Mississippi · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Hattiesburg, MS

Prices around Hattiesburg, MS run 12.4% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $46,342 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,047 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $41,880 a year.

Hattiesburg, MS at a glance

Median household income

$46,342$3,862 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,047HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)87.6-12.4% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity14.9¢per kWh · EIA Residential MS
Population48,619Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Hattiesburg, MS?

HUD’s fair market rent for each size, against what a typical household here earns. Change the income to see yours.

Affordable (< 30% of income)
HUD Fair Market Rent$1,047Monthly market rent
Share of gross income27.1%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$41,880To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,159At 30% of $46,342
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

How much is rent in Hattiesburg, MS? By bedroom, 2026

HUD's fiscal 2026 Fair Market Rents for Hattiesburg, MS MSA, with the income each one takes if rent stays under 30% of it.

HUD Fair Market Rent in Hattiesburg, MS, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$766$9,192$30,64019.8%
1-Bedroom Apartment$888$10,656$35,52023%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,047$12,564$41,88027.1%
3-Bedroom Home$1,348$16,176$53,92034.9%
4-Bedroom Home$1,386$16,632$55,44035.9%

Rent in Hattiesburg, MS, with the wage each unit needs →

What a typical income covers in Hattiesburg, MS

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $46,342 a year ($3,862 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$1,931/moRent ($1,047 2-BR), utilities (~$134/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,159/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$772/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $46,342 leaves after Mississippi taxes

Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and Mississippi tax on the local median income. Change the salary to see yours.

$46,342
$15,000$95,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$46,342
Net 83%
Fed 7%
MS 2%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$38,294After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,191Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,473Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate17.4%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$3,381 / yr
Mississippi state income tax$1,122 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,545 / yr

Living in Hattiesburg, MS: common questions

What is the median household income in Hattiesburg, MS?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Hattiesburg, MS is $46,342 per year (approximately $3,862 per month).

What is the average rent in Hattiesburg, MS?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $766 for a studio, $888 for one bedroom, $1,047 for two, $1,348 for three and $1,386 for four, utilities included.

It is not an average of listings. HUD sets it at the rent 40% of recent movers paid or less for a standard unit, so a new lease on a nicer place will usually cost more.

Is Hattiesburg, MS expensive to live in?

Prices there run 12.4% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 87.6, where the U.S. is 100. Rent moves the number most: housing is where places differ, while goods cost about the same everywhere.

How much do you need to earn to comfortably afford rent in Hattiesburg, MS?

To keep a $1,047 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $41,880 a year, or $3,490 a month. That is 90% of what the typical household in Hattiesburg, MS earns.

How much do you need to live comfortably in Hattiesburg, MS?

On the local median income of $46,342 ($3,862 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $1,931 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,159 for everything else and $772 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,047 takes 54% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Hattiesburg, MS?

Homes in Mississippi paid 14.9¢ per kWh on average (EIA). At 900 kWh a month, a typical use, that is about $134. Your bill depends mostly on heating and cooling.