Last updated 2026-07-10
TL;DR
Mississippi Section 8 income limits are set by HUD each year and vary by county. For 2024, the low-income limit (80% of area median income) for a family of four ranges from about $54,350 in Oxford to $44,200 in rural counties. Most households have to earn at or below 50% of area median income to qualify, and 75% of new vouchers go to households under 30% AMI.
What are the Mississippi Section 8 income limits for 2024?
HUD publishes income limits every year, and that number is the single gate between you and a voucher. Mississippi's limits sit below national averages for one reason: the state has the lowest median household income in the country, around $52,719 per the U.S. Census Bureau [1]. The dollar thresholds that define "low income" here are smaller than what you'd see in Missouri or Montana. They also mean a larger share of your neighbors qualify.
HUD splits eligibility into three tiers based on area median income (AMI): extremely low (30% AMI), very low (50% AMI), and low (80% AMI). The housing choice voucher program uses the 50% AMI line as the main cutoff for new applicants [2].
Here are representative 2024 limits for a family of four across the state's metro and non-metro areas:
| Area | Extremely Low (30% AMI) | Very Low (50% AMI) | Low (80% AMI) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson Metro | $17,550 | $29,250 | $46,800 |
| Gulfport-Biloxi Metro | $19,300 | $32,150 | $51,400 |
| Hattiesburg Metro | $17,300 | $28,800 | $46,100 |
| Oxford (Lafayette Co.) | $20,400 | $34,000 | $54,350 |
| Non-metro (rural statewide) | $16,600 | $27,650 | $44,200 |
These figures come straight from HUD's FY2024 Income Limits dataset [2]. Your county may differ. Look up your specific area with HUD's income limits query tool before you draw any conclusions.
One wrinkle matters more than the rest. By law, at least 75% of new vouchers any public housing authority issues have to go to households at or below 30% AMI [3]. Being under 50% AMI makes you technically eligible. The extremely low bracket gets served first.
How does HUD calculate income limits for Mississippi counties?
HUD starts with the area median family income for each metropolitan statistical area (MSA) or non-metro county group, pulled from American Community Survey data. Counties outside Mississippi's major metros often get lumped into one non-metro area, which pulls their median down and keeps the limits modest [2].
From the raw median, HUD applies a formula that adjusts for household size. A single person's limit lands at 70% of the four-person limit. An eight-person household gets 140%. Every size in between follows a set step [2]. That math matters in Mississippi, where multi-generational households are common and a family of six carries a much higher income ceiling than a family of two.
HUD also caps how far limits can move. A national floor keeps them from falling too low, and a growth cap keeps them from outrunning actual wages. The floor has propped up limits in several rural Mississippi counties where local median incomes have slipped. Without it, some of those limits would be even lower.
The statute behind all of this is Section 3(b)(2) of the United States Housing Act of 1937, as amended, codified at 42 U.S.C. 1437a, which ties income limits to a percentage of area median income [3]. HUD's implementing rules live at 24 CFR Part 5, Subpart F [4].
Which Mississippi counties have the highest and lowest income limits?
Oxford and the surrounding Lafayette County area post the highest income limits in the state, because Ole Miss pushes up local wages and housing demand. The Gulfport-Biloxi MSA runs second, lifted by casino wages and Gulf Coast tourism jobs.
At the bottom sit many Delta counties. Humphreys, Holmes, and Leflore carry area medians among the lowest in the nation. Their income limits can run 30 to 40 percent below the Jackson metro. A single person in Humphreys County trying to qualify for rental assistance might face an extremely low limit under $11,000 a year. That same person in Oxford could qualify with income close to $14,300.
That gap has teeth. A voucher in a Delta county comes with a low payment standard, which caps the rents you can actually cover. Some Delta residents apply to Jackson or Gulfport PHAs on purpose, because higher payment standards open up more housing. That's a fair strategy. The catch is longer waitlists in the areas people want most.
For landlords weighing the program, higher-limit areas tend to bring tenants with a bit more income cushion. A household near the 50% AMI ceiling has more room before a financial shock knocks it out of compliance. Learn how the housing section 8 program runs in your specific county before you list a unit.
