Best overall
Rankin County
Overall score 74
Economy 79.1 / Affordability 68.9
State rankings
Best Counties to Live in Mississippi
Compare counties in Mississippi by affordability, schools, safety, taxes, economy, home values, and quality-of-life tradeoffs.
Use the county-size filter to compare large metro counties, mid-size counties, small counties, and rural areas separately. These modules are a starting point, then you can open the full rankings table or compare individual counties.
County size
County size helps compare places with similar scale. Large metro counties and small rural counties can rank well for very different reasons.
Showing all 82 Mississippi counties
Use this state ranking
Compare counties in Mississippi
Put Mississippi counties side by side.
Estimate moving costs
Compare housing, utilities, groceries, transportation, healthcare, insurance, and tax-pressure estimates.
Open Mississippi rankings
Open the full Mississippi ranking table with filters.
Explore on the map
Scan county scores geographically across the country.
Mississippi county rankings at a glance
Compact winners for common county-search priorities.
Best for families
Rankin County
Family score 73.0
Schools 61.1 / Safety 90.3
Best value
Smith County
Value score 79.6
Affordability 83.4 / Taxes 89.4
Most affordable
Clarke County
Affordability 89
Typical home $106,868
Best schools
Lafayette County
Schools 67.6
Safety 59.2 / Economy 67.5
Safest
Marshall County
Safety 97
Schools 4.6 / Peace 81.5
Low taxes
Smith County
Taxes 89.4
Affordability 83.4 / Typical home $160,019
Peace & quiet
Sharkey County
Peace & Quiet 92.8
Density and built-environment signals
Top counties by category
Use these short lists to jump into the state rankings that match your priorities.
Best overall counties in Mississippi
View full- 1Rankin County
Typical home $265,117
74
Overall
- 2Tishomingo County
Typical home $189,935
67.3
Overall
- 3Harrison County
Typical home $223,162
66.7
Overall
- 4Lamar County
Typical home $264,022
66.7
Overall
- 5Union County
Typical home $197,435
66.6
Overall
Best counties for families in Mississippi
View full- 1Rankin County
Typical home $265,117
73.0
Family
- 2Tishomingo County
Typical home $189,935
71.5
Family
- 3Harrison County
Typical home $223,162
69.9
Family
- 4Union County
Typical home $197,435
67.5
Family
- 5Choctaw County
Typical home $135,165
67.0
Family
Best value counties in Mississippi
View full- 1Smith County
Typical home $160,019
79.6
Value
- 2Carroll County
Typical home $174,370
76.0
Value
- 3Rankin County
Typical home $265,117
75.6
Value
- 4Choctaw County
Typical home $135,165
75.0
Value
- 5Simpson County
Typical home $151,652
74.4
Value
Most affordable counties in Mississippi
View full- 1Clarke County
Typical home $106,868
89
Afford.
- 2Quitman County
Typical home $69,600
87.2
Afford.
- 3Attala County
Typical home $117,169
87.1
Afford.
- 4Washington County
Typical home $62,040
86.8
Afford.
- 5Coahoma County
Typical home $47,484
85.9
Afford.
Best school counties in Mississippi
View full- 1Lafayette County
Typical home $401,965
67.6
Schools
- 2Harrison County
Typical home $223,162
65.7
Schools
- 3Union County
Typical home $197,435
64.5
Schools
- 4Tishomingo County
Typical home $189,935
62.9
Schools
- 5Lamar County
Typical home $264,022
62.1
Schools
Lowest tax-score counties in Mississippi
View full- 1Smith County
Typical home $160,019
89.4
Taxes
- 2Amite County
Typical home $143,287
89.4
Taxes
- 3Carroll County
Typical home $174,370
88
Taxes
- 4Covington County
Typical home $173,288
85.1
Taxes
- 5Tishomingo County
Typical home $189,935
84.7
Taxes
Quietest counties in Mississippi
View full- 1Sharkey County
Typical home $120,584
92.8
Quiet
- 2Bolivar County
Typical home $124,660
90.5
Quiet
- 3Sunflower County
Typical home $100,505
89.5
Quiet
- 4Chickasaw County
Typical home $135,255
88.2
Quiet
- 5Coahoma County
Typical home $47,484
88.1
Quiet
Safest counties in Mississippi
View full- 1Marshall County
Typical home $216,684
97
Safety
- 2Greene County
Typical home $160,128
91.8
Safety
- 3Rankin County
Typical home $265,117
90.3
Safety
- 4Harrison County
Typical home $223,162
89.5
Safety
- 5Hinds County
Typical home $132,560
88.8
Safety
Popular Mississippi county comparisons
Put two counties side by side before you narrow the search.
