Side-by-side comparison of Starkville, MS and Tupelo, MS — cap rates, rent, prices, and investment metrics.
Cash flow: Tupelo has the edge with an estimated cap rate of 5.69% compared to Starkville's 5.39%. Neither city passes the 1% rule outright, so deal sourcing and value-add strategies become more important. Median home prices are $245,000 in Starkville vs $185,000 in Tupelo, while rents come in at $1,510/mo and $1,190/mo respectively. For context, the national average cap rate is 3.81% and average price is $333K.
Growth & appreciation: Starkville is growing faster at 0.2% annually vs Tupelo's 0.2%. Starkville leads on home value appreciation at 1.8% per year.
Costs & risk: Property taxes are 0.66% in Starkville vs 0.66% in Tupelo. Vacancy rates of 7.4% and 7.4% are both elevated, warranting conservative cash flow projections.
Entry point: Tupelo offers a lower entry at $185K vs Starkville's $245K — a difference of $60K. With a 20% down payment, that's $37K vs $49K. Tupelo combines the lower price with a higher cap rate — a compelling combination.
Bottom line: Tupelo edges out Starkville on most key metrics. With a 5.69% cap rate, it offers solid cash flow potential. Use our free calculators to model specific deals in Starkville or Tupelo.