States › Mississippi › Petal

Is Petal, MS expensive to live in?

CheapRent takes 18 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$1,23130% lower than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$80,618about $6,718/month · 7% lower than U.S. average
🔑 House price$174,90047% lower than U.S. average

Rent is lower than in 74% of U.S. cities. A typical house costs under 3 years of household income, which is easy by U.S. standards.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $49,240 a year. That is $24 an hour at a full-time job.

Is rent cheaper than other Mississippi cities?

No. Rent here is more expensive than in most of Mississippi. It is number 39 of 66 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Petal
$1,231
Brookhaven
$1,047
Canton
$1,173
Picayune
$1,358
Moss Point
$1,372
Cleveland
$1,150
Flowood
$1,670

How much do households earn in Petal?

Under $25k
16.2%
$25k–50k
23.8%
$50k–100k
40.6%
$100k–150k
11.9%
$150k+
5.4%

Share of households by yearly income. 17.3% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in Petal

SizePetalU.S. average
1 bedroom$640$1,324
2 bedrooms$1,015$1,509
3 bedrooms$1,228$1,698

Median monthly rent plus utilities for all renters, by number of bedrooms.

How expensive is Petal overall?

Everyday prices in Mississippi overall are 13% below the U.S. average (index 87.0, U.S. = 100).

Housing
56
Goods (food, clothes…)
96
Utilities
78
Other services
96
U.S. average
100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities 2024. City-level data is not published for Petal, so the Mississippi figure is shown.

Taxes and bills in Petal

🏛️ Property tax$1,502a year · 0.86% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$186a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Petal

Commute to work21.5 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree27.8%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home70%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line11.1%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment3.6%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Petal?

About the same. Renting and owning cost within $17 of each other each month.

Renting
$1,231
Owning
$1,214

Owning assumes a typical $174,900 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $17,490 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Petal, MS?

Renting in Petal costs a median of about $1,231 a month in 2026, including utilities. The Mississippi median is $1,187.

How much do I need to make to live in Petal?

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $49,240 a year, or $24 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Petal cheap or expensive?

Petal is rated Cheap: rent takes 18.3% of the typical household income of $80,618. It ranks 39th cheapest of 66 Mississippi cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Petal?

The median homeowner in Petal pays $1,502 a year in property taxes, about 0.86% of the median home value.

Is Petal more expensive than the national average?

Overall prices in Mississippi are 13% below the U.S. average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

How much does a house cost in Petal?

The median home value in Petal is $174,900, about 2.2 times the typical yearly household income.

11,294 people live in Petal. Numbers are typical (middle) values.