Housing decision brief
Perry County, MS Housing Market
Perry 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.
54th lowest home value out of 82 Mississippi counties with data | 12th lowest rent out of 82
Median home value
$126,000
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$650/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$474/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
2.5x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
31.0%
At or above the 30% burden threshold.
Rent vs own
$176/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
$650/mo is 14% below Mississippi county median
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $176/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
Low disaster-risk signal
Risk score is 80.5 out of 100, a stronger cross-check for long-term ownership costs.
What to Check
Water quality cross-check
Water quality grade is F. Review water data before treating housing cost as the full story.
Health context
Health score is 13.5 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
- Long-term owners who care about disaster-risk exposure
Poor Fit For
- 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 Perry 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. | $126,000 | $114,900 | $281,900 | 10% pressure10% above Mississippi county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $650 | $756 | $1,163 | 14% favorable14% below Mississippi county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $474 | $615 | $1,672 | 23% favorable23% below Mississippi county median |
Median household income | $50,435 | $48,207 | $74,755 | 5% favorable5% 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. | 31.00% | 29.00% | N/A | 7% pressure31.00% 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
+$24,435
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$30,121
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
For renters in Perry County, the market is affordable. Expect to pay around $650/month in gross rent, with 31.0% of renter households considered cost-burdened.
Rent vs own
At $650/month rent versus $474/month in owner costs, owning is roughly $176/month cheaper , a 27% difference.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $26,000/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $20,314/year. With a median household income of $50,435, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 31.0% of renter households in Perry County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Compared to Leflore County where rent averages $701/month, Perry County is approximately 7% less expensive.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winston County, MS | $121,200 | $654/mo | Same-state comparison near $121,200 home value and $654/mo rent. |
| Tippah County, MS | $128,400 | $720/mo | Same-state comparison near $128,400 home value and $720/mo rent. |
| Smith County, MS | $114,000 | $664/mo | Same-state comparison near $114,000 home value and $664/mo rent. |
| Prentiss County, MS | $116,500 | $620/mo | Same-state comparison near $116,500 home value and $620/mo rent. |
| Alcorn County, MS | $132,300 | $728/mo | Same-state comparison near $132,300 home value and $728/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Perry County
Is Perry County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Perry County?
How much income do you need for housing in Perry County?
What should I double-check before moving to Perry County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.