The means test in Mississippi: median income

The official median income for Mississippi, a quick first-step check and what happens if your income is above it.

Checked against official sources: October 25, 2026.

Short answer

Official medians for Mississippi from the U.S. Trustee Program. Below the median for your household size means you pass the first step.

1 person
$53,978
2 people
$70,328
3 people
$82,846
4 people
$97,464
Each extra person
+$11,100
Medians apply to cases filed on or after
April 1, 2026

Mississippi median income check

Official Form 122A-1 compares your household's yearly income with the median income in Mississippi. Here are the official medians:

  • 1 person$53,978
  • 2 people$70,328
  • 3 people$82,846
  • 4 people$97,464
  • Each extra person+$11,100

Applies to cases filed on or after April 1, 2026. 1 = one earner; 2, 3, 4 = people in the household; add = amount added for each person over 4

The numbers are worked out in your browser. Nothing you enter here is saved or sent.

Before taxes. Add up all income for the last 6 months and divide by 6.

Enter your household size and income

Which court you file in, in Mississippi

You file in the federal bankruptcy district where you lived (your domicile) for most of the 180 days before you file. Mississippi has two districts, Northern and Southern. Northern District divisions map: https://www.msnb.uscourts.gov/bankruptcy-divisions-map; Southern District courthouse locations: https://www.mssb.uscourts.gov/courthouse-locations

Law: 28 U.S.C. 1408

U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Mississippi

Divisions: Aberdeen (clerk's office); Oxford and Greenville (hearings only)

Clerk's phone: 662-369-2596

U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Mississippi

Divisions: Jackson, Gulfport (Hattiesburg and Natchez: hearings only)

Clerk's phone: Jackson 601-608-4600; Gulfport 228-563-1790

Court's self-help page

What you can keep in Mississippi

In Mississippi you use state exemptions only (exemptions are the property the law lets you keep).

Home (homestead): $75,000 in equity in the land and buildings you own and live in, on up to 160 acres.

Car or other vehicle: No separate car exemption. Motor vehicles are one of the kinds of property you can protect within the $10,000 personal property total.

Wildcard (any property): Only if you are 70 or older: an extra $50,000 in any kind of property, including money in the bank.

Exemptions in Mississippi

In nearby states

  • Alabama: 1 person $64,321 · 2 people $77,451 · 3 people $92,698 · 4 people $106,740
  • Louisiana: 1 person $59,447 · 2 people $72,348 · 3 people $84,602 · 4 people $103,628
  • Arkansas: 1 person $58,421 · 2 people $73,630 · 3 people $82,329 · 4 people $97,054
  • Tennessee: 1 person $63,979 · 2 people $82,846 · 3 people $97,511 · 4 people $109,585
  • Georgia: 1 person $68,478 · 2 people $84,965 · 3 people $101,479 · 4 people $123,481
  • Kentucky: 1 person $61,652 · 2 people $73,892 · 3 people $85,212 · 4 people $109,443

Your next steps in Mississippi

  1. Total your income

    Use pay stubs and benefit letters for the 6 full months before you file.

  2. Do the official first step

    Your income is figured on Official Form 122A-1.

  3. If you are above the median

    Next comes the expense calculation on Official Form 122A-2.

  4. File in your court

    You file the forms in Northern District and Southern District.

Free help in Mississippi

Questions about the means test in Mississippi

How much home equity can I keep in Mississippi?

$75,000 in equity in the land and buildings you own and live in, on up to 160 acres. Mortgages, taxes and other liens are subtracted first.

Which bankruptcy court do I use in Mississippi?

You file in the federal bankruptcy district where you lived (your domicile) for most of the 180 days before you file. Mississippi has two districts, Northern and Southern. Northern District divisions map: https://www.msnb.uscourts.gov/bankruptcy-divisions-map; Southern District courthouse locations: https://www.mssb.uscourts.gov/courthouse-locations

What income passes the means test in Mississippi?

For cases filed on or after April 1, 2026: 1 person: $53,978; 2 people: $70,328; 3 people: $82,846; 4 people: $97,464; Each extra person: +$11,100.

Is there free bankruptcy help in Mississippi?

The Mississippi Bar: Pro Bono Legal Services (directory of free and low-cost legal help by area), North Mississippi Rural Legal Services (northern 39 counties) and Mississippi Center for Legal Services.

Keep reading about Mississippi