How to choose a county in Mississippi
The best county in Mississippi depends on what you need most. Families may care more about schools and safety, budget-focused movers may care more about affordability and taxes, and quiet-living households may care more about density and peace & quiet. Large counties and rural counties can rank well for very different reasons, so use the county-size filter to compare places with similar scale.
Best for different needs
Best overall counties in Mississippi
For best overall counties in Mississippi, Rankin County, Tishomingo County, and Harrison County stand out in this model because they combine several public-data signals instead of winning on only one category.
View this rankingBest counties for families in Mississippi
For families, Rankin County, Tishomingo County, and Harrison County score well in the family blend of schools, safety, affordability, taxes, economy, and peace & quiet.
View this rankingMost affordable counties in Mississippi
For affordability-focused movers, Clarke County, Quitman County, and Attala County may appeal because they score well on housing and income tradeoff signals in the current model.
View this rankingBest school counties in Mississippi
For school-first households, Lafayette County, Harrison County, and Union County lead the current school score, though families should still compare district-level details.
View this rankingBest low-tax counties in Mississippi
For lower tax-pressure searches, Smith County, Amite County, and Carroll County score well on the tax model, but buyers should still check local property taxes and carrying costs.
View this rankingBest quiet counties in Mississippi
For quieter-living searches, Sharkey County, Bolivar County, and Sunflower County stand out on peace & quiet signals such as density and built-environment indicators.
View this rankingWhat to watch before moving to Mississippi
Compare county scale carefully in Mississippi; large metro counties and rural counties can rank well for very different reasons.
Check town-level housing costs, commute patterns, school districts, and local services before making a final move decision.
Frequently asked questions about the best counties in Mississippi
What is the best county to live in Mississippi?
The best county depends on your priorities. In this ranking model, Rankin County currently scores highest overall, but families, budget-focused movers, and quiet-living households may prefer different counties.
What is the best county in Mississippi for families?
Based on the family ranking blend of schools, safety, affordability, taxes, economy, and peace & quiet, Rankin County stands out in this model.
What is the most affordable county in Mississippi?
Clarke County scores highly on affordability in this model, but buyers should still compare home prices, taxes, insurance, commute costs, and local job access.
How should I compare large and small counties?
Use the county-size filter. Large metro counties and small rural counties can rank well for very different reasons, so comparing similar county sizes usually gives a more realistic shortlist.
