Español

Este sitio también está en español. Leer en español

City · 10,188 residents · Hancock County, Mississippi

Bay St. Louis , Mississippi

In Bay St. Louis, a typical home is worth $260,200 and typical rent is $1,179 a month. Compared with all of Hancock County, typical rent is 21% higher and the typical home value is 16% higher.

WhatsApp

  • Typical home value

    $260,200

    16% above the county

    53% above Mississippi

    • Bay St. Louis
    • Hancock
    • Mississippi

  • Typical rent

    $1,179a month

    21% above the county

    24% above Mississippi

    • Bay St. Louis
    • Hancock
    • Mississippi

  • Typical household income

    $67,442a year

    About the same as the county

    19% above Mississippi

    • Bay St. Louis
    • Hancock
    • Mississippi

  • Households that own their home

    77%

    3 points below the county

    7 points above Mississippi

    • Bay St. Louis
    • Hancock
    • Mississippi

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$239,667
1.3% less than 12 months ago
Typical rent
$1,631 a month

From Zillow (ZHVI/ZORI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).

Bay St. Louis is in Hancock County. The FHA loan limit ($541,287 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Hancock County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Bay St. Louis apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. Nearby, in Gulfport, the typical home value is $174,600: 33% less than in Bay St. Louis ($260,200).

  2. Nearby, in Waveland, the typical rent is $927: 21% less than in Bay St. Louis ($1,179).

  3. According to Zillow, in the 12 months to September 2026 the typical home value in Bay St. Louis fell 1.3%; in Mississippi, it rose 2.2%.

  4. The typical rent in Bay St. Louis is $1,179 a month, 21% more than in Hancock County as a whole ($977).

  5. The typical home in Bay St. Louis is worth $260,200, 16% more than in Hancock County as a whole ($224,200).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024); Zillow (September 2026 data). Zillow data

The homes here

Housing in Bay St. Louis

What homes there are in Bay St. Louis, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

In Bay St. Louis, 8 in 10 homes are single-family detached houses, about the same as in Hancock County.

Year built

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes
Monthly rent with utilities

With a mortgage

$1,692 a month

Hancock County: $1,551 a month

Without a mortgage

$549 a month

Hancock County: $486 a month

Owners with a mortgage

47%

Hancock County: 51%

The typical cost for an owner with a mortgage in Bay St. Louis is $1,692 a month, more than in Hancock County ($1,551); without one, $549.

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

The typical home value in Bay St. Louis rose 51% since 2015–2019, about the same as in Hancock County (52%).

Rents in Bay St. Louis rose faster than in Hancock County: 41% since 2015–2019, against 15%.

Here income gained ground: typical income rose 70%, against +51% for home values and +41% for rent.

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasureBay St. LouisHancock CountyMississippiUnited States
Rental vacancy Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate8.2%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate0.8%0.9%
More than one person per room Unreliable estimate1.5%2.2%3.4%
People per household 1.972.272.492.53
Drive alone 75%78%82%69%
Carpool 5%9%9%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate0%3%
Walk or bike Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate1%3%
Work from home Unreliable estimate11%6%15%
Other means Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate1%2%
Typical commute 20 to 29 minutesUnreliable estimate20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

Households in Bay St. Louis are smaller: 1.97 people on average; in Hancock County, 2.27.

To get to work, 75% of workers in Bay St. Louis drive alone; in Hancock County, 78%.

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in Bay St. Louis?

A typical home costs more than the typical income allows

We start with a typical home in Bay St. Louis, worth $260,200, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 38% of the typical household income in Bay St. Louis, which is $67,442 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $90,817 a year.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Hancock County.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Bay St. Louis. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $9,107 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$2,119

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$255,487
Total interest
$367,586
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $4,394 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $1,574 a month

  • Tight

    $1,574 to $2,023 a month

  • Hard

    more than $2,023 a month

    Your payment · 38%

Compared with the typical household income in Bay St. Louis ($67,442 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$2,119
Principal & interest$1,731
Property tax$165
Home insurance$108
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$115

You need at least $9,107 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

The city and its county

Bay St. Louis and Hancock County

Bay St. Louis is in Hancock County, Mississippi. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

Bay St. Louis's own numbers

Typical home value
$260,200
Typical monthly rent
$1,179
Typical yearly household income
$67,442
Households that own their home
77%
Effective property tax rate
0.76%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of Hancock County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,185
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+57%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
38%

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Hancock County.

