Mississippi Section 538 income limits for FY2026
A Section 538 tenant can earn up to 115% of area median income at move-in. In Mississippi that limit for a family of four runs from $46,600 in Claiborne County, MS to $112,800 in Lafayette County, MS. Limits took effect July 13, 2026.
| Area | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gulfport-Biloxi, MS metro area | 66,900 | 76,450 | 86,000 | 95,550 | 103,200 | 110,850 | 118,500 | 126,150 |
| Pascagoula, MS part of the Gulfport-Biloxi, MS metro area | 74,950 | 85,700 | 96,450 | 107,150 | 115,700 | 124,300 | 132,850 | 141,450 |
| Stone County, MS part of the Gulfport-Biloxi, MS metro area | 68,250 | 78,000 | 87,750 | 97,500 | 105,300 | 113,100 | 120,900 | 128,700 |
| Hattiesburg, MS metro area | 65,400 | 74,700 | 84,050 | 93,400 | 100,850 | 108,350 | 115,800 | 123,300 |
| Holmes County, MS part of the Jackson, MS metro area | 36,150 | 41,300 | 46,500 | 51,650 | 55,800 | 59,900 | 64,050 | 68,200 |
| Jackson, MS metro area | 73,550 | 84,100 | 94,600 | 105,100 | 113,500 | 121,900 | 130,300 | 138,750 |
| Scott County, MS part of the Jackson, MS metro area | 49,600 | 56,700 | 63,750 | 70,850 | 76,500 | 82,200 | 87,850 | 93,500 |
| Simpson County, MS metro area | 57,950 | 66,250 | 74,500 | 82,800 | 89,400 | 96,050 | 102,650 | 109,300 |
| Yazoo County, MS metro area | 48,350 | 55,300 | 62,200 | 69,100 | 74,650 | 80,150 | 85,700 | 91,200 |
| Benton County, MS part of the Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro area | 50,700 | 57,950 | 65,200 | 72,450 | 78,250 | 84,050 | 89,850 | 95,650 |
| Marshall County, MS part of the Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro area | 55,800 | 63,750 | 71,750 | 79,700 | 86,100 | 92,450 | 98,850 | 105,200 |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro area | 74,600 | 85,300 | 95,950 | 106,600 | 115,150 | 123,650 | 132,200 | 140,700 |
| Tate County, MS part of the Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro area | 66,800 | 76,350 | 85,900 | 95,450 | 103,100 | 110,700 | 118,350 | 126,000 |
| Tunica County, MS part of the Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro area | 46,200 | 52,800 | 59,400 | 66,000 | 71,300 | 76,550 | 81,850 | 87,100 |
| Adams County, MS | 49,350 | 56,400 | 63,500 | 70,550 | 76,200 | 81,800 | 87,500 | 93,150 |
| Alcorn County, MS | 56,900 | 64,950 | 73,100 | 81,250 | 87,750 | 94,250 | 100,750 | 107,250 |
| Amite County, MS | 40,750 | 46,600 | 52,400 | 58,250 | 62,900 | 67,600 | 72,250 | 76,850 |
| Attala County, MS | 54,500 | 62,300 | 70,050 | 77,850 | 84,150 | 90,350 | 96,550 | 102,850 |
| Bolivar County, MS | 43,550 | 49,750 | 56,000 | 62,200 | 67,200 | 72,150 | 77,150 | 82,100 |
| Calhoun County, MS | 53,400 | 61,000 | 68,650 | 76,250 | 82,350 | 88,450 | 94,550 | 100,650 |
| Carroll County, MS | 65,500 | 74,900 | 84,250 | 93,600 | 101,100 | 108,600 | 116,050 | 123,550 |
| Chickasaw County, MS | 45,350 | 51,800 | 58,300 | 64,750 | 69,950 | 75,100 | 80,300 | 85,450 |
| Choctaw County, MS | 53,150 | 60,700 | 68,300 | 75,900 | 81,950 | 88,050 | 94,100 | 100,200 |
