Mississippi Rental Portfolio Guide
What you need to know before building or growing a rental portfolio in Mississippi — property tax burden, state income tax, security-deposit rule, source-of-income law, and the metros that actually cash-flow after accounting for local taxes.
Tax burden on Mississippi rentals
Property tax
0.75%
effective rate on median home value
At 0.75% effective, the property tax burden sits in the lower half nationally (rank 19 of 51). Modest annual carrying cost keeps cash flow projections realistic on median-priced homes.
State income tax
4.70%
top marginal rate
A top marginal rate of 4.70% is moderate. Portfolio income above the federal deduction stack still faces this rate on top of federal, so tax-optimized holding structures (installment sales, 1031s, cost-segregation) matter more here than in no-tax states.
Security deposit rule
No statutory cap on security deposits. Landlords set the deposit at whatever the market accepts — typically one to two months' rent, sometimes more for higher-risk applicants or pets. Local ordinances may still apply.
Deposit rules change; verify current statute before drafting a lease.
Best cash-flow markets in Mississippi
Modeled monthly cash flow on a median-priced single-family purchase at 20% down, 30-year fixed, using Mississippi’s 0.75% effective property tax rate plus 25% of rent for insurance, maintenance, vacancy and management.
| Market | Median price | Median rent | Annual property tax | CF / month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meridian, MS | $124,819 | $1,355 | $936 | $284 |
| Columbus, MS | $190,558 | $1,391 | $1,429 | $-74 |
| Jackson, MS | $215,136 | $1,450 | $1,614 | $-175 |
| Picayune, MS | $200,137 | $1,328 | $1,501 | $-178 |
| Tupelo, MS | $193,424 | $1,264 | $1,451 | $-187 |
| Hattiesburg, MS | $218,044 | $1,436 | $1,635 | $-203 |
State median across the metros: $215,136 home, $1,423 rent, $-187/mo modeled cash flow.
Track your Mississippi rental portfolio
The Pro Portfolio Tracker rolls up every property in your portfolio, auto-revalues them monthly against local price data, and flags DSCR risk and equity milestones. Each Mississippi property carries the state-specific tax burden shown above through to the cash flow calculation.
Property tax rate: Tax Foundation. Security deposit rule: state statute. Verify current law before making decisions — statutes change and this page is a planning reference, not legal or tax advice.