Corps members rally around the momentum for lasting impact in this land of striking dichotomies, remarkable and complicated histories, and bountiful opportunities for meaningful change.

Mississippi Delta

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Cost of Living

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Beginning Teacher Salary:
$28,000-35,000
Closest city to enter for comparison:
Jackson, MS

Average Per Capita Income -
Mississippi Delta
$24,717 Mississippi Counties
$24,418 Arkansas Counties

Housing
Single: $250-350
Shared: $150-350
Most corps members live in the town where they teach, unless there isn’t much rental property there, in which case they live in a nearby larger town. Corps members find a variety of living arrangements to suit their needs and desires--from small two bedroom houses, to ranch-style homes built in the ‘60s and ‘70s, to majestic Victorians. Fewer corps members live in apartments, though they are available in some larger towns. Corps members may choose to live rurally, with large yards near cotton fields, or in traditional residential neighborhoods. Regardless, corps members are often astounded by the region’s comparably low rents for the housing they are able to acquire. The housing search is most effectively done by meeting with individual property owners and by word-of-mouth. Especially in the first year, we encourage corps members to live together because this increases support and collaboration. First-year corps members find housing once they arrive in the Delta after the summer institute with the help of a housing guide compiled by second-year corps members from various communities.

General Cost of Living
Movie Admission: $7.50*
Cover Charge at a Club: $5-20
Gym Membership:
  • initiation fee: $60
  • monthly fee: $20-30
Dinner at a Modestly Priced Restaurant: $10
Public Transportation: N/A; Access to car is essential
* In Greenville or Forrest City