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Renting · Section 8

Data from November 2026

Renting in Lauderdale County, Mississippi

Lauderdale County has a HUD fair market rent of $1,006 a month for 2 bedrooms (Fiscal year 2027). Renter households here pay a typical rent of $953 a month (Average 2020–2024). Paying the fair market rent without going over 30% of income takes $19.35 an hour, full time.

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Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,006
a month, HUD, Fiscal year 2027
7% less than in Mississippi
Typical rent
$953
a month, Census, Average 2020–2024
About the same as in Mississippi
Wage needed
$19.35
an hour, 2 bedrooms
Or $40,240 a year, to spend no more than 30% of income on rent.
Rent-burdened households
53%
spend 30% or more of income on rent
3% more than in Mississippi

Source: Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates Average 2020–2024 American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates

Only here

Renting in Lauderdale County: what sets it apart

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

  1. Lauderdale County has the highest typical rent in its area: $953, more than any of its 6 neighboring counties; next is Neshoba County ($839).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).

Fair market rent

What HUD sets for each size

Every year HUD (the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development) publishes a Fair Market Rent (FMR) for each home size in Lauderdale County. It is used to work out how much a Section 8 voucher covers. The table shows what you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income.

The fair market rent covers rent plus basic utilities, except the phone. HUD generally sets it at the 40th percentile: 4 in 10 standard-quality homes rented recently cost less. 24 CFR §888.113(a)

According to Zillow (ZORI), the typical asking rent in Lauderdale County was $1,291 a month in September 2026: 9.3% more than 12 months ago. It is an index of market listings, not a HUD limit. Zillow data

Fair market rent and wage needed To pay the fair market rent without spending more than 30% of income, working full time (40 hours a week).
Size Fair rent per month Hourly wage Income needed per year
Studio $877 $16.87 $35,080
1 bedroom $896 $17.23 $35,840
2 bedrooms $1,006 $19.35 $40,240
3 bedrooms $1,328 $25.54 $53,120
4 bedrooms $1,332 $25.62 $53,280

HUD area: Lauderdale County, MS. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

The fair market rent for your ZIP code

HUD also publishes fair market rents by ZIP code (Small Area FMRs) for 16 ZIP codes in Lauderdale County (Fiscal year 2027). Type yours to see it.

For 2 bedrooms they run from $910 in 39307 to $1,220 in 39335. 12 ZIP codes are above the county's fair market rent ($1,006).

Where HUD designates these areas, or where the housing agency chooses to use them, the voucher is figured on the ZIP code's rent instead of the county's. Ask your agency which one it uses. 24 CFR §982.503(a)(1)

Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD)

Rent burden

How many households spend too much

HUD counts rent as a burden when it reaches 30% of income or more. In Lauderdale County, 53% of renter households are in that position; in Mississippi, 51%, and nationwide, 51% (Average 2020–2024, Census).

Paying too much rent leaves little for food, transportation and savings. If that is you, the agencies below can guide you for free.

53%

of renter households spend 30% or more of their income on rent.

10,018 households rent in Lauderdale County

  • Spend half or more of their income 31%
  • Spend 30% or more, but less than half 22%
  • Spend less than 30% 47%

Compared with the state and the country

  • Lauderdale 53%
  • Mississippi 51%
  • United States 51%

Low-income apartments

Low-income apartments in Lauderdale County

HUD lists 28 properties with homes for low-income households in Lauderdale County: tax-credit apartments (LIHTC), HUD-assisted buildings and public housing. They run from the most low-income homes to the fewest.

with tax credits (LIHTC)
13
HUD-assisted
9
public housing
7

2,637 homes in all; 2,544 of them low-income, according to HUD.