Are these rankings based on reviews?
No. These rankings use public-data signals such as affordability, schools, safety, taxes, economy, home values, and peace & quiet. Local reviews and personal visits should still be part of a final decision.
Which Mississippi counties score well for schools or taxes?
Lafayette County currently leads the school-score view, while Smith County stands out on the tax-score view. Use the rankings presets to compare those priorities separately.
All Mississippi counties
Showing all 82 Mississippi counties ranked by the default generated overall score.
| Rank | County | Overall | Economy | Afford. | Schools | Safety | Taxes | Peace & Quiet | Typical home | Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rankin County FIPS 28121 | 74 | 79.1 | 68.9 | 61.1 | 90.3 | 74 | 76.1 | $265,117 | $79,357 |
| 2 | Tishomingo County FIPS 28141 | 67.3 | 49.7 | 68.8 | 62.9 | 82 | 84.7 | 85.5 | $189,935 | $53,040 |
| 3 | Harrison County FIPS 28047 | 66.7 | 62 | 58.6 | 65.7 | 89.5 | 67.6 | 63.6 | $223,162 | $59,479 |
| 4 | Lamar County FIPS 28073 | 66.7 | 71.4 | 60 | 62.1 | 68.5 | 71.4 | 80.9 | $264,022 | $70,909 |
| 5 | Union County FIPS 28145 | 66.6 | 62.2 | 64.3 | 64.5 | 67.2 | 78.3 | 82.6 | $197,435 | $55,505 |
| 6 | Madison County FIPS 28089 | 65.8 | 83.5 | 54.8 | 56.5 | 62.4 | 65.5 | 80.9 | $334,032 | $83,441 |
| 7 | Choctaw County FIPS 28019 | 65.2 | 44.1 | 82.8 | 53.3 | 68.7 | 83.8 | 81.9 | $135,165 | $50,919 |
| 8 | Smith County FIPS 28129 | 65 | 66.9 | 83.4 | 22.7 | 65.9 | 89.4 | 81.4 | $160,019 | $60,916 |
| 9 | Hancock County FIPS 28045 | 64.8 | 68.6 | 68.4 | 40.4 | 81.5 | 64.3 | 75.6 | $232,472 | $67,708 |
| 10 | Jackson County FIPS 28059 | 64.7 | 71.3 | 71.3 | 34.4 | 77.1 | 67.6 | 76.1 | $212,491 | $66,201 |
| 11 | Prentiss County FIPS 28117 | 64.6 | 54 | 81 | 50.2 | 64.1 | 69.3 | 85 | $139,713 | $49,724 |
| 12 | Webster County FIPS 28155 | 64.2 | 58.9 | 78.2 | 41.3 | 65.7 | 77.9 | 81.1 | $162,162 | $58,789 |
| 13 | DeSoto County FIPS 28033 | 63.8 | 79.2 | 66.2 | 61.9 | 30.5 | 73.5 | 62.3 | $298,836 | $85,297 |
| 14 | Stone County FIPS 28131 | 61.6 | 59.8 | 72.6 | 42.8 | 57.2 | 72.7 | 80.9 | $201,655 | $61,413 |
| 15 | Itawamba County FIPS 28057 | 61.5 | 59 | 77.1 | 32.2 | 70.5 | - | 87 | $161,732 | $55,546 |
| 16 | Lee County FIPS 28081 | 60.4 | 62.6 | 71 | 29.4 | 70.4 | 65.7 | 78.9 | $201,406 | $67,863 |
| 17 | Newton County FIPS 28101 | 59.3 | 49.9 | 81.4 | 34.3 | 53 | 75.1 | 82.9 | $142,059 | $50,540 |
| 18 | Pontotoc County FIPS 28115 | 59.2 | 53.7 | 56 | 52.5 | 62.5 | 78.6 | 81.7 | $204,300 | $51,484 |
| 19 | Clarke County FIPS 28023 | 59.1 | 53.4 | 89 | 19.8 | 56.9 | 72.1 | 76.3 | $106,868 | $46,108 |
| 20 | Alcorn County FIPS 28003 | 59 | 52.6 | 64.5 | 37.6 | 66.5 | 78.9 | 85.8 | $181,276 | $51,260 |
| 21 | George County FIPS 28039 | 58.7 | 47.1 | 71.4 | 30.4 | 76.4 | 75.9 | 79.5 | $206,920 | $59,758 |
| 22 | Tate County FIPS 28137 | 58.5 | 63.3 | 68.5 | 17.7 | 71.8 | 71.9 | 80.7 | $238,526 | $69,704 |