Everything about Hancock County

Buying

Buying a home in Bay St. Louis

A typical home in Bay St. Louis is worth $260,200: 16% above the county and 53% above Mississippi. With the typical household income in Bay St. Louis ($67,442 a year), a typical home costs 3.9 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • Bay St. Louis 3.9 years
  • Hancock 3.3 years
  • Mississippi 3.0 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Hancock County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Hancock County rose 111% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Hancock County.

Period County Mississippi U.S.
Last year (2025) +7.6% +3.5% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +57% +42% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +111% +62% +85%

The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

Bay St. Louis next to Hancock County, Mississippi and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • Bay St. Louis $260,200
  • Hancock $224,200
  • Mississippi $169,800
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Bay St. Louis $1,179
  • Hancock $977
  • Mississippi $954
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Bay St. Louis $67,442
  • Hancock $67,708
  • Mississippi $56,447
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Bay St. Louis next to Hancock County and Mississippi
Measure Bay St. Louis Hancock County Mississippi U.S.
Typical home value $260,200 $224,200 $169,800 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $1,179 $977 $954 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $67,442 $67,708 $56,447 $80,734
Households that own their home 77% 79% 70% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $1,976 $1,583 $1,215 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 0.76% 0.71% 0.72% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 52% 50% 51% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Hancock County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in Bay St. Louis

For a typical $260,200 home in Bay St. Louis, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Bay St. Louis's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $2,119a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $9,107
    Cash to close
    $16,913
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $115

  • Conventional, 5% down $2,071a month

    Down payment
    $13,010
    Cash to close
    $20,816
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $124

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $1,683a month

    Down payment
    $52,040
    Cash to close
    $59,846
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $1,924a month

    Down payment
    $39,030
    Cash to close
    $46,836
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.

  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for Bay St. Louis and for Hancock County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Bay St. Louis

0.76%of the home’s value each year

$1,976 a year for the typical owner in Bay St. Louis.

  • Bay St. Louis 0.76%
  • Hancock 0.71%
  • Mississippi 0.72%

What Mississippi publishes Regular homestead exemption (Tier 1) (Mississippi Department of Revenue)

Exemptions and deadlines in Mississippi

Flood risk in Hancock County

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of Hancock County.

Homes in the high-risk zone
38%
7,785
Of those, with NFIP insurance
64%
County Mississippi U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 38% 7.6% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 64% 33% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Bay St. Louis

Typical rent in Bay St. Louis is $1,179 a month: 21% above the county. In Bay St. Louis, 52% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Hancock County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($1,185 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $22.79 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Hancock County

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $844 $16.23 $33,760
1 bedroom $982 $18.88 $39,280
2 bedrooms $1,185 $22.79 $47,400
3 bedrooms $1,525 $29.33 $61,000
4 bedrooms $1,723 $33.13 $68,920

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in Bay St. Louis

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Bay St. Louis is in ZIP code 39520.

For 2 bedrooms it is $1,200: $15 more than the fair market rent for Hancock County ($1,185).

  • 39520 $1,200$1,540

1 of these ZIP codes crosses the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Bay St. Louis when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Low-income apartments

Low-income apartments in Bay St. Louis

HUD lists 4 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Bay St. Louis. These are the largest.