  • Scattered Sites Public housing 107 71st Pl, Meridian 39307 250 low-income homes · Run by The Housing Authority of the City of Meridian · Average payment: $276 a month · Average wait: 14 months · Homes at several sites · (601) 693-4285
  • Scattered Sites Public housing 200 23rd St, Meridian 39301 194 low-income homes · Run by The Housing Authority of the City of Meridian · Average payment: $255 a month · Average wait: 19 months · Homes at several sites · (601) 693-4285
  • George M. Reese Courts Public housing 1318 19th St, Meridian 39301 169 low-income homes · Run by The Housing Authority of the City of Meridian · Average payment: $283 a month · Average wait: 13 months · (601) 693-4285
  • MTN. View Village Public housing 2305 D St, Meridian 39301 138 homes, 137 low-income · Run by The Housing Authority of the City of Meridian · Average payment: $282 a month · Average wait: 6 months · (601) 693-4285
  • Carousel Place Tax credit (LIHTC) 4610 Vally St, Meridian 39307 130 low-income homes · 1 bd: 22 · 2 bd: 58 · 3 bd: 50 · In service since 2008
  • Highway Village Public housing 506 Front Street Ext, Meridian 39301 127 low-income homes · Run by The Housing Authority of the City of Meridian · Average payment: $240 a month · (601) 693-4285
  • Frank Berry Courts Tax credit (LIHTC) 920 42nd Ave, Meridian 39307 113 low-income homes · 1 bd: 37 · 2 bd: 53 · 3 bd: 23 · In service since 2011 · For people with disabilities, families
  • Marion Road Apts HUD-assisted 2500A Old Marion Rd, Meridian 39301 106 low-income homes · For families · (601) 693-4110
  • Marion Road Apartments II Tax credit (LIHTC) 2428 Old Marion Rd, Meridian 39301 106 homes, 105 low-income · 1 bd: 34 · 2 bd: 32 · 4 bd: 8 · In service since 2015 · For people with disabilities, families
  • Deville Manor Apartments Tax credit (LIHTC) · HUD-assisted 1914 11th St, Meridian 39301 104 homes, 103 low-income · 1 bd: 92 · 2 bd: 12 · In service since 2018 · For older adults · (601) 483-6209
  • College Park Apartments HUD-assisted 4901 14th St, Meridian 39307 100 low-income homes · For older adults · (601) 482-1123
  • Sowashee Courts Public housing 3011 Chandler St, Meridian 39301 99 low-income homes · Run by The Housing Authority of the City of Meridian · Average payment: $309 a month · Average wait: 12 months · (601) 693-4285
  • North Hills Manor HUD-assisted 4401 40th Ave, Meridian 39305 104 homes, 96 low-income · For families · (601) 482-4541
  • Azalea Park Apts Phase I Tax credit (LIHTC) 803 29th St, Meridian 39305 96 homes, 95 low-income · 1 bd: 16 · 2 bd: 32 · 3 bd: 48 · In service since 2006
  • St. Francis Apartments HUD-assisted 2427 4th Ave, Meridian 39301 90 low-income homes · For families · (601) 693-2041
  • Village Apts HUD-assisted 2015 Mosby Rd, Meridian 39307 104 homes, 81 low-income · For families · (601) 482-4221
  • Carousel Place Public housing 539 47th Ave, Meridian 39307 130 homes, 77 low-income · Run by The Housing Authority of the City of Meridian · Average payment: $360 a month · Average wait: 5 months · Homes at several sites · (601) 693-4285
  • J T Davis Courts Tax credit (LIHTC) 3916 Paulding St, Meridian 39307 72 low-income homes · 1 bd: 14 · 2 bd: 37 · 3 bd: 21 · In service since 2007
  • Aldersgate I HUD-assisted 6600 Poplar Springs Dr, Meridian 39305 60 low-income homes · For older adults · (601) 482-5561
  • Valley Ridge Apts Tax credit (LIHTC) 548 Old Country Club Rd E, Marion 39342 52 low-income homes · 1 bd: 8 · 2 bd: 36 · 3 bd: 8 · In service since 1988 · For families
  • Lauderdale Apts Tax credit (LIHTC) 421 Willow Ridge Dr, Meridian 39301 48 homes, 47 low-income · 1 bd: 12 · 2 bd: 36 · In service since 1999 · For people with disabilities, families
  • North Ridge Apts Tax credit (LIHTC) 4550 35th Ave, Meridian 39305 48 homes, 47 low-income · 2 bd: 36 · 3 bd: 12 · In service since 2005
  • Meridian Manor HUD-assisted 815 33rd St, Meridian 39305 41 homes, 40 low-income · For older adults · (601) 482-8628
  • Azalea Park Apts Phase II Tax credit (LIHTC) 803 29th St, Meridian 39305 40 low-income homes · 2 bd: 16 · 3 bd: 24 · In service since 2006
  • Azalea Park Apts Phase III Tax credit (LIHTC) 803 29th St, Meridian 39305 40 low-income homes · 2 bd: 16 · 3 bd: 24 · In service since 2007
  • Cedar Bend Apartments Tax credit (LIHTC) 7100 Old Highway 80 W, Meridian 39307 32 homes, 31 low-income · 2 bd: 8 · 3 bd: 24 · In service since 2016 · For people with disabilities, families
  • Fairfield Park Estates Tax credit (LIHTC) 6312 43rd Ct, Meridian 39307 27 low-income homes · 3 bd: 27 · In service since 2011
  • Miller Park Apartments HUD-assisted 52nd Street, Meridian 39303 17 homes, 16 low-income · For people with disabilities · (601) 482-3838

