Metcalfe, MS

The affordability dashboard for Metcalfe, MS aggregates Census ACS 5-Year Estimates across 1 ZIP code covering 929 residents, then layers in county-level federal data to produce an overall grade of C- (52/100). The headline inputs are median household income of $37,679, median home value of $71,800, median rent of $639 per month, and 28.4% of adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher. These four metrics alone explain most of the variance between city dashboards.

Cross-agency feeds widen the picture beyond Census demographics. HUD publishes a Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in this county at $842 per month (studio $648, 1BR $768, 3BR $1,177, 4BR $1,412). Department of Labor data lists infant center-based childcare at $6,019 per year, consuming 16% of the local median household income.

Reading the overall grade requires reading all seven dimensions together. The score weights Income 20%, Safety 20%, Housing 15%, Rent 15%, Education 10%, Commute 10%, and Childcare 10%, with each sub-score benchmarked against national percentiles rather than state averages — so the grade is genuinely comparable across any city in the country. Strengths visible in the raw data for Metcalfe, MS include housing. Pressure points are income. Unemployment currently reads 4.5% and poverty 19.5% — numbers worth keeping alongside the headline grade.