Top 5 Bookkeepers in the Jackson Area, MS (2026)
Key Takeaways
- Lightheart, Sanders and Associates, in Madison, ranks first with an Evidence Score of 63 at 86% coverage.
- We reviewed 21 firms here; 8 of the 8 that met the listing bar reached 70% evidence coverage, and the 5 with at least 6 documented items are numbered.
- Pricing is hidden across the board: no firm here publishes a monthly price, and 8 of 8 don't mention fees at all.
- Compared with every firm we list, this group stands out on reporting: 3 of 8 state how often reports arrive (38% against 24%).
Sources cited in this article: DNS check, Firm's own website, IRS preparer records, State business registry, and our published methodology.
21 profiles reviewed, 8 met the listing bar, 8 scored (evidence coverage of 70% or more). 5 document at least 6 of the items we score and are ranked by Evidence Score; the other 3 are under the list as Also scored.
Firms on this page have offices in Jackson (2), Madison (2), Ridgeland (2), Flowood (1) and Richland (1). The page covers 51 towns and cities in the metro area, and a firm elsewhere in Mississippi appears on the state page.
How this list is built: Methodology · Disclosures · About · Report a correction
This list numbers the 5 Jackson bookkeeping firms with enough documented evidence to rank, out of 8 that met our listing bar, and scores 3 more below it without a number. Start from what you need and use the filters: remote service (2).
Top 5 Bookkeepers in the Jackson Area, MS, Ranked by Evidence Score
- Lightheart, Sanders and Associates (Madison, MS). Evidence Score 63/100 at 86% coverage. Read the full profileDocuments 3 of 5 core services; IRS preparer record found for a named person; registered entity verified. Documented fit: technology.Who they say they serve (self-reported): technology.
- Collins, Barr & Hembree, Ltd (Madison, MS). Evidence Score 50/100 at 77% coverage. Read the full profileDocuments 3 of 5 core services; registered entity verified. Documented fit: construction, real estate.Who they say they serve (self-reported): construction, real estate, healthcare, law firms, hospitality.
- Harper, Rains, Knight & Company, P.A. (Ridgeland, MS). Evidence Score 45/100 at 80% coverage. Read the full profileDocuments 3 of 5 core services; registered entity verified. Documented fit: construction, real estate.Who they say they serve (self-reported): construction, real estate, medical, retail, law firms.
- Mississippi Accounting Firm (Ridgeland, MS). Evidence Score 31/100 at 86% coverage. Read the full profileDocuments 3 of 5 core services. Documented fit: healthcare, technology.Who they say they serve (self-reported): healthcare, technology.
- Metro Tax & Accounting (Flowood, MS). Evidence Score 28/100 at 84% coverage. Read the full profileDocuments 2 of 5 core services; registered entity verified.
Also scored
These firms reached 70% evidence coverage, but fewer than 6 of the items we score are documented for them, so they carry a score and no number.
| Firm | Where | Services documented | Software | Pricing | Credentials verified | Coverage (%) | Evidence Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tann, Brown, & Russ | Jackson, MS | payroll coordination | QuickBooks | Not verified | Not verified | 78 | 20 |
| The Greenfield Firm | JACKSON, MS | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified | 75 | 14 |
| Dennis Meek & Co | Richland, MS Local | payroll coordination | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified | 86 | 9 |
Top firms in Madison
Lightheart, Sanders and Associates leads Madison with an Evidence Score of 63/100 at 86% coverage. Also ranked in Madison: Collins, Barr & Hembree, Ltd (50/100, 77% coverage).
Top firms in Ridgeland
Harper, Rains, Knight & Company, P.A. leads Ridgeland with an Evidence Score of 45/100 at 80% coverage. Also ranked in Ridgeland: Mississippi Accounting Firm (31/100, 86% coverage).
