2023 Report: Cities in Mississippi where Household Expenses are Highest and Lowest
How does living in the Magnolia state affect your wallet? doxo breaks down key insights about Mississippi’s household expenses, with a close eye to how bills differ in towns and cities across the state. The average household in Mississippi, doxo’s data reveals, pays $1,616 in bills per month.
doxo’s data also has infographics for 58 cities and towns across Mississippi, breaking down localized bill pay data figures as well. The state-wide rankings for most and least expensive cities provide insight into cost of living in Mississippi and how it changes according to location.
The data sheds light on Mississippi’s cost of living through other metrics, too. For example, the “percent of household income” data point shows what percentage of household income local residents spend on bills. doxo’s data also indicates how much more or less expensive specific cities are than the national and state average.
Mississippi residents pay $1,616 in household bills a month
The average Mississippi household pays $1,616 a month for the 10 most common household bills. This figure takes into account the 10 most common household bills, which are: Mortgage; Rent; Auto Loan; Utilities (electric, gas, water & sewer, and waste & recycling); Auto Insurance; Cable & Internet & Phone, Health Insurance (consumer paid portion); Mobile Phone; Alarm & Security; and Life Insurance.
Mississippi residents, overall, get a good deal on their bills: the state ranks 49th out of 50 states in terms of average monthly spending. Arkansas ranks 48th, with annual monthly expenses of $1,635, and West Virginia ranks 50th, at $1,530.
Mississippi’s household expenses, on average, are 21.1% lower than the national average of $2,046.
Absolute dollar amounts don’t tell the full story, however. The “percentage of household income” metric provides a more proportional look at bill spending in a particular location. Mississippi households spend 41% of their income on household bills.
Annually, Mississippi residents pay $22 billion in household bills. See more data about bill pay in Mississippi by clicking on the infographic link below.
Data: doxoINSIGHTS’ bill pay infographic about Mississippi
- Average Bill Cost per HH: $1,616 per month
- State Bill Pay Market Size: $22 billion
- doxoINSIGHTS State Rank: 49 out of 50
- Percent of HHI Used for Bills: 41%
- Difference from the National Average: 21.1% lower
Housing bill category drives Mississippi’s low monthly bill expenses
The average Mississippi household pays $1,616 in the 10 most common household bills per month. Rent and mortgage expenses drive savings, with both being considerably lower than the national average. The average mortgage payment in Mississippi is $1,032, and average rent is $843, compared to the national average mortgage bill of $1,321 and rent bill of $1,191.
Other than housing-related expenses, auto loans are the most significant of the 10 most common bills for Mississippi residents. Still, these expenses are still lower than the national average. The average auto loan bill in Mississippi is $422 a month, compared to the national average of $467.
Compared to the national average, health insurance bills are also a higher expense for residents of Mississippi. The average household in the state pays $106 a month for utilities, compared to the national average of $120.
Auto insurance, by contrast, is more affordable in Mississippi. While US residents on average spend $179 per month on car insurance, in Mississippi they spend just $207.
Note: Health Insurance and Life Insurance expenses do not account for payments made by employers on behalf of employees. These just include out-of-pocket expenses. Also, the state and national bill totals take into account the percentage of households that pay a bill.
Average Mississippi Household Bill Spending
| Bill Category | Average Mississippi Monthly Bill | National Average Monthly Bill | Mississippi Percent +/- National Average ($2,046) |
| Mortgage | $1,032 | $1,321 | 22% lower |
| Rent | $843 | $1,191 | 29% lower |
| Auto Loan | $422 | $467 | 10% lower |
| Utilities | $255 | $351 | 27% lower |
| Auto Insurance | $179 | $207 | 14% lower |
| Cable & Internet | $115 | $118 | 3% lower |
| Health Insurance | $106 | $120 | 12% lower |
| Mobile Phone | $113 | $119 | 5% lower |
| Alarm & Security | $75 | $84 | 11% lower |
| Life Insurance | $77 | $89 | 13% lower |
| Total | $1,616 | $2,046 | 21.1% lower |
Madison tops the list of most expensive cities for Mississippi’s household bills
Residents of Madison pay the highest household bills in the state of Mississippi, at an average of $2,317 per month. Ridgeland comes second in the rankings, with residents paying $2,209 on average per month.
In proportion to household income, however, Ridgeland’s bills are costlier than ones in Madison. While Ridgeland’s monthly bill basket makes up 43% of average household income there, Madison’s bill basket accounts for just 25% of average household income in that area.
Access detailed infographics about each city or town by clicking on the hyperlinks in the “City” column in the tables below. You can also browse doxoINSIGHTS’ regional bill comparison database to see infographics about more than 4,200 cities and towns across all 50 states in the US.
10 Most Expensive Mississippi Cities for Household Bills
| Rank (1-10 out of 78) | City | Monthly Bill Expenses Per Household* | Percent of Household Income Used for Bills |
| 1 | Madison | $2,317 | 25% |
| 2 | Ridgeland | $2,209 | 43% |
| 3 | Vicksburg | $2,207 | 56% |
| 4 | Oxford | $2,077 | 47% |
| 5 | Hernando | $2,069 | 34% |
| 6 | Southaven | $2,052 | 40% |
| 7 | Olive Branch | $2,002 | 28% |
| 8 | Ocean Springs | $1,983 | 39% |
| 9 | Carriere | $1,928 | 31% |
| 10 | Clinton | $1,903 | 35% |
*Household Bill Pay Expense averages shown above reflect the ten most common bills paid, including housing (rent/mortgage).
Carthage is the most affordable Mississippi city for household bills
Out of 58 cities and towns, Carthage is the most affordable place in Mississippi, with residents paying $1,237 on average for household bills. Household bills account for 43% of local income in Carthage.
Natchez comes in at the second most affordable town or city in Mississippi, with residents paying $1,250 per month on average.
Also on the list of 10 least expensive cities in Mississippi are Batesville ($1,299 per month), Yazoo City ($1,300 per month), and West Point ($1,307 per month).
10 Most Affordable Mississippi Cities for Household Bills
| Rank (49-58 out of 58) | City | Monthly Bill Expenses Per Household | Percent of Household Income Used for Bills |
| 49 | Booneville | $1,386 | 41% |
| 50 | Clarksdale | $1,380 | 52% |
| 51 | Brookhaven | $1,379 | 41% |
| 52 | Columbus | $1,374 | 34% |
| 53 | Columbia | $1,367 | 51% |
| 54 | West Point | $1,307 | 47% |
| 55 | Yazoo City | $1,300 | 53% |
| 56 | Batesville | $1,299 | 33% |
| 57 | Natchez | $1,250 | 49% |
| 58 | Carthage | $1,237 | 43% |
Some individuals may be deciding whether to move from a more expensive city to a less expensive one. doxoINSIGHTS can be a valuable resource for consumers seeking to make key decisions like this, allowing them to compare Mississippi’s household expenses against average bills in different cities and states across the country. They can also use doxoINSIGHTS’ regional bill comparison database to compare average costs for over 900 towns and cities across the country.