City comparison
Birmingham, AL vs Jackson, MS
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Birmingham, AL are 2.9% higher than in Jackson, MS. Someone earning $100,000 in Jackson, MS would need about $102,900 in Birmingham, AL to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,155 a month in Birmingham, AL versus $1,097 in Jackson, MS. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Birmingham, AL and 17% in Jackson, MS.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,467 a year higher in Birmingham, AL than in Jackson, MS.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.0% moving from Birmingham, AL to Jackson, MS ($107,510 → $106,437), while prices change by −2.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.9% in real buying power.
- Birmingham, AL: price level 91.6 (much cheaper)
- 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
| Birmingham, AL | Jackson, MS | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.6 | 89.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,167 in Jackson | $102,915 in Birmingham |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,155/mo | $1,097/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,445 | $75,912 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,735 (AL) | $3,268 (MS) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,770 | $42,850 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Birmingham-Hoover, AL HUD Metro FMR Area and Jackson, MS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Birmingham, AL and Jackson, MS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Birmingham | Jackson |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 71.9 | 64.8 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 83.8 | 78.1 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 96.1 |
| Overall | 91.6 | 89.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Birmingham, AL → Jackson, MS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.9%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,467/yr.
78 Strong offer
Jackson, MS → Birmingham, AL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.8%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$1,467/yr.
60 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Birmingham, AL is in the Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL pay area; Jackson, MS is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Birmingham, AL to Jackson, MS at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Birmingham, AL | Jackson, MS | Real change, Birmingham → Jackson |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,344 | $61,722 | +1.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,431 | $74,678 | +1.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,410 | $89,508 | +1.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,510 | $106,437 | +1.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,044 | $125,776 | +1.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Birmingham, AL | Jackson, MS | Jackson pay in Birmingham dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,630 | $50,240 | $51,705 (−17.4%) |
| Software Developers | $125,410 | $96,990 | $99,818 (−20.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,660 | $70,720 | $72,782 (−7.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $78,680 | $82,630 | $85,039 (+8.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.