City comparison
Brownsville, TX vs Gulfport, MS
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Gulfport, MS are 4.7% higher than in Brownsville, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Brownsville, TX would need about $104,700 in Gulfport, MS to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $923 a month in Gulfport, MS versus $866 in Brownsville, TX. On $100,000, that's 15% of take-home pay in Gulfport, MS and 13% in Brownsville, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,268 a year higher in Gulfport, MS than in Brownsville, TX.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Brownsville, TX to Gulfport, MS changes real buying power by −4.5%, purely from prices.
- Brownsville, TX: price level 86.0 (much cheaper)
- Gulfport, MS: price level 90.0 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Brownsville, TX | Gulfport, MS | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 86.0 | 90.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,689 in Gulfport | $95,521 in Brownsville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $866/mo | $923/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,912 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $3,268 (MS) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 13% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $36,490 | $43,470 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Brownsville-Harlingen, TX MSA and Gulfport-Biloxi, MS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Brownsville-Harlingen, TX and Gulfport-Biloxi, MS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Brownsville | Gulfport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 57.7 | 67.9 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 81.2 | 76.3 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 96.1 |
| Overall | 86.0 | 90.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Brownsville, TX → Gulfport, MS
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.5%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$3,268/yr.
55 Fair offer
Gulfport, MS → Brownsville, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.7%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax −$3,268/yr.
83 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Brownsville, TX to Gulfport, MS at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Brownsville, TX | Gulfport, MS | Real change, Brownsville → Gulfport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −4.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −4.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −4.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −4.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −4.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Brownsville, TX | Gulfport, MS | Gulfport pay in Brownsville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,350 | $50,820 | $48,544 (−23.4%) |
| Software Developers | $106,990 | $104,240 | $99,572 (−6.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $66,440 | $76,380 | $72,959 (+9.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,090 | $78,960 | $75,424 (−7.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.