Department of Numbers

Lee County Mississippi Residential Rent and Rental Statistics

The median monthly gross residential rent in Lee County MS was $786 in 2019 according to the Census ACS survey.1 Average gross rent in Lee County was $726 in 2019. The median rent more accurately depicts rental rates in the middle of the distribution of rents and is thus preferred in the analysis below. 2020 Lee County median and average rent data will be released in September of 2021.

Data is also available below for Lee County rental vacancy rates, Lee County rent as a percent of median income and the fraction of renters in Lee County.

Show dollars as: Nominal Real

Real Gross Rent in Lee County Mississippi (2019 dollars)2

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US Median Gross Rent $1,097 +1.86% +6.82%
Mississippi Median Gross Rent $777 -1.77% +1.97%
Lee County MS Median Gross Rent $786 -6.87% +9.78%

Lee County MS Real Gross Rent Trends

Median gross rent for Lee County peaked in real terms in 2018 at $844 and is now $58 (6.87%) lower. Average gross rent for Lee County peaked in real terms in 2018 at $747 and is now $21 (2.81%) lower.

Real Gross Rent: Lee County MS Median, Lee County MS Average, Mississippi Median, US Median

Lower quartile, median and upper quartile real gross rent

Real Gross Rent History for Lee County

Date US
Median
Mississippi
Median
Lee County MS
Median
Lee County MS
Average
2019 $1,097 $777 $786 $726
2018 $1,077 $791 $844 $747
2017 $1,043 $765 $747 $711
2016 $1,027 $762 $716 $717
2015 $1,017 $768 $723 $704
2014 $986 $751 $734 $689
2013 $953 $746 $654 $663
2012 $940 $708 $672 $653
2011 $941 $744 $704 $729
2010 $955 $751 $704 $609
2009 $960 $734 $637 $604

more history ...

Lee County Rental Vacancy Rate

The rental vacancy rate is the fraction of homes for rent that are not occupied.3 In 2013 the rental vacancy rate for Lee County Mississippi was 6.09% according to Census ACS data.

Rental Vacancy Rate in Lee County Mississippi

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 5.97% -0.18% +0.08%
Mississippi 10.67% +0.19% +2.04%
Lee County MS

Trends in Lee County MS Rental Vacancy Rate

The rental vacancy rate in Lee County peaked in 2005 at 12.22%. Since then it has fallen by 6.13% to 6.09%. Data records for this series originated in 2005.

Rental Vacancy Rate: Lee County MS, Mississippi, US

Rental vacancy rate in Mississippi

Historical Rental Vacancy Rate data for Lee County

Date US Mississippi Lee County MS
2019 5.97% 10.67%
2018 6.15% 10.48%
2017 6.18% 10.71%
2016 5.89% 8.63%
2015 5.85% 8.89%
2014 6.32% 9.10%
2013 6.49% 8.71% 6.09%
2012 6.77% 10.91% 8.65%
2011 7.40% 13.13% 6.13%
2010 8.17% 12.60% 11.48%
2009 8.43% 11.34% 7.69%

more history ...

Rent as a Fraction of Income

Using median household income data for Lee County, we can calculate the fraction of income the median household would use to pay rent at the median monthly gross rent rate. For Lee County, median monthly gross rent as a fraction of median household income was 18.97% in 2019 according to the ACS.

Lee County Mississippi Median Annual Rent as a Fraction of Median Household Income

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 20.03% -0.47% -0.40%
Mississippi 20.36% -0.49% -0.56%
Lee County MS 18.97% +0.22% -0.46%

Trends in Lee County MS Rent as a Fraction of Income

The fraction of median Lee County household income required to pay median monthly gross rent peaked in 2015 (relative to the 2005 series origin) at 20.68%. Since then it has fallen by 1.70% to 18.97%.

Fraction of Income towards Rent: Lee County MS, Mississippi, US

Percent of median household income going towards median monthly gross rent in Lee County Mississippi

Historical Data for Annual Rent as a Fraction of Income in Lee County Mississippi

Date US Mississippi Lee County MS
2019 20.03% 20.36% 18.97%
2018 20.50% 20.85% 18.75%
2017 20.13% 20.46% 15.55%
2016 20.43% 20.92% 19.43%
2015 20.63% 21.40% 20.68%
2014 20.89% 21.50% 19.30%
2013 20.78% 22.38% 17.38%
2012 20.65% 21.54% 18.41%
2011 20.70% 22.39% 19.24%
2010 20.50% 21.88% 18.32%
2009 20.12% 21.09% 18.04%

more history ...

Renter Fraction in Lee County Mississippi

You can calculate the renter fraction in Lee County in at least two ways: by housing units or by population. I've gone with the housing units measure here. This measure looks at the number of renting households in Lee County as a fraction of total Lee County households. In 2019 30.79% of households were renters according to Census ACS data.

Lee County Fraction of Renters by Household Units

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 35.89% -0.16% -0.99%
Mississippi 32.68% +0.89% -0.05%
Lee County MS 30.79% -1.39% -5.08%

Trends in the Lee County MS Renter Fraction

The Lee County household renter fraction peaked in in 2014 at 37.74% and is now 6.95% below that level. The origin year for the series is 2005.

Fraction of Renting Households: Lee County MS, Mississippi, US

Fraction of renters in Lee County

History of Lee County Renter Fraction

Date US Mississippi Lee County MS
2019 35.89% 32.68% 30.79%
2018 36.05% 31.79% 32.18%
2017 36.13% 31.50% 30.41%
2016 36.88% 32.73% 35.87%
2015 36.97% 32.61% 34.84%
2014 36.90% 32.33% 37.74%
2013 36.50% 32.80% 27.18%
2012 36.09% 31.81% 31.76%
2011 35.42% 30.19% 32.63%
2010 34.65% 30.24% 31.28%
2009 34.13% 30.51% 24.00%

more history ...

1. Gross rent is defined as contract rent plus the estimated average monthly cost of utilities (electricity, gas, water, and sewer) and fuel (oil, coal, kerosene, wood, etc.). Because some rentals include utilities and others don't, gross rent is a way of normalizing the variability.

2. Real dollars are calculated using the CPI-U less shelter series.

3. The rental vacancy rate is computed by dividing the number of vacant units for rent by the sum of the renter-occupied units, vacant units that are for rent, and vacant units that have been rented but not yet occupied.