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Buying a home in Carthage, Mississippi

The typical owner-occupied home in Carthage is worth about $154,800, 9% below the Mississippi median of $169,800 and 53% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $1,695 a year in property taxes, about 1.09% of their home's value, higher than the Mississippi rate of 0.72%. The median household earns $42,254 a year, so the median home costs 3.7 times the median income (3.0 times for Mississippi). 65% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 49% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Carthage at a glance

Carthage Mississippi U.S.
Median home value $154,800 $169,800 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $1,695 $1,215 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 1.09% 0.72% 0.94%
Median household income $42,254 $56,447 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 65% 70% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 49% 49% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,154 $1,394 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 20.8% 19.8% 21.0%
Median rent $705 $954 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 28.4% 30.7% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1979 1986 1980
Vacant homes 6.8% 14.6% 10.1%
Population 4,866 2,946,779 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Carthage

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Carthage home of $154,800 with 20% down costs about $1,038 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,296, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.

Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $44,494 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 29% of the median Carthage household income of $42,254; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $147,000.

The median rent here is $705 a month, so owning the median home costs about $333 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$30,960
Loan amount$123,840
Principal and interest$833
Property taxes (1.09% a year)$141
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$64
PMI$0
Total per month$1,038

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$5,418
Loan amount$151,996
Principal and interest$1,022
Property taxes (1.09% a year)$141
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$64
FHA mortgage insurance$68
Total per month$1,296

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Questions about home buying in Carthage

What is the median home value in Carthage?

About $154,800 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Carthage?

Homeowners pay a median $1,695 a year, which is about 1.09% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.

What income do you need to buy a home in Carthage?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,038 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $44,494 a year.

More about Carthage

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data