Can A Lawyer Afford Rent in Madison, MS?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 20.3% of gross income.

Madison rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Mississippi state estimate).

Madison median rent
$2,422/mo
Lawyer salary (Mississippi)
$142,941/yr
Rent as % of income
20.3%
Gross monthly income works out to about $11,912, and the 30% rule supports up to $3,574/mo in rent. Madison's median rent of $2,422 leaves roughly $1,152/mo of headroom under that threshold. A lawyer works roughly 35.2 hours a month to cover that rent.

About rent and a lawyer salary

Lawyer pay covers comfortable rent in every US city, but the surplus after rent varies sharply by metro. Big-law and federal-government lawyer pay clusters in a handful of cities where rent is also highest, which compresses the affordability margin. At the national-average lawyer salary, the 30% rule supports about $4,412 a month in rent — above the median rent in even the most expensive US metro.

Cheaper rent nearby

These Mississippi cities have lower median rent than Madison, which improves the affordability math on a lawyer salary:

Oxford, MS
$2,376/mo (19.9% of income)
Oxford, MS
$2,304/mo (19.3% of income)
Hernando, MS
$2,261/mo (19% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Madison

View full rent data for Madison, MS

Frequently asked questions

Can a lawyer afford rent in Madison, MS?

Median rent in Madison is $2,422 a month. A typical lawyer in Mississippi earns about $142,941 a year, which makes that rent 20.3% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a lawyer afford in Madison?

Using the 30% rule, a lawyer salary in Mississippi (~$142,941/yr) supports up to $3,574 a month in rent. Madison's current median rent is $2,422/mo, which leaves a $1,152/mo buffer.

How many hours does a lawyer work to cover rent in Madison?

At an hourly equivalent of about $69 an hour, a lawyer in Mississippi works roughly 35.2 hours a month to cover Madison's median rent of $2,422.

Where is rent cheaper than Madison for a lawyer?

Nearby Mississippi cities with lower median rent include Oxford ($2,376/mo), Oxford ($2,304/mo), Hernando ($2,261/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a lawyer salary.

Methodology: Salary uses the BLS-derived Mississippi state estimate from OEWS May 2024. Rent is the most recent ZORI monthly value for Madison, MS. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.