Carthage, MS vs Shannon, MS

Carthage is moderately more affordable than Shannon, with a 5% lower cost of living index. Carthage scores 60 compared to 63 for Shannon, where the US average is 100. This difference means residents of Shannon can expect to pay noticeably more for everyday expenses, housing, and services.

On the housing front, median rent in Carthage is $549/month compared to $723/month in Shannon — a 24% difference. Interestingly, home values tell a different story: while Carthage has cheaper rent, Shannon actually has lower median home values ($120,200 vs $146,800).

Median household income in Carthage is $47,304 compared to $42,208 in Shannon (+12.1%). Carthage offers a double advantage: higher earnings combined with a lower cost of living, giving residents significantly more purchasing power. Looking at affordability, residents of Carthage spend roughly 13.9% of their income on rent, less than the 20.6% in Shannon.

Climate-wise, both cities share similar average temperatures (63.2°F vs 63.6°F). Carthage receives more rainfall at 58.2" per year compared to 57.7" in Shannon.