Pontotoc County is a diligence-led rent case rather than a simple appreciation case: Zillow reports a $194,534 median home value and $1,114 median asking rent in its county observation labeled 2026-06, with a supplied 6.87% gross yield before expenses. That combination merits investigation by buyers able to verify subject-level carrying costs and flood exposure; it warrants caution for those relying on headline yield or resale momentum. The rent is measured asking rent, not a lease-up guarantee.
Zillow's price rose 6.75% year over year, while the supplied FHFA annual observation labeled 2025 shows its repeat-transaction HPI up 1.64%. These are distinct methods and vintages: FHFA is not a dollar home value, and the rates should not be averaged. HUD's two-bedroom FMR is $994, a payment standard rather than market rent; the asking-rent measure is 12.1% above it. The 0.65% effective property-tax rate belongs in the expense screen; the yield is gross and says nothing about insurance, maintenance, vacancy or financing.
Annual QCEW records 20,612 covered jobs at county workplaces, up 1.09%, and a $1,163 average weekly covered-worker wage. Education and health services is the largest disclosed private supersector, representing 24.74% of private covered jobs; that is not a complete county-economy measure. Migration data show a net gain of 56 tax-return households and a $2,441 higher average income for movers in than out, but do not establish tenant demand. Investors accounted for 59 of 316 purchases, or 18.67%, indicating meaningful buyer participation rather than evidence on every submarket.
Inland flood is the dominant hazard, and modeled expected annual climate loss is 0.18% of building value; this requires parcel-specific flood zone, elevation, prior-loss, deductible and insurance checks rather than a countywide adjustment. Realtor.com listing price, active-listing, days-on-market, price-reduction and pending data are not published, preventing a read on visible supply, marketing time or seller concessions. Closed-sale comps, property condition, operating expenses, insurance quotes and achieved rents are also absent, so acquisition basis, net yield and exit liquidity cannot be underwritten from this record.