75% | 1.00% | 1.02% | 25% favorable25% below Mississippi county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 26.00% | 29.00% | N/A | 10% favorable26.00% 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
+$22,391
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$23,931
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Housing in Monroe County is affordable. The median rent is $721/month against a median household income of $51,231, putting rent at 16.9% of income.
Rent vs own
At $721/month rent versus $637/month in owner costs, owning is roughly $84/month cheaper , a 12% difference.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $28,840/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $27,300/year. With a median household income of $51,231, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 26.0% of renter households in Monroe County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Monroe County sits 8% more expensive than Sunflower County ($670/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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smith County, MS | $114,000 | $664/mo | Same-state comparison near $114,000 home value and $664/mo rent. |
| Leake County, MS | $114,600 | $757/mo | Same-state comparison near $114,600 home value and $757/mo rent. |
| Tippah County, MS | $128,400 | $720/mo | Same-state comparison near $128,400 home value and $720/mo rent. |
| Newton County, MS | $102,700 | $722/mo | Same-state comparison near $102,700 home value and $722/mo rent. |
| Prentiss County, MS | $116,500 | $620/mo | Same-state comparison near $116,500 home value and $620/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Monroe County
Is Monroe County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Monroe County?
How much income do you need for housing in Monroe County?
What should I double-check before moving to Monroe County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.