Is $25,000 a good salary in Mississippi?

$25,000 in Mississippi provides a monthly take-home of approximately $1,747 after taxes. Across major Mississippi cities, this salary is rated very tight, with an average monthly surplus of $-82.

What is the cost of living on $25,000 in Mississippi?

The average monthly living cost across major Mississippi cities is approximately $1,829 for a single adult (rent, food, transport, utilities, healthcare). On $25,000 take-home pay of $1,747/month, you would have roughly $-82/month remaining.

Living in Mississippi · 2026

Is $25,000 enough to live in Mississippi?

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

Statewide verdict:Very tight

Monthly take-home

$1,747

Avg monthly expenses

$1,829

Avg monthly surplus

$-82

Savings potential

~0%

After-tax take-home in Mississippi

Gross salary$25,000

Federal income tax− $950

State income tax− $1,175

Social Security− $1,550

Medicare− $363

Annual take-home$20,962

Effective tax rate16.15%

How $25,000 feels in Mississippi cities

Rent: HUD FMR 2026 · Food: USDA Low-Cost Plan × COL · Transport/Utilities/Healthcare: BLS CES × COL

Jackson

COL index: 0.83× national avg

Manageable

Rent (1BR)

$900

Food

$365

Transport

$145

Utilities

$137

Healthcare

$166

Total: $1,713/mo

Surplus: $34/mo

Rent burden: 51.5% — Unaffordable (> 50%)

Full Jackson analysis →

Gulfport

COL index: 0.88× national avg

Very tight

Rent (1BR)

$1,000

Food

$387

Transport

$154

Utilities

$145

Healthcare

$176

Total: $1,862/mo

Surplus: $-115/mo

Rent burden: 57.2% — Unaffordable (> 50%)

Full Gulfport analysis →

Southaven

COL index: 0.91× national avg

Very tight

Rent (1BR)

$1,050

Food

$396

Transport

$159

Utilities

$150

Healthcare

$182

Total: $1,937/mo

Surplus: $-190/mo

Rent burden: 60.1% — Unaffordable (> 50%)

Full Southaven analysis →

Hattiesburg

COL index: 0.85× national avg

Very tight

Rent (1BR)

$950

Food

$378

Transport

$149

Utilities

$140

Healthcare

$170

Total: $1,787/mo

Surplus: $-40/mo

Rent burden: 54.4% — Unaffordable (> 50%)

Full Hattiesburg analysis →

Biloxi

COL index: 0.91× national avg

Very tight

Rent (1BR)

$1,050

Food

$387

Transport

$159

Utilities

$150

Healthcare

$182

Total: $1,928/mo

Surplus: $-181/mo

Rent burden: 60.1% — Unaffordable (> 50%)

Full Biloxi analysis →

Meridian

COL index: 0.80× national avg

Very tight

Rent (1BR)

$850

Food

$466

Transport

$140

Utilities

$132

Healthcare

$160

Total: $1,748/mo

Surplus: $-1/mo

Rent burden: 48.7% — High (35–50%)

Full Meridian analysis →

50 / 30 / 20 Budget Planner

Based on your monthly take-home of $1,747 ($20,964/yr)

Needs 50%Wants 30%Savings 20%

Needs50%

$874

per month

›Rent / mortgage
›Groceries
›Utilities
›Insurance
›Minimum debt payments
›Transportation

Wants30%

$524

per month

›Dining out
›Streaming services
›Gym
›Hobbies
›Travel
›Shopping

Savings20%

$349

per month

›Emergency fund
›401(k) / IRA
›Investments
›Down payment fund
›Debt payoff (extra)

Needs / year

$10,482

Wants / year

$6,289

Savings / year

$4,193

Salary Intelligence

Financial pressure in Jackson

Rent alone would take 52% of take-home income. This salary creates significant financial pressure in this city — a $36,000 annual income or lower rent is needed to reach affordability.

Lifestyle score: 3.1/10 (Challenging)

Lifestyle Assessment

A $25,000 salary can cover essential living costs for a single adult in Jackson, Mississippi, but leaves little room for savings (~2% of take-home). Lifestyle is rated challenging, with careful budgeting required to avoid month-to-month shortfalls.

Purchasing Power

Due to Jackson's low cost of living (index: 0.83), $25,000 here has the purchasing power of roughly $55,723 in San Francisco or $58,735 in New York City. Your dollar goes significantly further here.

State & National Benchmark

$25,000 is 20% 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

-20%

State household median

$52,985

-53%

Tax reduction strategies

Maximize 401(k) Contributions — Up to $5,170 in federal tax (22% bracket)

Contribute to a Traditional IRA — Up to $1,540 in federal tax (22% bracket)

$25,000 vs. Mississippi income benchmarks

Individual median (Mississippi)

$31,100

-20% vs. this salary

Household median (Mississippi)

$52,985

-53% vs. this salary

Source: US Census Bureau ACS 2023

Related salary insights

Explore other salary levels in Mississippi

$40,000 $60,000 $100,000 $150,000 $200,000 $300,000

Reviewed by

Finance Editor

CPA, 10+ years in personal finance

Data Sources

•Tax calculations: IRS federal tax tables
•Rent data: HUD Fair Market Rents
•Cost-of-living index: C2ER / ACCRA Cost of Living Index

Data updated monthly using government datasets.