Mississippi · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Monroe County, MS

Prices around Monroe County, MS run 13% below the U.S. average (BEA, Mississippi). The typical household there earns $51,866 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $842 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $33,680 a year.

Monroe County, MS at a glance

Median household income

$51,866$4,322 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$842HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)87.0-13% · BEA, Mississippi
Electricity14.9¢per kWh · EIA Residential MS
Population33,747Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Monroe County, 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$842Monthly market rent
Share of gross income19.5%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$33,680To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,297At 30% of $51,866
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

How much is rent in Monroe County, MS? By bedroom, 2026

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

HUD Fair Market Rent in Monroe County, MS, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$727$8,724$29,08016.8%
1-Bedroom Apartment$768$9,216$30,72017.8%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$842$10,104$33,68019.5%
3-Bedroom Home$1,012$12,144$40,48023.4%
4-Bedroom Home$1,115$13,380$44,60025.8%

Rent in Monroe County, MS, with the wage each unit needs →

What a typical income covers in Monroe County, MS

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $51,866 a year ($4,322 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$2,161/moRent ($842 2-BR), utilities (~$134/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,297/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$864/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $51,866 leaves after Mississippi taxes

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

$51,866
$20,000$105,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$51,866
Net 82%
Fed 8%
MS 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$42,512After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,543Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,635Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate18%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$4,044 / yr
Mississippi state income tax$1,343 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,968 / yr

Living in Monroe County, MS: common questions

What is the median household income in Monroe County, MS?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Monroe County, MS is $51,866 per year (approximately $4,322 per month).

What is the average rent in Monroe County, MS?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $727 for a studio, $768 for one bedroom, $842 for two, $1,012 for three and $1,115 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 Monroe County, MS expensive to live in?

Prices there run 13% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for Mississippi is 87.0, 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 Monroe County, MS?

To keep a $842 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $33,680 a year, or $2,807 a month. That is 65% of what the typical household in Monroe County, MS earns.

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

On the local median income of $51,866 ($4,322 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $2,161 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,297 for everything else and $864 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $842 takes 39% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Monroe County, 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.