Does gross income or net income count for Section 8 eligibility?
Gross annual income is what HUD uses for the first eligibility test. Before taxes. Before health insurance deductions. Before anything [4]. If your household earns $28,000 in wages, $2,400 in child support, and $1,200 in part-time gig income, HUD counts $31,600, not your take-home number.
HUD's definition of annual income under 24 CFR Part 5 runs wide. It covers wages, salaries, tips, overtime, bonuses, commissions, net self-employment income, interest, dividends, periodic payments from pensions or disability, and recurring contributions from people outside the household [4].
What HUD does not count: earnings from children under 18, dependent student earnings above $480 a year, adoption assistance above $480, lump sums like inheritances or insurance settlements, and foster care payments. The full exclusions list sits in 24 CFR 5.609(c) [4].
After a household clears the gross income test and gets a voucher, the PHA figures adjusted annual income to set the family's rent share. That step allows deductions for dependents, elderly or disabled members, unreimbursed medical costs above 3% of income, and childcare [4]. Those deductions come after eligibility, never during screening.
Who counts as a household member for Mississippi Section 8 purposes?
Everyone who will live in the unit and appears on the lease counts. Obvious on its face, but it creates a real compliance trap: adding a family member without telling your PHA can end your assistance. The household you declare at application sets both the income limit that applies and the unit size HUD approves.
HUD counts all family members regardless of immigration status for unit size and income limits, but only eligible members receive assistance. A mixed-status household where some members aren't eligible gets its assistance calculated on a prorated basis [4].
Pregnant women can include the unborn child in household size, which bumps the income limit up a tier. That matters most when a household sits right at the line.
Live-in aides count differently. Someone who provides medical or supportive services to a disabled household member can join the household without the PHA counting their income toward the limit. That's a real benefit for disabled tenants who need daily care. The PHA can approve or deny a live-in aide based on documented need [4].
How does Mississippi compare to neighboring states on Section 8 income limits?
Mississippi's income limits rank among the lowest in the Southeast, because the state's median income is low. Alabama and Arkansas land in similar territory. Louisiana runs higher in New Orleans and Baton Rouge, though rural Louisiana tracks Mississippi's rural figures closely.
Reach outside the region and the gap widens. Missouri's 50% AMI limit for a family of four in the Kansas City metro runs around $50,000, well above Jackson's $29,250. Missouri carries a more diverse economy and higher statewide wages [2]. If you want Missouri section 8 income limits, HUD's tool shows the split clearly.
Montana works as a contrast in the other direction. Rural Montana counties post medians surprisingly close to rural Mississippi, even with very different cost structures. Great Falls carries a 50% AMI limit for a family of four around $35,750, above rural Mississippi but not by a lot. The difference is trajectory: rural Montana housing costs are climbing fast while rural Mississippi has stayed cheaper against those limits [2].
Here's what it means in practice. A Mississippi voucher holder who moves to a higher-limit state through portability can often reach more housing. The payment standard doesn't automatically jump to match the new area until the receiving PHA runs its own subsidy math. The section 8 portability rules govern that handoff.
| State | Family of 4, 50% AMI (representative metro) | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Mississippi (Jackson) | $29,250 | HUD FY2024 |
| Alabama (Birmingham) | $33,350 | HUD FY2024 |
| Louisiana (New Orleans) | $38,950 | HUD FY2024 |
| Missouri (Kansas City) | $50,000 | HUD FY2024 |
| Montana (Great Falls) | $35,750 | HUD FY2024 |
Which Mississippi housing authorities administer Section 8 vouchers?
Mississippi has no single statewide housing authority for vouchers. HUD contracts with dozens of local public housing authorities (PHAs) across the state, plus the Mississippi Regional Housing Authority No. VIII (MRHA8), which covers a group of counties [5].
