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Mississippi cost of living & income (2026)

Quick answer: Mississippi has a cost-of-living index of 86.2 (100 = national baseline), an illustrative estimated annual cost of living of about $43,100, median household income of $59,127, combined average sales tax about 7.07%, and regular gas about $3.570/gal in the June 2026 AAA snapshot used on the hub.

COL index86.2100 = US baseline
Est. annual COL$43,100
Median HH income$59,127
Sales tax (comb.)7.07%
Gas (87 octane)$3.570/galJune 2026 AAA
Largest cityJackson (143,709)

Taxes & economy

Income tax: Flat 4%

Sales tax: 7% state (combined avg. ~7.07%)

Major industries: Agriculture (cotton, poultry), manufacturing, energy, tourism

Climate snapshot

Summer high ~91°F (July) · Winter low ~35°F (January)

Culture (context)

Mississippi Civil Rights Museum / Elvis Birthplace

Open the interactive 50-state map & table — sort, filter, and use the dual ranker on the full explorer.

What this means for you

What this means for you: a basket priced at 100 on the national baseline is indexed at 86.2 in Mississippi. A salary that buys that basket at the baseline would need about 86.2% of that salary to buy the same basket here. That is index math from this snapshot, not a tax-equalized offer and not your rent.

Compare a salary: Mississippi vs Texas on the explorer.

How to read this page

  1. Read the quick answer for Mississippi's cost-of-living index, estimated annual cost, median income, sales tax, and gas price.
  2. Open the 50-state explorer and compare Mississippi with another state. The salary line multiplies pay by the other index divided by this index.
  3. Use the mortgage, rent, and paycheck calculators with your own numbers. This page does not compute a tax return.

Related calculators: mortgage · rent · paycheck.

Related states

Similar cost-of-living index in this dataset:

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FAQ

What is Mississippi's cost of living index?

Mississippi's cost-of-living index is 86.2 (national baseline 100) in this 2026 classroom snapshot.

What is the estimated annual cost of living in Mississippi?

The explorer lists an illustrative estimated annual cost of living of about $43,100 for Mississippi.

What is median household income in Mississippi?

Median household income in Mississippi is $59,127 in this dataset.

What is the combined average sales tax rate in Mississippi?

The combined average sales tax rate shown for Mississippi is 7.07%. State and local rules vary; see the Tax Foundation citation on the hub.

Does Mississippi have a state income tax?

State income tax in Mississippi: Flat 4%.

What was regular gas in Mississippi in this snapshot?

87-octane gas is listed at $3.570 per gallon (AAA, June 2026) in the explorer data.

How should a household read Mississippi's cost-of-living index?

The index is 86.2 against a US baseline of 100. A salary that buys a basket at the baseline would need about 86.2% of that salary to buy the same basket in Mississippi in this snapshot. It is not a tax bill, a rent quote, or financial advice.

Sources: Tax Foundation (sales tax), BEA / ACS (income & COL), AAA gas (June 20, 2026). Educational, not financial, tax, or relocation advice.