One property has two programs at the same address and appears once. Search HUD's map

Source: HUD, retrieved November 6, 2026. LIHTC database, updated May 14, 2025; Assisted multifamily properties, updated October 23, 2026; Public housing developments, updated October 23, 2026.

Section 8

The Section 8 voucher in Lauderdale County

The Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) pays part of your rent on a home you choose. Your public housing agency runs it. 1 agency serves in Lauderdale County. Here is what the rules say:

The rules, with their source

  1. You apply at the public housing agency. If you qualify, your name usually goes on a waiting list. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or noncitizens with eligible status as HUD defines it. HUD

  2. Generally, your family must have very low income: no more than 50% of the area median income, by family size (the middle column of the table). 24 CFR §5.603, §982.201(b)

  3. Each year, at least 75% of the families an agency admits from its list must have extremely low income (the 30% column). 24 CFR §982.201(b)(2)

  4. If the rent is below the payment standard, the family generally pays 30% of its adjusted monthly income. If it is above, the family pays more. 24 CFR §982.1(a)(3)

  5. When you move in, if the rent is above the payment standard, your share cannot go over 40% of your adjusted monthly income. 24 CFR §982.508

  6. Each agency sets a payment standard for each size. Without asking HUD, it can go from 90% to 110% of the fair market rent. 24 CFR §982.503(b), (c)

Mixed-status families: how assistance is figured
HUD income limits Yearly income of the whole family, before taxes.
People Extremely low (30%) Very low (50%) Low
$17,300 $28,750 $45,950
$21,640 $32,800 $52,550
$27,320 $36,950 $59,100
$33,000 $41,050 $65,650
$38,680 $44,350 $70,950
$44,360 $47,650 $76,200
$50,040 $50,950 $81,450
$54,200 $54,200 $86,700

Area median income: $89,300. HUD income limits by family size, Fiscal year 2026. Area: Lauderdale County, MS. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2026

How much can you earn? Check your case

Possible payment standard

  • Studio $789 – $965
  • 1 bedroom $806 – $986
  • 2 bedrooms $905 – $1,107
  • 3 bedrooms $1,195 – $1,461
  • 4 bedrooms $1,199 – $1,465

The range the rule allows: 90% to 110% of the county's fair market rent. Your agency publishes its own.

Housing agencies that serve this place

Housing agencies in Mississippi Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Your rights as a tenant in Mississippi

What Mississippi law says about deposits, notices and eviction, with the citation for each rule.

