Walthall County

Walthall County sits at a median home price of $157,654, down a marginal 0.55% year-over-year, with an affordability index of 96 out of 100. Those are the headline numbers that make this market look attractive on paper. The problem is what's missing: the cash flow score is 0 and the cap rate field returns zero, which means the data doesn't support building a reliable rent-to-price or return estimate here. Without a confirmed median rent figure, any underwrite is speculative. What the data does tell you is that Walthall ranks 295th out of 1,000 counties nationally (62nd percentile) and 21st out of 80 Mississippi counties, an overall score of 63 that places it squarely in the middle of the pack. The appreciation score of 47 is below average, and stability sits at 50. This is not a market where the numbers are doing the work for you.

With a cash flow score of 0 and no rent data to anchor a cap rate, Walthall is difficult to categorize cleanly. The affordability index of 96, combined with a sub-$160,000 median price, makes the entry point accessible, and that does matter for a value-add buyer who can force equity through renovation and then lease up. But forcing equity only works if there is a tenant pool willing and able to pay rents that justify the all-in cost. A population of 13,888 means a thin rental demand base by any standard, and in a rural Mississippi market that small, absorption risk is real. A pure appreciation play is even harder to justify given a negative year-over-year price movement and an appreciation score of 47. The investor best positioned here is someone who already knows this submarket, has contractor relationships, and can acquire distressed assets well below the $157,654 median, not someone deploying capital from out of state based on a screener.

No economic anchor data was provided for Walthall County, so it would be irresponsible to name employers or characterize the local job base beyond what the demographic picture implies. A county of under 14,000 people in rural Mississippi typically depends on a narrow set of industries, and that concentration is worth investigating before committing capital. Job stability drives rent payment reliability, and without visibility into that here, the underwrite carries an additional layer of uncertainty that the data alone cannot resolve.

On carry costs, the combined monthly tax and insurance figure is $172, derived from a state-average property tax rate of 0.81% and an insurance rate of 0.50% applied to the $157,654 purchase price. The 0.81% rate is flagged as normal, which means it is not a meaningful headwind or tailwind in itself. However, the insurance component deserves attention: Mississippi sits in a high-wind and storm-exposure corridor, and while the 0.50% figure is the state-average estimate, actual county-level premiums can diverge materially depending on carrier availability and local loss history. That $172 monthly figure is a reasonable starting assumption but should be stress-tested with a local agent before finalizing any proforma. The standard caveat applies: these are state-average estimates, and actual county and township rates may differ.

The most significant risks in Walthall are scale and liquidity. A 13,888-person county produces a shallow pool of buyers when it comes time to exit, and a shallow pool of tenants when units turn. If a major local employer reduces headcount or a key economic driver softens, the rental market absorbs that shock with very little buffer. Regulatory and zoning risk is not flagged by the data, but the real exposure here is demographic and demand-side concentration, not something invented, something that follows directly from the population figure.

Comparing Walthall to its neighbors clarifies where it sits. Forrest County at $182,640 median and a rent-to-price ratio of 7.34% and Harrison County at $220,811 with a 7.55% ratio both offer better confirmed rent data and larger tenant pools, at higher entry prices but with measurably better yield visibility. DeSoto County at $295,634 and Madison County at $329,801 are appreciation-oriented suburban markets where the higher price points compress yield but offer liquidity and population depth that Walthall cannot match. Simpson County at $145,629 is the closest peer on price and carries the same overall score of 63 as Walthall, making it a direct comparator worth evaluating in parallel. The case for choosing Walthall over its neighbors comes down entirely to price point and local knowledge. If an investor has hyperlocal sourcing advantages and can acquire significantly below market, that entry-price gap relative to Forrest or Harrison might be worth tolerating the thinner demand base. Without that edge, the neighboring markets with confirmed rent data and larger populations present a more underwritable case.