| 23 | Pearl River County FIPS 28109 | 58.2 | 60.7 | 70.8 | 23.4 | 65.9 | 69.1 | 76.5 | $193,922 | $58,135 |
| 24 | Simpson County FIPS 28127 | 57.8 | 61.3 | 81.8 | 6.2 | 60.2 | 78.8 | 78.2 | $151,652 | $56,381 |
| 25 | Lincoln County FIPS 28085 | 57.6 | 53.1 | 71 | 19.9 | 79.5 | 67 | 79.8 | $168,181 | $51,119 |
| 26 | Warren County FIPS 28149 | 57.4 | 56.5 | 79.5 | 7 | 80.7 | 57.6 | 82.4 | $145,827 | $59,401 |
| 27 | Neshoba County FIPS 28099 | 57.1 | 55.3 | 85.3 | 10.2 | 57.4 | 70.9 | 83.8 | $140,641 | $57,013 |
| 28 | Tippah County FIPS 28139 | 57.1 | 51.8 | 78.5 | 22.7 | 60.9 | 67.6 | 82.5 | $141,599 | $52,542 |
| 29 | Carroll County FIPS 28015 | 56.8 | 50.6 | 81.1 | 6.4 | 63.9 | 88 | 84.3 | $174,370 | $59,327 |
| 30 | Scott County FIPS 28123 | 56 | 55.4 | 79.6 | 6.8 | 61.8 | 74.4 | 84.3 | $123,939 | $48,786 |
| 31 | Calhoun County FIPS 28013 | 55.9 | 46.7 | 79 | 19.1 | 57.8 | 79 | 81.9 | $124,022 | $43,125 |
| 32 | Greene County FIPS 28041 | 55.7 | 37 | 73.9 | 12.4 | 91.8 | 78.2 | 77.1 | $160,128 | $54,276 |
| 33 | Jasper County FIPS 28061 | 55.4 | 50.5 | 83.1 | 10.3 | 56.6 | 75.4 | 78.3 | $134,993 | $48,660 |
| 34 | Lauderdale County FIPS 28075 | 55.4 | 48.8 | 80.6 | 9.7 | 80.6 | 49.5 | 82 | $124,823 | $50,817 |
| 35 | Monroe County FIPS 28095 | 55.4 | 45.8 | 73.7 | 25.6 | 57.7 | 75.3 | 83.5 | $157,592 | $51,866 |
| 36 | Covington County FIPS 28031 | 54.9 | 63.8 | 65.6 | 3.5 | 60.2 | 85.1 | 87 | $173,288 | $45,051 |
| 37 | Winston County FIPS 28159 | 54.7 | 47 | 80.1 | 16.7 | 52.3 | 74.3 | 86.9 | $141,865 | $53,031 |
| 38 | Lowndes County FIPS 28087 | 54.5 | 54.9 | 63.7 | 20.8 | 61.4 | 73.6 | 82.8 | $182,790 | $53,812 |
| 39 | Marshall County FIPS 28093 | 54.5 | 51.3 | 60.3 | 4.6 | 97 | 70.4 | 81.5 | $216,684 | $53,458 |
| 40 | Leake County FIPS 28079 | 54.4 | 62.4 | 71.1 | 3 | 57.9 | 78.6 | 77 | $163,553 | $50,728 |
| 41 | Lawrence County FIPS 28077 | 54.3 | 50.7 | 82.3 | 13.8 | 47.1 | 74.2 | 75.1 | $118,729 | $43,531 |
| 42 | Lafayette County FIPS 28071 | 54.2 | 67.5 | 14.8 | 67.6 | 59.2 | 74.9 | 74.4 | $401,965 | $67,185 |
| 43 | Attala County FIPS 28007 | 53.9 | 47.4 | 87.1 | 34.5 | 14.6 | 73.5 | 76.9 | $117,169 | $51,639 |
| 44 | Perry County FIPS 28111 | 53.8 | 48 | 74.3 | 12.6 | 57.8 | 78.1 | 83.5 | $156,862 | $49,634 |
| 45 | Kemper County FIPS 28069 | 53.6 | 33.9 | 77.4 | 1.7 | 87.4 | 83.2 | 81 | $134,992 | $46,431 |
| 46 | Grenada County FIPS 28043 | 52.9 | 41.9 | 73.5 | 37.8 | 50.4 | 45.6 | 86.8 | $132,498 | $48,804 |
| 47 | Hinds County FIPS 28049 | 52.9 | 45.9 | 74 | 8 | 88.8 | 43.6 | 72.5 | $132,560 | $49,402 |
| 48 | Benton County FIPS 28009 | 51.5 | 52.9 | 67.5 | 8.9 | 52.9 | 79.3 | 75.3 | $157,538 | $46,016 |
| 49 | Copiah County FIPS 28029 | 51.4 | 47.9 | 79.7 | 2.6 | 52.1 | 71.2 | 80.9 | $133,248 | $49,089 |
| 50 | Marion County FIPS 28091 | 51.1 | 46.3 | 75.5 | 10.2 | 54.2 | 66.5 | 76.5 | $137,754 | $45,110 |
| 51 | Wayne County FIPS 28153 | 51.1 | 51.8 | 67.5 | 7 | 51.3 | 82 | 80.4 | $143,318 | $37,619 |
| 52 | Jefferson Davis County FIPS 28065 | 50.2 | 47.9 | 85.5 | 5 | 41.4 | 58.6 | 76 | $96,084 | $38,548 |