The major PHAs include:
- Housing Authority of the City of Jackson (HACJ)
- Mississippi Regional Housing Authority No. VIII (rural central Mississippi)
- Gulfport Housing Authority
- Hattiesburg Housing Authority
- Biloxi Housing Authority
- Oxford Housing Authority
- Greenville Housing Authority
- Meridian Housing Authority
Each PHA sets its own waitlist procedures, local preferences, and administrative plan. Income limits stay the same, since HUD sets them by area. But the experience of applying, waiting, and getting housed swings hard by agency. Jackson's waitlist has run among the longest in the state for years [6].
To find the housing authority in your county and check whether its waitlist is open, use HUD's PHA contact directory at hud.gov. Cross-check it against open Section 8 waiting lists to see which agencies are accepting applications before you spend an afternoon on paperwork.
What local preferences can affect who gets a voucher in Mississippi?
Income eligibility gets you on the list. Local preferences decide how fast you climb it. Most Mississippi PHAs prioritize households that are currently homeless or at risk of it, living in substandard housing, paying more than 50% of income on rent (severely cost-burdened), or displaced by government action like eminent domain [6].
Some PHAs add preferences for veterans, survivors of domestic violence (required under VAWA), and residents already living in the PHA's jurisdiction [10]. Working families and elderly or disabled households sometimes get their own preference tier.
Qualify for more than one and you stack them. That stacking can pull you from year three of a waitlist to year one. Ask your PHA exactly which preferences it offers and document your eligibility for each one when you apply. Don't count on the agency to piece it together for you.
One thing Mississippi PHAs cannot do: deny a voucher solely on a prior arrest with no conviction. HUD's 2016 general counsel guidance on criminal records says blanket bans can violate fair housing law, though PHAs keep discretion over certain convictions like methamphetamine manufacture in federally assisted housing [7].
How are Mississippi Section 8 payment standards related to income limits?
Income limits and payment standards are two different numbers people mix up constantly. Income limits decide who qualifies. Payment standards decide how much HUD pays toward rent. Related, not the same.
Each PHA sets its payment standard between 90% and 110% of HUD's Fair Market Rent (FMR) for the area [4]. HUD publishes FMRs for Mississippi by county and bedroom size every year alongside income limits. For FY2024, the two-bedroom FMR in Jackson is $987 a month, so a PHA could set its payment standard anywhere from $888 to $1,086 for that bedroom size [8].
Tenant rent responsibility is the difference between the payment standard and 30% of the household's adjusted monthly income. If the actual rent runs above the payment standard, the tenant covers the gap on top of the 30% share, capped at 40% of monthly income during initial lease-up [4].
For landlords, payment standards beat income limits for day-to-day use. They tell you the realistic rent ceiling a voucher will cover. Before you list a unit and wonder whether the section 8 houses for rent market in your area supports your asking price, check it against your PHA's current payment standard schedule.
VoucherReady's free landlord tools can pull the current payment standard for your zip code if you want a quick sanity check before listing.
How do you apply for Section 8 in Mississippi and what documents do you need?
Applications go through individual PHAs, never a single state portal. Find the PHA covering your area, confirm the waitlist is open, and apply directly to that agency. Many Mississippi PHAs now take online applications during open enrollment [6].
Documents you'll usually need at application:
- Government-issued photo ID for every adult household member
- Social Security numbers (or documentation of immigration status) for all members
- Birth certificates for children
- Proof of current address
- Income documentation: recent pay stubs, Social Security award letters, child support orders, tax returns
- Bank statements for the last two to three months
At the eligibility interview, which happens after you reach the top of the list and not at application, the PHA verifies everything. HUD requires third-party verification for income, so the agency contacts your employer or benefit provider directly [4].
Keep your contact information current with every PHA where you're waiting. Mississippi PHAs have to make reasonable efforts to reach applicants before removing them, but if mail bounces back undelivered, they can purge your file. That's one of the most common and most avoidable ways people lose their spot.
The hud housing resource pages on HUD.gov link to local PHA contacts across Mississippi. Pairing that directory with an income limits lookup before you apply is the fastest way to learn whether you have a real shot at qualifying.
Can income limits change after you receive a voucher?
