City comparison
Charlotte, NC vs Jackson, MS
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Charlotte, NC are 9.3% higher than in Jackson, MS. Someone earning $100,000 in Jackson, MS would need about $109,300 in Charlotte, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,538 a month in Charlotte, NC versus $1,097 in Jackson, MS. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Charlotte, NC and 17% in Jackson, MS.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,481 a year in NC and $3,268 in MS.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.2% moving from Charlotte, NC to Jackson, MS ($108,810 → $106,437), while prices change by −8.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.9% in real buying power.
- Charlotte, NC: price level 97.3 (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
| Charlotte, NC | Jackson, MS | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 89.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,474 in Jackson | $109,321 in Charlotte |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,538/mo | $1,097/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $75,912 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $3,268 (MS) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,990 | $42,850 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Jackson, MS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC and Jackson, MS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charlotte | Jackson |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.6 | 64.8 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 89.2 | 78.1 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 96.1 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 89.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charlotte, NC → Jackson, MS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.3%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$213/yr.
98 Strong offer
Jackson, MS → Charlotte, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.5%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$213/yr.
42 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Charlotte, NC is in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC pay area; Jackson, MS is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Charlotte, NC to Jackson, MS at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charlotte, NC | Jackson, MS | Real change, Charlotte → Jackson |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,098 | $61,722 | +6.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,343 | $74,678 | +6.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,503 | $89,508 | +6.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,810 | $106,437 | +6.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,581 | $125,776 | +6.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charlotte, NC | Jackson, MS | Jackson pay in Charlotte dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,680 | $50,240 | $54,923 (−6.4%) |
| Software Developers | $135,920 | $96,990 | $106,030 (−22.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,910 | $70,720 | $77,312 (−16.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $90,620 | $82,630 | $90,332 (−0.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.