What it's like to live in Canton
Canton is a small city in Mississippi with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, county unemployment below the national average, and commutes that run shorter than most cities. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Canton deals with household incomes below the national average, a poverty rate above the national average, a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin, and hot summers.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Low unemployment in the county
- Short commutes
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- High poverty rate
- High rent burden for renters
- Hot summers
- Above-average rainfall
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
How Canton compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Canton
Based on Canton's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$1,978
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $39,560 a year
- 53% of Canton renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$22,400
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $11,200
- Homes cost 2.9× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 30% below US
$989/mo median rent
Rent here is genuinely low, with median rent around $989 a month. Money stretches further here than in most of the country. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $112,000. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $112,000 · 53% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
3.1% county unemployment
Unemployment in Madison County is 3.1%, a little below the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Madison County (county-wide)
Getting around▼ 12% below US
23 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 22.9 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 10% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 91°F, and winters are chilly but manageable, with lows around 35°F. It's a wet climate overall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 3.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 29% below US
26% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 26%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
10 public schools inside the boundary
There are 10 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16:1, close to the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument (21 miles away). There are 5 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Canton's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and a poverty rate above the national average. A year of median rent ($989/mo) equals 31% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget and job seekers (county-wide unemployment is low).
Other places near Canton
All Mississippi guides →Not sure Canton is the one?
Put it side by side with another city.