Once you hold a voucher, a change in income limits doesn't cost you the voucher. The limits matter for the first eligibility call. After that, what matters is your actual income against the payment standard, which sets your subsidy amount.
If your income climbs a lot after you get the voucher, your rent share climbs with it, sometimes near full rent. The subsidy tapers rather than vanishing overnight. HUD's rules at 24 CFR 982.516 require PHAs to reexamine household income at least once every 12 months [4].
Some Mississippi PHAs run interim reexaminations when income shifts past a set threshold, often $200 a month or more. Reporting changes is on you. Skip reporting an income jump and it's treated as a program violation, which can mean repaying overpaid subsidy or losing assistance entirely.
If your income drops after you're on the program, the subsidy rises at your next reexamination. That flexibility is one of the program's better features for households living on gig work, seasonal jobs, or irregular child support.
Are there special income limit rules for elderly and disabled households in Mississippi?
The income limits don't shift for elderly or disabled households. A family of four is a family of four no matter who's in it. What shifts is the deduction structure used to figure adjusted income, and that can cut a senior or disabled household's rent share sharply.
Under 24 CFR Part 5, a household with an elderly or disabled head or co-head gets a $400 deduction from annual income before the rent share is set [4]. There's also an unlimited deduction for unreimbursed medical expenses above 3% of adjusted annual income. For a senior on Social Security with heavy medication costs, that medical deduction can drop the effective rent share close to zero.
Housing built specifically for seniors and people with disabilities runs on its own rules. The low income senior housing and low income housing tax credit programs target income differently, usually at 50% or 60% AMI, which may line up differently against HUD's voucher limits in a given county.
Mississippi has a large elderly and disabled population, and PHAs like MRHA8 work with service coordinators to help these households handle both income documentation and the accessibility requirements that come with finding a workable unit.
Frequently asked questions
What is the income limit for a single person applying for Section 8 in Mississippi?
For a single person, the very low (50% AMI) limit runs from about $19,350 in the lowest-median rural counties to roughly $23,800 in the Oxford/Lafayette County area. The extremely low (30% AMI) limit for one person ranges from about $11,600 to $14,300 depending on county. Use HUD's income limits tool at huduser.gov to pull the exact figure for your county, since statewide averages hide big swings.
Does Mississippi have a statewide Section 8 waiting list?
No. Mississippi has no single statewide voucher waitlist. Each local public housing authority, including HACJ in Jackson, the Gulfport Housing Authority, and MRHA8 covering rural counties, keeps its own separate list. Waitlists open and close independently. You can apply to several PHAs at once, which is usually the smarter move given how long any single list can run.
How long is the Section 8 waitlist in Mississippi?
Waitlist lengths vary by PHA and are genuinely hard to predict. Jackson's list has run two to five years. Smaller rural PHAs sometimes move faster, occasionally under a year when they have turnover. HUD doesn't publish a statewide average, and individual PHA estimates go stale fast. Check directly with each PHA and ask for the current estimated wait at intake.
What happens if my income goes over the limit after I'm on the Section 8 program?
You don't automatically lose your voucher if income rises above the qualifying limit after enrollment. Your tenant rent share increases proportionally at each annual reexamination. HUD's over-income policy lets PHAs terminate assistance for households earning more than 120% of AMI for two consecutive years, a rule from the 2016 Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act, though implementation varies by agency.
Do assets count toward Mississippi Section 8 income limits?
The asset itself isn't counted as income. The income the asset generates is. For households with net assets over $5,000, the PHA uses either actual income from assets or an imputed rate (HUD sets the rate periodically) and adds whichever is larger to annual income. A savings account earning $150 in interest on $7,000 in assets means $150 counts toward gross income. The asset rule can affect eligibility near the margin.
Can I use a Mississippi Section 8 voucher to rent anywhere in the state?
Yes, with caveats. Once you hold a voucher from any Mississippi PHA, you can rent within that PHA's jurisdiction. After 12 months of using the voucher, you can port to another jurisdiction in Mississippi or to another state. Some PHAs allow earlier moves under enhanced portability policies. The unit has to pass a HUD inspection and the rent has to fall within the receiving PHA's payment standard.