  • Sheffield Park Apts 625 Carroll Ave, Bay St Louis 39520 132 homes, 131 low-income · 1 bd: 22 · 2 bd: 66 · 3 bd: 44 · In service since 2009
  • Bay Pines 804 Andrew Lizana St, Bay St Louis 39520 100 homes, 99 low-income · 1 bd: 12 · 2 bd: 37 · 3 bd: 47 · 4 bd: 4 · In service since 2011
  • Bay Park Apts Phase II 10 Bay Park Way, Bay St Louis 39520 64 homes, 63 low-income · 2 bd: 32 · 3 bd: 32 · In service since 2002 · For families
  • Blue Meadow Apts 752 Blue Meadow Rd, Bay St Louis 39520 40 low-income homes · 1 bd: 8 · 2 bd: 32 · In service since 2009 · For people with disabilities, families

See all 10 buildings in Hancock County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Bay St. Louis

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

There is 1 HUD-approved agency with an office in Hancock County; none says it serves in Spanish.

A man shakes hands with the specialist who helped him with his loan, in the kitchen of his new home.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Bay St. Louis

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Bay St. Louis or Hancock County. The ones below are statewide in Mississippi: they work in Bay St. Louis the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in Mississippi

  • Smart7 Mortgage Program

    Statewide in Mississippi

    Mississippi state corporation 30-year mortgage with $7,000 for the down payment or closing costs as a 0% second mortgage, repaid when you sell, refinance, stop living in the home or pay off the mortgage; no first-time buyer requirement. Offered by Mississippi Home Corporation (MHC).

    Deferred

    See the program Official page

  • Easy8

    Statewide in Mississippi

    Mississippi state corporation 30-year mortgage with $8,000 at 0% as a second mortgage for the down payment, closing costs or prepaid expenses, repaid when you sell, refinance, stop living in the home or pay off the mortgage; for first-time buyers, except in designated areas and for veterans. Offered by Mississippi Home Corporation (MHC).

    Deferred

    See the program Official page

  • Home4All

    Statewide in Mississippi

    Mississippi state corporation forgivable grant, with federal HOME funds, of up to $25,000 for the down payment, closing costs or to reduce the principal; for first-time buyers with incomes under 80% of the area median and a fixed-rate mortgage; if you sell before 5 or 10 years (depending on the amount), you may repay part of it. Offered by Mississippi Home Corporation (MHC).

    Grant

    See the program Official page

Housing counselors near Bay St. Louis

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of Bay St. Louis, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • Hancock Housing Resource Center

    887 Washington St, Bay Saint Louis · 1 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 8 more
    (228) 463-8887

  • Renaissance Community Loan Fund

    8917 Lorraine Rd, Gulfport · 21 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Mortgage delinquency workshops
    • and 4 more
    (228) 896-3386

  • Mercy Housing and Human Development

    1135 Ford St, Gulfport · 21 miles away · Spanish

    Also serves in Vietnamese.

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 4 more
    (228) 896-1945

Every agency in Hancock County All counseling agencies in Mississippi

Help in Spanish near Bay St. Louis

1 of the 3 agencies on this list says it serves in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of Bay St. Louis

In HUD’s record, no housing authority with an office in Hancock County is named for Bay St. Louis or Hancock County.

One other authority has an office in Hancock County: see the list Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in Hancock County

These cities are also in Hancock County. They share its loan limits and fair market rents, but home values and rent change from one to the next.

Everything about Hancock County Housing in Mississippi

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Bay St. Louis, with the typical home value.

Neighboring counties

If Hancock County is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in Bay St. Louis.

All guides
A mother and her daughters smile together on a mountain trail with a snowy peak behind them.

Questions

Housing questions about Bay St. Louis

Short answers with the numbers for Bay St. Louis and all of Hancock County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does a typical home cost in Bay St. Louis?

The typical home value in Bay St. Louis is $260,200, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Hancock County it is $224,200.

How much does it cost to rent in Bay St. Louis?

Typical rent in Bay St. Louis is $1,179 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Hancock County is $1,185.

What is the FHA loan limit in Bay St. Louis?

Bay St. Louis uses the FHA limit for all of Hancock County (2026): $541,287 for a one-unit home and $1,041,125 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in Bay St. Louis?

The typical homeowner in Bay St. Louis pays $1,976 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 0.76% of the home’s value; in Hancock County, the rate is 0.71%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Bay St. Louis?

There is 1 HUD-approved counseling agency with an office in Hancock County. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).