| Claiborne County, MS | 32,600 | 37,300 | 41,950 | 46,600 | 50,350 | 54,050 | 57,800 | 61,500 |
| Clarke County, MS | 51,450 | 58,800 | 66,150 | 73,500 | 79,400 | 85,250 | 91,150 | 97,000 |
| Clay County, MS | 48,850 | 55,850 | 62,800 | 69,800 | 75,400 | 80,950 | 86,550 | 92,150 |
| Coahoma County, MS | 39,700 | 45,350 | 51,050 | 56,700 | 61,250 | 65,750 | 70,300 | 74,850 |
| Covington County, MS | 50,700 | 57,950 | 65,200 | 72,450 | 78,250 | 84,050 | 89,850 | 95,650 |
| Franklin County, MS | 46,150 | 52,700 | 59,300 | 65,900 | 71,150 | 76,450 | 81,700 | 87,000 |
| George County, MS | 64,550 | 73,800 | 82,950 | 92,200 | 99,600 | 106,950 | 114,300 | 121,750 |
| Greene County, MS | 61,200 | 69,950 | 78,700 | 87,400 | 94,400 | 101,400 | 108,400 | 115,400 |
| Grenada County, MS | 55,850 | 63,850 | 71,800 | 79,800 | 86,200 | 92,550 | 98,950 | 105,350 |
| Humphreys County, MS | 34,000 | 38,850 | 43,700 | 48,550 | 52,450 | 56,300 | 60,200 | 64,100 |
| Issaquena County, MS | 56,650 | 64,750 | 72,850 | 80,950 | 87,450 | 93,900 | 100,400 | 106,850 |
| Itawamba County, MS | 67,800 | 77,500 | 87,150 | 96,850 | 104,600 | 112,350 | 120,100 | 127,850 |
| Jasper County, MS | 53,700 | 61,350 | 69,050 | 76,700 | 82,850 | 88,950 | 95,100 | 101,250 |
| Jefferson County, MS | 39,450 | 45,100 | 50,700 | 56,350 | 60,850 | 65,350 | 69,850 | 74,400 |
| Jefferson Davis County, MS | 47,550 | 54,350 | 61,150 | 67,950 | 73,400 | 78,800 | 84,250 | 89,700 |
| Jones County, MS | 60,850 | 69,550 | 78,250 | 86,950 | 93,900 | 100,850 | 107,800 | 114,750 |
| Kemper County, MS | 48,250 | 55,200 | 62,050 | 69,000 | 74,500 | 80,050 | 85,550 | 91,050 |
| Lafayette County, MS | 78,950 | 90,250 | 101,500 | 112,800 | 121,800 | 130,850 | 139,850 | 148,900 |
| Lauderdale County, MS | 62,350 | 71,300 | 80,200 | 89,200 | 96,250 | 103,400 | 110,550 | 117,700 |
| Lawrence County, MS | 48,550 | 55,500 | 62,400 | 69,350 | 74,900 | 80,450 | 86,000 | 91,550 |
| Leake County, MS | 52,350 | 59,800 | 67,300 | 74,750 | 80,750 | 86,700 | 92,700 | 98,650 |
| Lee County, MS | 75,250 | 86,000 | 96,750 | 107,500 | 116,150 | 124,700 | 133,350 | 141,900 |
| Leflore County, MS | 38,350 | 43,800 | 49,300 | 54,750 | 59,150 | 63,500 | 67,900 | 72,250 |
| Lincoln County, MS | 60,350 | 68,900 | 77,550 | 86,150 | 93,050 | 99,900 | 106,850 | 113,750 |
| Lowndes County, MS | 64,150 | 73,300 | 82,500 | 91,650 | 99,000 | 106,300 | 113,650 | 121,000 |
| Marion County, MS | 45,350 | 51,800 | 58,300 | 64,750 | 69,950 | 75,100 | 80,300 | 85,450 |
| Monroe County, MS | 58,450 | 66,800 | 75,150 | 83,500 | 90,200 | 96,850 | 103,550 | 110,200 |
| Montgomery County, MS | 47,250 | 54,000 | 60,750 | 67,500 | 72,900 | 78,300 | 83,700 | 89,100 |
| Neshoba County, MS | 53,950 | 61,650 | 69,350 | 77,050 | 83,200 | 89,400 | 95,550 | 101,700 |
| Newton County, MS | 56,600 | 64,700 | 72,750 | 80,850 | 87,300 | 93,800 | 100,250 | 106,700 |
| Noxubee County, MS | 39,400 | 45,000 | 50,650 | 56,250 | 60,750 | 65,250 | 69,750 | 74,250 |
| Oktibbeha County, MS | 68,200 | 77,900 | 87,650 | 97,400 | 105,200 | 113,000 | 120,800 | 128,550 |
