The average Mississippi property tax rate is about 0.58% of a home’s value, which comes to roughly $1,215 a year on the typical Mississippi home. That makes Mississippi property tax one of the lower burdens in the country. This guide breaks down the Mississippi property tax rate, what the typical bill looks like, how your bill is figured, where the money goes, and — most useful of all — how
to check whether you are overpaying and how to pay less.
Mississippi Property Tax at a Glance
| Effective tax rate | 0.58% |
| Median annual bill | $1,215 |
| Median home value | $169,800 |
| Rank among states | #36 of 50 highest |
| vs. U.S. average | $3,056 below the U.S. average ($4,271) |
| Reassessed | County assessors revalue real property on a regular cycle — real property must be reappraised at least once every four years, and assessors update rolls and issue a Notice of Assessment to homeowners. |
Rate & bill: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2024 5-year (effective rate B25090/B25082 – the Tax Foundation method; median bill B25103; value B25077).
| Mississippi Property Tax | Figure |
|---|---|
| Effective property tax rate | 0.58% |
| Median annual property tax bill | $1,215 |
| Median home value | $169,800 |
| Rank (highest to lowest) | #36 of 50 states |
| U.S. average bill | $4,271 |
In This Mississippi Guide:
What Is the Mississippi Property Tax Rate?
The Mississippi property tax rate is not one flat number — it is the combined result of your county, city, township, and school-district rates, applied to your home’s assessed value. Across Mississippi, homeowners pay about 0.58% of their home’s value on average, or around $1,215 a year on a typical $169,800 home. That puts Mississippi in the middle nationally — ranked #36 of 50 states from highest to lowest. Two
homes worth the same amount can still owe very different bills depending on the town and school district, so treat the statewide figure as a starting point, not your exact bill.
If your bill went up, start by reading the assessed value on your assessment notice — that number, multiplied by your local millage, drives the bill, so it’s the first thing worth checking for errors like wrong square footage or condition. Next, confirm you’re receiving every exemption you qualify for, especially the homestead exemption and any senior, disability, or veteran relief, since many homeowners miss these. If the assessed value
still looks too high, you have the right to ask your county Tax Assessor to review it and, if needed, to appeal to the county Board of Supervisors sitting as the Board of Equalization — check your notice for how and by when to do so.
Think your Mississippi bill is too high? Check in two minutes.
How Mississippi Property Tax Is Calculated
Your Mississippi property tax starts with an assessed value set by County Tax Assessors (each county’s elected Tax Assessor, often the combined Tax Assessor/Collector office) list and value property; the Mississippi Department of Revenue oversees the process for statewide uniformity and directly handles certain centrally-assessed utility properties.. Mississippi law sets the standard of value at a property’s “true value” (market value), and a fixed assessment ratio established by the state
Constitution is then applied to that true value to produce the assessed value your tax is figured on.
Look at the assessed value printed on your Notice of Assessment and confirm it reflects your home fairly — do not assume it equals what your home would sell for. That assessed value is then multiplied by the combined local tax rate to produce your bill. In Mississippi, property is generally reassessed County assessors revalue real property on a regular cycle — real property must be reappraised at least once
every four years, and assessors update rolls and issue a Notice of Assessment to homeowners..
The single most important number to check is your assessed value: if it is higher than what your home would sell for, your bill is too high — and that is exactly what an appeal fixes.
The actual rates in Mississippi are set by The actual tax rate (the millage) is set locally, not by the state — county boards of supervisors, city/municipal governments, and school districts each levy their own millage, and your total bill combines the rates of every taxing body that covers your property.. That is why your neighbor one town over can pay a different bill on an identical house.
📨 Get Free Property Tax Guides Alerts
Free · No spam · Unsubscribe anytime
Where Your Mississippi Property Tax Money Goes
Mississippi property taxes mostly fund local public schools along with county and city services such as roads, law enforcement, fire protection, and other local government operations. Very little goes to the state — these are primarily local dollars staying in your community. For most Mississippi homeowners, the school-district share is the biggest single piece of the bill, which is why property taxes tend to be highest where schools rely most
on local funding.
One Mississippi note: Mississippi’s Constitution divides property into classes, each with its own assessment ratio, so owner-occupied homes are assessed differently than other real estate and personal property — meaning your assessed value is only a fraction of true value before the local millage is applied. Real property is also on a mandated periodic revaluation cycle rather than being reassessed only at sale.
How Mississippi Property Tax Compares
The U.S. average property tax bill is about $4,271 a year. The typical Mississippi bill of $1,215 is $3,056 below that. Remember that a low rate does not always mean a low bill — a state with cheap rates but expensive homes can still cost you more than Mississippi. The dollar bill and your own assessment matter more than the headline rate.
How to Lower Your Mississippi Property Tax
You cannot change the Mississippi property tax rate, but you have two real levers on your own bill. First, claim every exemption you qualify for. Mississippi offers property tax breaks that can lower your bill, including a homestead exemption for owner-occupied primary residences and additional relief for homeowners who are age 65 or older, totally disabled, or qualifying disabled veterans. You generally must apply for the homestead exemption with your
county Tax Assessor’s office, and it’s worth checking whether you qualify for any of these — see the data box above for amounts, which vary and are set by law.
Second, appeal your assessment if your home is valued higher than it would sell for — studies suggest a large share of homes are over-assessed, and appeals often succeed.
Don’t want to appeal your Mississippi taxes yourself? A property tax appeal service can file everything for you and usually only charges if it wins — typically a share of what it saves you. It is one option; you can also appeal on your own for free.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Mississippi property tax rate?
The average effective Mississippi property tax rate is about 0.58% of a home’s value, based on U.S. Census data. On the typical Mississippi home that works out to roughly $1,215 a year. Your own bill depends on your county, city, and school district, plus any exemptions you claim — see the data box above.
Why is my Mississippi property tax so high?
Property tax in Mississippi is driven mostly by your local rates (especially school levies) and by your home’s assessed value. If your assessment is higher than what your home would actually sell for, you may be overpaying — that is the most common reason a bill is too high, and it is something you can appeal.
How can I lower my Mississippi property tax?
Two things help most in Mississippi: make sure you are claiming every exemption you qualify for (homestead, senior, veteran, or disability), and appeal your assessment if your home is over-valued. Both can lower your bill, and both are free to do yourself.
Mississippi Property Tax Sources & Data
- Mississippi Department of Revenue (property tax): https://www.dor.ms.gov/county-services/local-property-appraisal
- Tax Foundation — Property Taxes by State & County: taxfoundation.org
- U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey): census.gov/acs
- Lincoln Institute of Land Policy (property tax data): lincolninst.edu
Mississippi property tax rates and typical bills on this page come from U.S. Census (American Community Survey) data as
published by the Tax Foundation, and were last checked in July 2026. Rates and bills change each year and vary by county
— confirm your own figures with your county assessor before you rely on them.
More Property Tax Guides
- Property Tax Rates by State
- Property Tax by County
- Are You Overpaying? Over-Assessment Checker
- Property Tax Exemption Finder
Disclaimer: This guide is informational only and is not legal, tax, or financial advice. Know Property Tax is an independent educational resource. It is not a government agency, not a county assessor, and not a tax-appeal service. Property tax rates, bills, exemptions, and deadlines change over time and vary by county and property. Confirm anything that affects your taxes with your county assessor or a licensed professional before you act.