| 53 | Franklin County FIPS 28037 | 50 | 41.7 | 77.1 | 10.7 | 44.3 | 78.4 | 74.2 | $148,959 | $52,939 |
| 54 | Tallahatchie County FIPS 28135 | 49.7 | 45.5 | 74.8 | 2 | 47.9 | 80.4 | 80.8 | $109,214 | $37,466 |
| 55 | Walthall County FIPS 28147 | 49.7 | 48.3 | 73.6 | 2.1 | 53 | 71.4 | 74.8 | $155,251 | $48,905 |
| 56 | Yalobusha County FIPS 28161 | 49.5 | 42.6 | 71.9 | 7.6 | 53.2 | 74.7 | 78.2 | $148,409 | $49,151 |
| 57 | Forrest County FIPS 28035 | 49 | 53.8 | 62.9 | 27 | 28.9 | 60.8 | 81 | $186,726 | $53,640 |
| 58 | Jones County FIPS 28067 | 48.8 | 59.7 | 76.6 | 18.6 | 1 | 67.1 | 82.7 | $159,236 | $52,216 |
| 59 | Montgomery County FIPS 28097 | 48 | 42.9 | 75 | 15 | 46.5 | 44.2 | 81.7 | $124,290 | $41,748 |
| 60 | Washington County FIPS 28151 | 47.2 | 27.8 | 86.8 | 2.7 | 71.2 | 30 | 86.8 | $62,040 | $42,165 |
| 61 | Chickasaw County FIPS 28017 | 47.1 | 30.2 | 74.4 | 9.9 | 49.3 | 71.4 | 88.2 | $135,255 | $43,586 |
| 62 | Amite County FIPS 28005 | 46.8 | 41.6 | 68.6 | 0.9 | 41.6 | 89.4 | 77.4 | $143,287 | $37,222 |
| 63 | Clay County FIPS 28025 | 46.5 | 39.2 | 71.1 | 8.9 | 35.7 | 73.5 | 87.9 | $149,429 | $43,125 |
| 64 | Pike County FIPS 28113 | 46.1 | 37.6 | 81.2 | 5.5 | 40.6 | 53.4 | 76.5 | $105,338 | $43,814 |
| 65 | Noxubee County FIPS 28103 | 45.1 | 36.6 | 75.8 | 1.5 | 44.8 | 57.5 | 85.2 | $108,870 | $33,833 |
| 66 | Panola County FIPS 28107 | 44.6 | 37 | 58.7 | 8.5 | 47.2 | 78.8 | 80.9 | $188,484 | $45,945 |
| 67 | Bolivar County FIPS 28011 | 44.4 | 31.4 | 73.4 | 4.1 | 45.5 | 60.1 | 90.5 | $124,660 | $39,585 |
| 68 | Sharkey County FIPS 28125 | 44.1 | 20.2 | 75.8 | 12.6 | 43.4 | 63.8 | 92.8 | $120,584 | $40,000 |
| 69 | Adams County FIPS 28001 | 43.5 | 31.5 | 78.4 | 1.6 | 38.8 | 57.6 | 82.7 | $116,583 | $43,644 |
| 70 | Yazoo County FIPS 28163 | 43.3 | 38.9 | 72.8 | 1.1 | 44.7 | 42.5 | 85 | $113,234 | $39,295 |
| 71 | Sunflower County FIPS 28133 | 42.4 | 24.1 | 79.8 | 1 | 42.8 | 52.8 | 89.5 | $100,505 | $39,956 |
| 72 | Jefferson County FIPS 28063 | 41.4 | 17.6 | 83.6 | 0.9 | 35 | 67 | 78.8 | $101,820 | $38,305 |
| 73 | Quitman County FIPS 28119 | 41.4 | 16.7 | 87.2 | 1.9 | 41.7 | 46.6 | 82.2 | $69,600 | $32,412 |
| 74 | Holmes County FIPS 28051 | 40 | 19 | 81 | 0.7 | 36 | 55.2 | 77.9 | $76,673 | $32,538 |
| 75 | Claiborne County FIPS 28021 | 39.8 | 5.8 | 78.2 | 2.4 | 40.5 | 82.5 | 79.6 | $94,521 | $31,897 |
| 76 | Tunica County FIPS 28143 | 38.1 | 28.3 | 53.9 | 3.2 | 40.8 | 67.6 | 80.5 | $155,893 | $39,364 |
| 77 | Issaquena County FIPS 28055 | 38 | 8.3 | 67.6 | - | 45.5 | 4.4 | 84.3 | $110,800 | $31,429 |
| 78 | Coahoma County FIPS 28027 | 37.6 | 16.3 | 85.9 | 1.5 | 35.6 | 20.1 | 88.1 | $47,484 | $37,461 |
| 79 | Oktibbeha County FIPS 28105 | 37.5 | 50.6 | 26.3 | 8.5 | 42.8 | 59.9 | 83.5 | $275,090 | $46,695 |
| 80 | Wilkinson County FIPS 28157 | 37.2 | 19.9 | 67.8 | 1.8 | 35 | 60.5 | 73 | $121,394 | $35,311 |
| 81 | Humphreys County FIPS 28053 | 36.8 | 11.3 | 76.2 | 0.6 | 37.3 | 48.1 | 87.7 | $86,252 | $33,731 |
| 82 | Leflore County FIPS 28083 | 36.6 | 19.8 | 80.4 | 2.5 | 23.7 | 31.7 | 86.5 | $79,439 | $35,277 |