| Panola County, MS | 55,600 | 63,550 | 71,500 | 79,450 | 85,800 | 92,150 | 98,500 | 104,850 |
| Pearl River County, MS | 63,050 | 72,050 | 81,050 | 90,050 | 97,250 | 104,450 | 111,650 | 118,850 |
| Pike County, MS | 43,100 | 49,250 | 55,400 | 61,550 | 66,450 | 71,400 | 76,300 | 81,250 |
| Pontotoc County, MS | 62,000 | 70,850 | 79,700 | 88,550 | 95,650 | 102,700 | 109,800 | 116,900 |
| Prentiss County, MS | 57,150 | 65,300 | 73,500 | 81,650 | 88,200 | 94,700 | 101,250 | 107,800 |
| Quitman County, MS | 42,600 | 48,700 | 54,750 | 60,850 | 65,700 | 70,600 | 75,450 | 80,300 |
| Sharkey County, MS | 51,350 | 58,700 | 66,000 | 73,350 | 79,200 | 85,100 | 90,950 | 96,800 |
| Smith County, MS | 61,100 | 69,850 | 78,550 | 87,300 | 94,300 | 101,250 | 108,250 | 115,250 |
| Sunflower County, MS | 42,500 | 48,550 | 54,650 | 60,700 | 65,550 | 70,400 | 75,250 | 80,100 |
| Tallahatchie County, MS | 43,050 | 49,200 | 55,350 | 61,500 | 66,450 | 71,350 | 76,300 | 81,200 |
| Tippah County, MS | 53,150 | 60,700 | 68,300 | 75,900 | 81,950 | 88,050 | 94,100 | 100,200 |
| Tishomingo County, MS | 63,300 | 72,300 | 81,350 | 90,400 | 97,650 | 104,850 | 112,100 | 119,350 |
| Union County, MS | 63,400 | 72,500 | 81,550 | 90,600 | 97,850 | 105,100 | 112,350 | 119,600 |
| Walthall County, MS | 55,950 | 63,950 | 71,950 | 79,950 | 86,350 | 92,750 | 99,150 | 105,550 |
| Warren County, MS | 68,200 | 77,900 | 87,650 | 97,400 | 105,200 | 113,000 | 120,800 | 128,550 |
| Washington County, MS | 45,350 | 51,800 | 58,300 | 64,750 | 69,950 | 75,100 | 80,300 | 85,450 |
| Wayne County, MS | 50,900 | 58,150 | 65,450 | 72,700 | 78,500 | 84,350 | 90,150 | 95,950 |
| Webster County, MS | 63,750 | 72,900 | 82,000 | 91,100 | 98,400 | 105,700 | 112,950 | 120,250 |
| Wilkinson County, MS | 42,650 | 48,750 | 54,850 | 60,950 | 65,850 | 70,700 | 75,600 | 80,450 |
| Winston County, MS | 55,000 | 62,850 | 70,700 | 78,550 | 84,850 | 91,100 | 97,400 | 103,700 |
| Yalobusha County, MS | 54,350 | 62,100 | 69,900 | 77,650 | 83,850 | 90,050 | 96,300 | 102,500 |
From income limit to rent cap
Two rent rules apply under 7 CFR 3565.203. Each unit's rent, counting tenant-paid utilities, can't exceed 30% of 115% of area median income adjusted for family size, which is 30% of the figure in the table for the household size you assume, divided by 12. And across the whole project, the average rent can't exceed 30% of 100% of area median income each year.
Worked example for Gulfport-Biloxi, MS: the four-person limit is $95,550, so the per-unit cap for a unit sized for four people is $2,388 a month including utilities. The project-average cap uses 100% of median instead of 115%, roughly $2,077 a month at the four-person size. Which household size applies to each bedroom count is set in USDA's program handbook; confirm it with your lender.
Income is tested only at move-in. A tenant whose income later rises above the limit can stay (7 CFR 3565.202(a)). Want to see what those rents support in debt? Run them through the 538 loan sizer.
All 76 Mississippi areas and every other state in one file: 538 income limits download.