Are there separate income limits for Mississippi's public housing versus Section 8 vouchers?
Both programs use HUD's same published income limits, but the targeting rules differ. For public housing, all new admissions must be income-eligible, with PHAs serving the full range of low-income households. For vouchers, the 75% rule means three-quarters of new vouchers go to extremely low-income households at or below 30% AMI. That's why public housing can feel slightly more open to households in the 50-80% AMI range.
Does child support count as income for Mississippi Section 8 eligibility?
Yes. Periodic child support and alimony payments count as income under 24 CFR 5.609. If you get regular child support, report it. The PHA usually verifies the amount through court records or bank statements. Inconsistent or informal payments get counted based on the actual amount received over the prior 12 months, averaged monthly.
What income limit applies if my household size changes after I'm on the waitlist?
PHAs apply the income limit for your household size at the time of your eligibility determination, not at the time you applied. If your household grows while you wait (a new child, say), update your application right away. The larger household size raises the income limit that applies, which could keep you eligible even if your income has risen since you first applied.
Can self-employment income affect my Section 8 eligibility in Mississippi?
Yes. Net self-employment income counts: gross business receipts minus legitimate business expenses, not counting depreciation or capital expenditures. HUD's definition under 24 CFR 5.609 doesn't let you deduct personal expenses run through a business. If HUD decides your reported expenses are inflated, it can impute a higher income figure. Keep clean records. Self-employment income draws more scrutiny than W-2 wages during verification.
How do I find Section 8 income limits for my specific Mississippi county?
Go to huduser.gov and use the Income Limits query tool. Select fiscal year 2024 (or the current year), choose Mississippi, then pick your county or MSA. The tool returns all three tiers (30%, 50%, 80% AMI) for household sizes from one to eight people. It's free, updated annually, and the only authoritative source. Skip third-party income limit lists that may reflect prior years.
Do Mississippi Section 8 income limits apply to the go section 8 listing process?
Income limits apply to the tenant, not the listing process. Landlords can list units on any platform, including listing services, without tracking income limits. Those limits are the PHA's concern when screening applicants. What landlords do need to track is the payment standard for their area, which sets the maximum subsidy a voucher will cover regardless of the tenant's income limit.
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Mississippi median household income: Mississippi median household income is approximately $52,719, the lowest of any U.S. state.
- HUD Office of Policy Development and Research, FY2024 Income Limits: HUD publishes annual income limits by area and household size; 2024 figures used for Mississippi metro and non-metro areas.
- U.S. Housing Act of 1937, Section 3(b)(2), as amended (42 U.S.C. 1437a): At least 75% of new vouchers must be issued to households at or below 30% AMI; income limits are defined as a percentage of area median income.
- HUD, 24 CFR Part 5, Subpart F (Annual Income, Adjusted Income, and Payment Standards): Gross annual income definition, allowable deductions, live-in aide policy, annual reexamination requirements, and payment standard rules are codified here.
- HUD, Find a Public Housing Agency (Mississippi PHA contacts): List of Mississippi PHAs administering Section 8 vouchers, including MRHA8 and major city authorities.
- HUD, Housing Choice Voucher Program (program overview and guidebook): PHA waitlist procedures, local preference categories, and applicant documentation requirements are described in HUD's program materials.
- HUD Office of General Counsel, Guidance on Application of Fair Housing Act Standards to the Use of Criminal Records, April 2016: PHAs cannot deny vouchers based solely on arrest without conviction; blanket criminal history bans may violate fair housing law.
- HUD, FY2024 Fair Market Rents for Mississippi: Two-bedroom FMR for Jackson, Mississippi is $987 per month for FY2024; payment standards must be set between 90% and 110% of FMR.
- Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act of 2016 (HOTMA), Public Law 114-201: PHAs may terminate voucher assistance for households earning more than 120% of AMI for two consecutive years under HOTMA provisions.
- U.S. Department of Justice, Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) overview: PHAs are required to provide preferences and protections for survivors of domestic violence under VAWA.