| Index | Starkville | Mississippi | National |
| Cost of living | 95 | 86 | 100 |
| Groceries | 98 | 97 | 100 |
| Health care | 93 | 95 | 100 |
| Housing | 94 | 63 | 100 |
| Transportation | 95 | 94 | 100 |
| Utilities | 99 | 98 | 100 |
| Lifestyle & Entertainment | 93 | 94 | 100 |
| Household Items | 98 | 96 | 100 |
| Education & Childcare | 96 | 94 | 100 |
Are you thinking about relocating, but curious about the potential cost of living in Starkville? Is it more expensive or more affordable than average? Based on the most recent report, the cost of living in Starkville stands at 95, making it 5% lower than the national average. The cost of living directly affects the affordability of one's desired lifestyle. Knowing the cost of housing, transportation, groceries and other essentials in the new area allows people to gauge whether they can maintain their preferred standard of living.
Everyday expenditures like food, housing, lifestyle expenses, transportation and health care in Starkville are priced in a manner consistent with other areas. This means that residents of Starkville can anticipate their daily expenses remaining reasonably similar to those in an average city, thereby supporting a manageable cost of living.
Wondering if Starkville is affordable? It's a question that often comes up when you're thinking about a new city since affordability can really shape your decisions. The cost of living index (covered earlier), housing expenses and income levels all play a part in the affordability equation. In Starkville, for example, the median home price is 1.7% lower than what folks pay nationally, and monthly rent is 17.2% lower than the usual rates. Plus, income levels matter too, with Starkville boasting a median household income of $52,743, which is 35.2% lower than the national average.
Urbanization: Larger, urban areas boasting abundant amenities and robust employment prospects often exhibit a heightened cost of living, driven by the increased demand for services and residential relocation. Consequently, this leads to elevated home prices and higher rental rates. In contrast, sparsely populated rural locales or regions marked by diminished demand typically offer a more limited range of amenities and experience slower job market expansion. This translates into a more affordable cost of living.
Taxes: Cities that enforce higher taxes, covering both sales taxes and income taxes, can be a factor contributing to a higher cost of living. Paying more in taxes for everyday essentials like clothing and food inevitably leads to higher expenses. A higher income tax rate can further contribute to an overall elevated cost of living. In Starkville, the baseline sales tax rate begins at 7%, and income tax rates start at 5%.
Housing: When there's a high demand for housing in trendy places, it can cause property prices and rental rates to soar, leading to a significantly higher cost of living. Conversely, in less desirable locations, where demand is low, prices tend to decrease, resulting in a more budget-friendly cost of living. In Starkville, the housing index is 6.3% lower than the national average.
The Starkville cost of living estimates above use a normalized U.S. average of 100 as the baseline for comparison. Housing values incorporate local home price and rental information from the U.S. Census, while all other estimates are AI-assisted and modeled using expected everyday expenses, local market trends, climate, and transportation-related cost pressures. The results are intended for practical city-to-city comparisons.
| Cost of living index | |
| Groceries index | |
| Health care index | |
| Housing index | |
| Transportation index | |
| Utilities index | |
| Lifestyle index | |
| Household index | |
| Educare index |
| Median Income | Per Year | Per Month | Max Budget (28% DTI) | Max Budget (36% DTI) |
| Owners | $112,061 | $9,338 | $2,615 | $3,362 |
| Renters | $24,811 | $2,068 | $579 | $744 |
| State | General Sales Tax | With Max Surtax |
| Mississippi | 7% | 7.25% |
| State | Income Tax (Low) | Income Tax (High) |
| Mississippi | 5% | 5% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Crawford, MS | 435 | 80 | 19.9% |
| Maben, MS | 827 | 81 | 18.9% |
| Artesia, MS | 366 | 82 | 18.5% |
| West Point, MS | 10,912 | 84 | 15.5% |
| Sturgis, MS | 203 | 85 | 15.2% |
| Starkville, MS | 26,447 | 95 | 4.6% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Hanahan, SC | 26,450 | 110 | 9.6% |
| Sachse, TX | 26,435 | 114 | 13.7% |
| Kankakee, IL | 26,461 | 88 | 11.7% |
| Asheboro, NC | 26,430 | 89 | 10.7% |
| Reedley, CA | 26,417 | 117 | 16.9% |
| Starkville, MS | 26,447 | 95 | 4.6% |
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