See your rights, rule by rule

Compare these rules with other states →

A summary of state law, not legal advice. Cities may have additional rules.

When must they return my deposit?
45 days
Miss. Code Ann. §89-8-21(3)
If I fall behind on rent, what notice must I get?
3 days
Miss. Code Ann. §89-8-13(5)(a)
How much notice ends a month-to-month rental?
30 days
Miss. Code Ann. §89-8-19(3)
  • Repair and deduct from the rentMiss. Code Ann. §89-8-15(1)

Help

Where to get help with rent in Lauderdale County

HUD lists no counseling agencies near in Lauderdale County. Free legal aid and your housing agency can guide you.

See every agency in Mississippi Find legal aid (lsc.gov)

Tool

How much cash do you need to move in?

It starts with the 2-bedroom fair market rent in Lauderdale County. Change the rent, the deposit and the fees to yours: the numbers stay in your browser.

Count power on top of the rent: in Mississippi, the average home bill was $155 a month in 2024 (EIA). See electricity and gas costs

Open the full tool

Your move

We use the place's fair market rent and the state's deposit rule.

Adjust advanced details
Deposit and rent in advance
The deposit, in

Let's do the math

Cash to move in

$2,012

What you need before you get the keys.

What adds up

First month
$1,006
Security deposit
$1,006
Total
$2,012

The deposit cap

Pick your state to see whether its law caps the deposit.

Compare each state's rules →

When you'll have it

Enter what you can set aside each month to see how long it takes.

What helps

  • Ask for a receipt for every payment and keep a copy of the lease.
  • On move-in day, walk through the home and take dated photos.
  • Never send money for a home you haven't seen or a lease you haven't read.
Guide: the security depositGuide: avoiding rental scamsFamily budgetHow much rent can I afford?

This is a planning estimate, not a price. What you are asked for depends on the landlord, your lease and your state's and city's rules. It is not legal advice.

Guides

Before you sign

Frequently asked questions

What is the fair market rent in Lauderdale County?

According to HUD (Fiscal year 2027): Studio: $877; 1 bedroom: $896; 2 bedrooms: $1,006; 3 bedrooms: $1,328; 4 bedrooms: $1,332. It covers rent plus basic utilities, except the phone.

How much do you need to earn to rent in Lauderdale County?

Paying the 2-bedroom fair market rent ($1,006) without spending more than 30% of income takes $19.35 an hour full time, or $40,240 a year.

Who qualifies for Section 8 in Lauderdale County?

Generally, families with very low income: no more than 50% of the area median income. For 4 people, HUD's limit here is $41,050 a year (Fiscal year 2026). The family usually pays 30% of its adjusted monthly income. You apply at the housing agency.

How much does Section 8 pay in Lauderdale County?

The voucher pays up to your housing agency's payment standard, minus your share. The rule lets the agency set it between 90% and 110% of the fair market rent: for 2 bedrooms here, between $905 and $1,107 a month. Your agency publishes its figure.

Does the fair market rent change by ZIP code in Lauderdale County?

For 2 bedrooms they run from $910 in 39307 to $1,220 in 39335. Where HUD designates these areas, or where the housing agency chooses to use them, the voucher is figured on the ZIP code's rent instead of the county's. Ask your agency which one it uses.

How many low-income apartments are there in Lauderdale County?

HUD lists 28 properties with homes for low-income households in Lauderdale County: tax-credit apartments (LIHTC), HUD-assisted buildings and public housing. They run from the most low-income homes to the fewest. For tax-credit apartments and HUD-assisted buildings, you apply directly at the building's management office. They tell you whether units are open and how to apply; HUD does not have that information.

How many households spend too much on rent in Lauderdale County?

HUD counts rent as a burden when it reaches 30% of income or more. In Lauderdale County, 53% of renter households are in that position; in Mississippi, 51%, and nationwide, 51% (Average 2020–2024, Census).