Pike County Mississippi Landlord-Tenant Law: A Complete Guide for Rental Property Owners in McComb, Magnolia, and Southwest Mississippi
Pike County occupies a distinctive position in southwest Mississippi — a county with historical depth, a regional commercial hub in McComb, a quirky administrative split between its county seat and its largest city, and a rental market that reflects the realities of a majority-minority county with a mixed economy and persistent poverty. For landlords operating here, understanding the local landscape — the tenant pool, the court system, the McComb-vs.-Magnolia dynamic, and the state legal framework — is essential groundwork before signing a single lease.
McComb and Magnolia: Understanding the Split
Pike County has a dynamic that surprises out-of-county landlords and investors: the county seat is Magnolia, a quiet town of about 2,200 people, while the county’s actual commercial, population, and economic center is McComb, a city of roughly 12,000 located about 10 miles to the north. Magnolia handles all the county’s official administrative and judicial functions — Circuit Court, Chancery Court, Justice Court, and the county courthouse are all in Magnolia. McComb is where most of the people, the employers, the rental properties, and the economic activity are. For landlords with properties in McComb, this means that any eviction filing requires a trip south to Magnolia’s Justice Court at 200 E. Bay Street. It is a practical inconvenience worth knowing before you need to file, not after.
McComb was founded as a railroad town in 1872 by Henry S. McComb, president of the New Orleans, Jackson and Great Northern Railroad, and the Illinois Central Railroad remained the city’s defining economic institution for much of the 20th century. That railroad legacy is largely gone today, but McComb retains its character as a working-class small city with an identity rooted in industry, community, and — particularly in the civil rights era — fierce social struggle. The city was the site of some of the most dangerous and consequential civil rights organizing in Mississippi’s history, led by Bob Moses and SNCC beginning in 1961, at a time when voter registration work in Pike County could and did get activists killed. That history is present in the county’s demographic composition today: Pike County is approximately 60% Black, and the McComb rental market serves a predominantly African American tenant base.
The Pike County Economy and Tenant Pool
The McComb rental market’s most reliable tenant segment is anchored by healthcare employment. Southwest Mississippi Regional Medical Center (SMRMC) is one of the county’s largest employers, providing a wide range of nursing, technical, administrative, and support positions that generate stable monthly income. Healthcare workers — nurses, medical assistants, administrative staff, facilities workers — tend to have predictable paychecks, stable employment histories, and a strong incentive to maintain good rental standing. For landlords in the $600–$850/month range that defines most of McComb’s market-rate rental inventory, a verified SMRMC employee is often among the most reliable applicants you will encounter.
Pike County School District and South Pike and West Pike school districts employ teachers, paraprofessionals, bus drivers, cafeteria workers, and support staff across numerous schools in the county. School district employment is among the most stable in any Mississippi county market — state-funded, predictable, and typically long-tenured. Teachers and school employees make excellent tenants, particularly for landlords renting in the $550–$750/month segment. One screening note: school employees are paid on a 10-month or 12-month schedule depending on classification and district. Verify the payment schedule at screening so you understand the income flow pattern — some employees receive larger summer checks while others are paid in equal monthly installments year-round.
Light manufacturing and industrial employment in McComb and the surrounding county contributes another segment to the tenant pool. Pike County has attracted a mix of industrial employers over the years, including food processing, wood products, and other manufacturing operations. These workers earn hourly wages with overtime potential; their income can vary month to month depending on plant schedules and order cycles. Screen manufacturing workers using several months of pay stubs to get a realistic average rather than a peak or trough snapshot.
Pike County’s poverty rate of approximately 28% ensures that a significant share of rental demand in the affordable tier comes from Housing Choice Voucher participants and households relying on SSI, SSDI, or other transfer income. Landlords choosing to participate in the HCV program should contact the Pike County Housing Authority for current payment standards, unit inspection requirements, and administrative procedures. HCV participation is entirely voluntary under Mississippi and federal law for private landlords, but in a market with this level of poverty concentration, HCV-eligible tenants represent a meaningful segment of the rental applicant pool.
Mississippi Landlord-Tenant Law: What Applies in Pike County
There are no Pike County-specific landlord-tenant ordinances. No local rent control, no rental licensing requirement, and no just-cause eviction rule applies at the county level. The City of McComb may have local code enforcement programs applicable within city limits — verify with the McComb city government for any inspection or registration requirements for rental properties within the city. Outside of McComb’s city limits, state law governs exclusively.
Mississippi’s Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (Miss. Code Ann. §§ 89-8-1 through 89-8-29) establishes the statewide framework. Landlords must maintain rental property in habitable condition — weathertight, structurally sound, with functioning plumbing, heating, and electrical systems. The implied warranty of habitability applies statewide. Security deposits have no statutory cap; they must be returned with itemized written accounting within 45 days of lease termination, delivery of possession, and written tenant demand, or the landlord faces a $200 penalty plus actual damages under § 89-8-21.
Evictions in Pike County: Filing in Magnolia
Pike County does not have a County Court. All residential eviction actions — unlawful entry and detainer proceedings — are filed at Pike County Justice Court, 200 E. Bay Street, Magnolia, MS 39652, phone (601) 783-3362. The process begins with the appropriate written notice: a 3-Day Notice to Pay or Vacate for nonpayment of rent under § 89-7-27, or a 14-Day Notice to Cure or Vacate for lease violations under § 89-8-13. Serve notices by certified mail with return receipt or personal service with a witness, and retain all documentation. After the notice period expires, file a sworn Complaint for Unlawful Entry and Detainer at Justice Court. The Pike County Sheriff serves the summons on the tenant, a hearing is set within one to two weeks, and the judge rules. If the landlord prevails, a Writ of Possession is issued and enforced by the Sheriff. Uncontested evictions in Pike County typically resolve within two to eight weeks of filing.
A practical note for McComb landlords: the 10-mile drive from McComb to Magnolia to file and attend hearings is a minor logistical consideration but a real one. Build it into your eviction timeline and budget. Showing up to your hearing with complete documentation — the written lease, all notices with proof of service, a rent ledger, and move-in inspection records — puts you in the strongest possible position before a Justice Court judge.
This guide is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Landlord-tenant law is subject to change and may vary based on individual circumstances. Consult a licensed Mississippi attorney or contact Pike County Justice Court at (601) 783-3362 for guidance specific to your situation. Last updated: March 2026.
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