Comparison table
| Firm | Where | Services documented | Software | Pricing | Credentials verified | Coverage (%) | Evidence Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lightheart, Sanders and Associates Says it serves: technology | Madison, MS Local + remote | monthly bookkeeping, AP/AR, month-end close | QuickBooks | Not verified | IRS preparer record | 86 | 63 |
| Collins, Barr & Hembree, Ltd Says it serves: construction, real estate, healthcare, law firms, hospitality | Madison, MS Local + remote | AP/AR, payroll coordination, month-end close | QuickBooks | Not verified | Not verified | 77 | 50 |
| Harper, Rains, Knight & Company, P.A. Says it serves: construction, real estate, medical, retail, law firms | Ridgeland, MS | AP/AR, payroll coordination, month-end close | QuickBooks | Not verified | Not verified | 80 | 45 |
| Mississippi Accounting Firm Says it serves: healthcare, technology | Ridgeland, MS | AP/AR, payroll coordination, month-end close | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified | 86 | 31 |
| Metro Tax & Accounting | Flowood, MS Local | payroll coordination, month-end close | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified | 84 | 28 |
What the evidence shows
Pricing
None of these 8 websites shows a monthly fee. None of the 8 say they work by quote, and 8 of 8 don't mention pricing. Ask for the fee and what it covers in writing before the first month starts.
Licenses and public records
Mississippi publishes records we can match, so we could check this group against them: 5 with a business registration found in the state's registry data. The Mississippi CPA register isn't one we can search automatically, so a CPA license on these pages reads Not verified until someone checks the board by hand. Check any CPA claim yourself on the Mississippi State Board of Public Accountancy lookup.
The ranking
The numbered firms score between 28 and 63; the median across every scored firm is 29.5. 3 more firms reached 70% coverage with fewer than 6 documented items, so they sit under the list as Also scored, without a number. The top of the list: Lightheart, Sanders and Associates (63 at 86% coverage), Collins, Barr & Hembree, Ltd (50 at 77% coverage) and Harper, Rains, Knight & Company, P.A. (45 at 80% coverage). Ridgeland has the most numbered firms (2), and the list spans 3 towns in all. A high-coverage firm with a modest score isn't a weak firm. Its site simply leaves more for you to ask.
Jackson area in figures
Shares of the 8 firms listed, from accepted evidence only. A firm with no evidence for an item counts as not stating it. Credentials: the Mississippi CPA register isn't searched automatically, so licenses read Not verified. Median evidence coverage: 82%; median Evidence Score of the scored firms: 29.5.
| What the firms state | Share (%) | Firms (of 8) |
|---|---|---|
| Publish a price or starting price | 0 | 0 |
| State they price by quote | 0 | 0 |
| Say nothing about pricing | 100 | 8 |
| Hold a third-party-verified credential | 0 | 0 |
| State a reporting cadence | 38 | 3 |
| Describe onboarding | 12 | 1 |
| Offer catch-up or cleanup work | 0 | 0 |
| Work remotely (stated) | 25 | 2 |
| Mention QuickBooks | 50 | 4 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Do any Jackson bookkeepers publish their prices?
Not on their websites. None of the 8 say they quote each client, and the rest don't mention fees. Ask for the monthly fee and what it covers in writing.
Which Jackson bookkeepers say which industries they serve?
4 of 8 name them on their own sites, among them Lightheart, Sanders and Associates (technology), Collins, Barr & Hembree, Ltd (construction and real estate), Harper, Rains, Knight & Company, P.A. (construction and real estate) and Mississippi Accounting Firm (healthcare and technology). It's self-reported, so ask for a client reference in your trade.
Every place this page covers (51)
Beauregard, Benton, Bentonia, Bolton, Brandon, Braxton, Byram, Canton, Cleary, Clinton, Cruger, Crystal Springs, D'Lo, Durant, Eden, Edwards, Flora, Florence, Flowood, Forest, Georgetown, Gluckstadt, Goodman, Harperville, Hazlehurst, Hillsboro, Jackson, Kearney Park, Lake, Learned, Lexington, Madison, Magee, Mendenhall, Morton, Pearl, Pelahatchie, Pickens, Puckett, Raymond, Richland, Ridgeland, Robinhood, Satartia, Sebastopol, Tchula, Terry, Utica, Wesson, West, Yazoo City.
Sources and further reading
Dates are when we checked. Report an error.
- DNS checkChecked Sep 26, 2026 to Nov 10, 2026
- Firm's own websiteChecked Sep 26, 2026 to Nov 12, 2026
- IRS preparer recordsChecked Sep 27, 2026
- State business registryChecked Sep 26, 2026
- Mississippi State Board of Public Accountancy: license lookupMississippi State Board of Public Accountancy
- Mississippi business entity searchState of Mississippi
- How the Evidence Score worksBookkeeping Index methodology
- Commercial disclosuresBookkeeping Index