Can An Elementary School Teacher Afford Rent in Bay Saint Louis, MS?
Stretched but workable — rent takes 32.6% of gross income.
Bay Saint Louis rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Mississippi state estimate).
About rent and an elementary school teacher salary
Teacher affordability is one of the sharpest local-rent lenses available, because public-school pay scales are set by state and district while rent is set by local market conditions. The result is that two teachers with identical credentials can face very different rent burdens depending on where they teach. At the national-average teacher salary, the 30% rule supports about $1,677 a month in rent — comfortable in most of the Midwest and South, tight in mid-cost cities, and out of reach without roommates in the most expensive coastal markets. The per-city pages below combine local rent with local teacher-pay estimates to show where the math works.
Cheaper rent nearby
These Mississippi cities have lower median rent than Bay Saint Louis, which improves the affordability math on an elementary school teacher salary:
Compare with full rent data for Bay Saint Louis
View full rent data for Bay Saint Louis, MS →Frequently asked questions
Can an elementary school teacher afford rent in Bay Saint Louis, MS?
Median rent in Bay Saint Louis is $1,475 a month. A typical elementary school teacher in Mississippi earns about $54,335 a year, which makes that rent 32.6% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is no — rent exceeds the 30% threshold.
How much rent can an elementary school teacher afford in Bay Saint Louis?
Using the 30% rule, an elementary school teacher salary in Mississippi (~$54,335/yr) supports up to $1,358 a month in rent. Bay Saint Louis's current median rent is $1,475/mo, which is $117/mo over the affordability threshold.
How many hours does an elementary school teacher work to cover rent in Bay Saint Louis?
At an hourly equivalent of about $26 an hour, an elementary school teacher in Mississippi works roughly 56.5 hours a month to cover Bay Saint Louis's median rent of $1,475.
Where is rent cheaper than Bay Saint Louis for an elementary school teacher?
Nearby Mississippi cities with lower median rent include Gulf Hills ($1,473/mo), Gautier ($1,473/mo), Starkville ($1,469/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on an elementary school teacher salary.