Cost of Living in Wayne County, Mississippi
At a Glance
Rent burden measured as median gross rent as a percentage of renter household income (Census ACS B25071)
These figures are county medians, not a personal budget. Use them to frame rent, ownership, and income tradeoffs, then account for household size, commute, financing, insurance, taxes, debt, and local availability before making a decision.
How Wayne County Compares
Median monthly rent comparison
Detailed Housing Stats
National Ranking
Affordability Rank
Wayne County ranks #398 of 3,142 counties for affordability (top 13%)
Sourced county brief
Wayne County Official GRAPI Reaches 40.5 Percent
In Wayne County, the official median gross rent as a percentage of household income (GRAPI) was 40.5% for the 2020-2024 period. This canonical rent-to-income percentage, found in ACS table B25071, is 11.0 percentage points higher than the Mississippi unweighted county mean of 29.5%. The median gross rent in the county was $784 per month, while the state unweighted county mean was $805. For owner-occupied households, the median monthly cost was $470, which is below the state unweighted mean of $676. The median home value was estimated at $91,100, which is $44,717 lower than the state's unweighted county mean of $135,817. Renter households in the county had a median income of $30,036. All data is based on the U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates. See ACS table B25071 for the underlying estimate.
Source record
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25064 Median Gross Rent
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25071 GRAPI
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25077 Median Home Value
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25088 Selected Monthly Owner Costs
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25119 Household Income by Tenure
Data version acs5-2020-2024 · Method cost-brief-v1
Cost of Living Advisory: Wayne County
Affordability Verdict
ACS B25071 estimates median gross rent at 40.5% of renter household income in Wayne County, which is between the 30% and 50% rent-burden benchmarks. This is a median percentage among renter-occupied units, not the share of households above a threshold.
Rent vs. Own
Median gross rent is $784 per month; median selected monthly owner costs are $470. These ACS medians describe different tenure groups and are not a personalized rent-versus-buy calculation.
Income Needed
Using the common 30% budgeting benchmark, $31,360 in annual gross income would allocate 30% to the county's median gross rent. This is a reproducible illustration, not evidence that a particular household can afford housing.
Regional Context
The Mississippi unweighted mean of county median rents is $805 per month. Wayne County's $784 median is 2.6% below that comparison value.
Data version acs5-2020-2024 · Method cost-advisory-v2
Affordability Calculator
See how your income compares to housing costs in Wayne County
Rent Burden
25.0%
of gross income
Max Housing (28% Rule)
$878
per month
Owner Cost Burden
15.0%
of gross income
You can likely afford the median home in Wayne County
Median home value is $91,100. Estimated monthly cost: $727 vs. your max of $878.
Rent Affordability Guide
Income Needed Calculator
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Based on the 30% rule for rent and 28% rule for housing costs (mortgage + owner costs). Mortgage estimate assumes 20% down, 7.2% interest, 30-year fixed.
Frequently Asked Questions
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See Today's RatesData: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2020-2024). Data is informational only and is not personalized financial advice.
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