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Living in Mississippi ยท 2026

Is $24,000 enough to live in Mississippi?

Single adult ยท MS ยท 2026 tax brackets ยท Real cost-of-living data

Statewide verdict:Very tight

Monthly take-home

$1,682

Avg monthly expenses

$1,829

Avg monthly surplus

$-147

Savings potential

~0%

After-tax take-home in Mississippi

Gross salary$24,000
Federal income taxโˆ’ $850
State income taxโˆ’ $1,128
Social Securityโˆ’ $1,488
Medicareโˆ’ $348
Annual take-home$20,186
Effective tax rate15.89%

How $24,000 feels in Mississippi cities

Rent: HUD FMR 2026 ยท Food: USDA Low-Cost Plan ร— COL ยท Transport/Utilities/Healthcare: BLS CES ร— COL

Jackson

COL index: 0.83ร— national avg

Very tight
Rent (1BR)
$900
Food
$365
Transport
$145
Utilities
$137
Healthcare
$166
Total: $1,713/mo
Surplus: $-31/mo
Rent burden: 53.5% โ€” Unaffordable (> 50%)
Full Jackson analysis โ†’

Gulfport

COL index: 0.88ร— national avg

Very tight
Rent (1BR)
$1,000
Food
$387
Transport
$154
Utilities
$145
Healthcare
$176
Total: $1,862/mo
Surplus: $-180/mo
Rent burden: 59.4% โ€” Unaffordable (> 50%)
Full Gulfport analysis โ†’

Southaven

COL index: 0.91ร— national avg

Very tight
Rent (1BR)
$1,050
Food
$396
Transport
$159
Utilities
$150
Healthcare
$182
Total: $1,937/mo
Surplus: $-255/mo
Rent burden: 62.4% โ€” Unaffordable (> 50%)
Full Southaven analysis โ†’

Hattiesburg

COL index: 0.85ร— national avg

Very tight
Rent (1BR)
$950
Food
$378
Transport
$149
Utilities
$140
Healthcare
$170
Total: $1,787/mo
Surplus: $-105/mo
Rent burden: 56.5% โ€” Unaffordable (> 50%)
Full Hattiesburg analysis โ†’

Biloxi

COL index: 0.91ร— national avg

Very tight
Rent (1BR)
$1,050
Food
$387
Transport
$159
Utilities
$150
Healthcare
$182
Total: $1,928/mo
Surplus: $-246/mo
Rent burden: 62.4% โ€” Unaffordable (> 50%)
Full Biloxi analysis โ†’

Meridian

COL index: 0.80ร— national avg

Very tight
Rent (1BR)
$850
Food
$466
Transport
$140
Utilities
$132
Healthcare
$160
Total: $1,748/mo
Surplus: $-66/mo
Rent burden: 50.5% โ€” Unaffordable (> 50%)
Full Meridian analysis โ†’

50 / 30 / 20 Budget Planner

Based on your monthly take-home of $1,682 ($20,184/yr)

Needs 50%Wants 30%Savings 20%
Needs50%

$841

per month

  • โ€บRent / mortgage
  • โ€บGroceries
  • โ€บUtilities
  • โ€บInsurance
  • โ€บMinimum debt payments
  • โ€บTransportation
Wants30%

$505

per month

  • โ€บDining out
  • โ€บStreaming services
  • โ€บGym
  • โ€บHobbies
  • โ€บTravel
  • โ€บShopping
Savings20%

$336

per month

  • โ€บEmergency fund
  • โ€บ401(k) / IRA
  • โ€บInvestments
  • โ€บDown payment fund
  • โ€บDebt payoff (extra)

Needs / year

$10,092

Wants / year

$6,055

Savings / year

$4,037

Salary Intelligence

Financial pressure in Jackson

Rent alone would take 54% of take-home income. This salary creates significant financial pressure in this city โ€” a $36,000 annual income or lower rent is needed to reach affordability.

Lifestyle score: 2.8/10 (Challenging)

Lifestyle Assessment

A $24,000 salary does not fully cover typical living expenses for a single adult in Jackson, Mississippi. Monthly costs exceed take-home pay by $31, indicating this income is insufficient for an independent lifestyle here without additional income or reduced spending.

Purchasing Power

Due to Jackson's low cost of living (index: 0.83), $24,000 here has the purchasing power of roughly $53,494 in San Francisco or $56,386 in New York City. Your dollar goes significantly further here.

State & National Benchmark

$24,000 is 23% below the Mississippi individual median of $31,100. Consider negotiating a higher salary or exploring higher-paying roles in this state.

State individual median

$31,100

-23%

State household median

$52,985

-55%

Tax reduction strategies

Maximize 401(k) Contributions โ€” Up to $5,170 in federal tax (22% bracket)
Contribute to a Traditional IRA โ€” Up to $1,540 in federal tax (22% bracket)

$24,000 vs. Mississippi income benchmarks

Individual median (Mississippi)

$31,100

-23% vs. this salary

Household median (Mississippi)

$52,985

-55% vs. this salary

Source: US Census Bureau ACS 2023

Related salary insights

Explore other salary levels in Mississippi

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Reviewed by

Finance Editor

CPA, 10+ years in personal finance

Data Sources

Data updated monthly using government datasets.