Skip to main content
RentIndex
Home / Mississippi / Tunica County

Tunica County, MS

The Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Tunica County, MS is $1,186 per month, ranking #400 out of 693 areas nationwide. The area median household income is $38,402, meaning a household spending Fair Market Rent on a 2-bedroom would pay 37.1% of income on housing. Rent in Tunica County has decreased 0.4% year over year. The area has a population of 9.6K, with 59.2% of households renting.

37.1%
Rent Burdened
of income → rent
$1,186
2BR Fair Market Rent
vs $1,250 national median
$38,402
Median Income
vs $71,049 national
$938
Actual Median Rent
Census ACS estimate
-0.4%
Year-over-Year
2BR FMR change
9.6K
Population
Census ACS
59.2%
Renters
of occupied housing
$154,500
Median Home Value
4.3%
Unemployment
BLS LAUS
23.6%
Vacancy Rate
of housing units
33.8%
Poverty Rate
below poverty line

Fair Market Rent by Bedroom Size

$986
Studio
$1,073
1 Bedroom
$1,186
2 Bedroom
$1,422
3 Bedroom
$1,570
4 Bedroom

Fair Market Rents (FMRs) are set annually by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and represent the 40th percentile of gross rents for standard-quality units in an area. FMRs are used to determine payment standards for the Housing Choice Voucher program and other federal housing assistance.

Housing Affordability

In Tunica County, MS, a household earning the area median income of $38,402 would spend 37.1% of their gross income on a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent. HUD considers households spending more than 30% of income on housing to be "cost-burdened." This means many renters in this area face financial strain from housing costs.

Income Needed for 2BR
$47,440
annual (30% threshold)
Hourly Wage Needed
$23
full-time (2,080 hrs/yr)
Actual Median Rent
$938
$248 below FMR

5-Year Rent Trend

+45.7% since 2021
$8142021$8282022$9462023$1,1912024$1,2342025$1,1862026

2-bedroom Fair Market Rent by fiscal year. Source: HUD FMR API.

Minimum Wage Affordability

The minimum wage in Mississippi is $7.25/hr. A minimum-wage worker would need to work 125.8 hours per week to afford a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent without exceeding 30% of income on housing. This means a single minimum-wage earner cannot afford a 2-bedroom working a standard 40-hour week. The poverty rate in Tunica County is 33.8%, well above the national average of approximately 12.4%.

State Min Wage
$7.25/hr
Hours/Week Needed
125.8 hrs
Poverty Rate
33.8%

Housing Market Context

The median home value in Tunica County is $154,500. At a median income of $38,402, this represents a price-to-income ratio of 4.0x. 23.6% of housing units in the area are vacant, which is above the national average and may indicate softer demand or seasonal housing. The local unemployment rate is 4.3%, roughly in line with national averages.

Rent vs. Buy
$1,082 est. mortgage
vs $1,186 FMR rent
Vacancy Rate
23.6%
of housing units
Unemployment
4.3%
BLS, latest available

Other Areas in Mississippi

Jackson
$1,288/mo
2BR FMR · 25.6% burden
Memphis
$1,274/mo
2BR FMR · 23.6% burden
Gulfport-Biloxi
$1,140/mo
2BR FMR · 22.3% burden
Marshall County
$1,110/mo
2BR FMR · 25.7% burden
Tate County
$1,089/mo
2BR FMR · 20.4% burden

Compare Tunica County

vs Jackson, MSvs Memphis, MSvs Gulfport-Biloxi, MS

Areas With Similar Rent to Tunica County

Frequently Asked Questions

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Tunica County, MS is $1,186 per month. A studio is $986/mo, a 1-bedroom is $1,073/mo, and a 3-bedroom is $1,422/mo. The actual median gross rent from Census data is $938/mo.

Tunica County has a rent burden of 37.1%, meaning a household earning the median income of $38,402 would spend 37.1% of income on a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent. HUD considers spending 30%+ on housing to be cost-burdened. To afford a 2-bedroom without being cost-burdened, a household would need an annual income of at least $47,440.

Tunica County's 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,186/mo is $64 below the national median of $1,250/mo. Tunica County ranks #400 out of 693 areas for highest rent in the United States.

To afford a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Tunica County without spending more than 30% of income on housing, you would need an annual household income of at least $47,440, or a full-time hourly wage of $23/hour. The area median income is $38,402.

The 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Tunica County decreased by 0.4% compared to the prior year. Decreasing rents may signal softening demand or new housing supply entering the market.

Fair Market Rents represent the 40th percentile of gross rents for standard-quality rental units. Rent burden is calculated as annual 2BR FMR divided by area median household income. Census data (income, home value, population, vacancy) is from the ACS 5-Year estimates. Unemployment rates are from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics.