City comparison
Atlanta, GA vs Jackson, MS
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Atlanta, GA are 12.4% higher than in Jackson, MS. Someone earning $100,000 in Jackson, MS would need about $112,400 in Atlanta, GA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,660 a month in Atlanta, GA versus $1,097 in Jackson, MS. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Atlanta, GA and 17% in Jackson, MS.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,299 a year higher in Atlanta, GA than in Jackson, MS.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −5.4% moving from Atlanta, GA to Jackson, MS ($112,556 → $106,437), while prices change by −11.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.3% in real buying power.
- Atlanta, GA: price level 100.1 (about average)
- Jackson, MS: price level 89.0 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Atlanta, GA | Jackson, MS | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.1 | 89.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $88,996 in Jackson | $112,364 in Atlanta |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,660/mo | $1,097/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $75,912 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $3,268 (MS) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 27% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,170 | $42,850 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA HUD Metro FMR Area and Jackson, MS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA and Jackson, MS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Atlanta | Jackson |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.0 | 64.8 |
| Goods | 100.4 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 96.2 | 78.1 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 96.1 |
| Overall | 100.1 | 89.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Atlanta, GA → Jackson, MS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.4%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,299/yr.
100 Strong offer
Jackson, MS → Atlanta, GA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.0%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$1,299/yr.
35 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Atlanta, GA is in the Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL pay area; Jackson, MS is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Atlanta, GA to Jackson, MS at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Atlanta, GA | Jackson, MS | Real change, Atlanta → Jackson |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,271 | $61,722 | +6.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,972 | $74,678 | +6.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $94,654 | $89,508 | +6.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $112,556 | $106,437 | +6.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,007 | $125,776 | +6.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Atlanta, GA | Jackson, MS | Jackson pay in Atlanta dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,570 | $50,240 | $56,452 (−26.3%) |
| Software Developers | $132,960 | $96,990 | $108,982 (−18.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,820 | $70,720 | $79,464 (−7.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,490 | $82,630 | $92,846 (−7.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.