Cost of Living in Bay St. Louis, MS
Cost of Living in Bay St. Louis, MS has an overall index of 85, 15% below the U.S. baseline of 100. The typical home value is $231,900; typical monthly rent is $1,138; and median household income is $70,082.
Cost index: committed city housing/rent inputs and BEA 2024 metro-area price parities. Home value: Census ACS 2023 fallback place estimate. Rent: Census ACS 2023 fallback place estimate. A place-level signal, not a personal affordability decision or financial recommendation.
Rent and home prices are comparatively balanced with local income. This describes the local market, not your household.
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Frequently asked questions about Bay St. Louis
Living in Bay St. Louis
Is Bay St. Louis, MS an affordable place to live?+
Yes — everyday expenses in Bay St. Louis run about 15% below the US average (Cost Index: 85). Housing is especially affordable: the median home is valued around $231,900, compared to the $303,400 national median. Monthly rent is $1,138, versus $1,348 nationally.
How does Bay St. Louis fit a household housing budget?+
Start with housing. Typical monthly rent is $1,138, while local median household income is $70,082. That implies a rent-burden proxy of about 19% before utilities and other costs. Use that as a planning signal for whether the place looks manageable under your own household assumptions.
How much are taxes in Bay St. Louis, MS?+
Mississippi uses an approximate state-income-tax planning model; 5% is top marginal-rate context from the tax snapshot. Applying the 0.81% state-level effective owner-occupied proxy to a home worth $231,900 gives a planning estimate near $1,878 per year; it is not a city, county, parcel, or individual tax bill. State plus average local sales-tax context is around 7.07%.
How much does it cost to rent in Bay St. Louis, MS?+
The typical monthly rent in Bay St. Louis is around $1,138. That's roughly 16% lower than the $1,348 national median. For comparison, the median home value here is $231,900, so buyers should also factor in mortgage payments, property taxes, and insurance.
How much does a house cost in Bay St. Louis, MS?+
The typical home value in Bay St. Louis is $231,900. With 20% down and the committed 6.11% national 30-year fixed benchmark as of 2026-03-12, principal and interest are roughly $1,125/month before property tax and insurance. This is a planning estimate, not a local lender quote. About 76% of residents here own their homes.
Are groceries and utilities expensive in Bay St. Louis?+
Grocery prices in Bay St. Louis are about average compared to the rest of the US (index: 96, where 100 is the national average). Utility bills (electricity, gas, water) are below average (index: 76). Overall, these everyday costs shouldn't cause major surprises if you're moving from another similarly-sized US city.
What is Bay St. Louis, MS like to live in?+
Bay St. Louis is a small town with a population of about 9,971. The median age of residents is 52.8, skewing somewhat older — common in established suburban communities. The local poverty rate is 13.67%, near the national average of 12.4%.