City comparison
Cleveland, OH vs Gulfport, MS
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Cleveland, OH are 4.4% higher than in Gulfport, MS. Someone earning $100,000 in Gulfport, MS would need about $104,400 in Cleveland, OH to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,058 a month in Cleveland, OH versus $923 in Gulfport, MS. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in Cleveland, OH and 15% in Gulfport, MS.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,300 a year higher in Gulfport, MS than in Cleveland, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Cleveland, OH to Gulfport, MS ($111,138 → $106,437), while prices change by −4.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.1% in real buying power.
- Cleveland, OH: price level 93.9 (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
| Cleveland, OH | Gulfport, MS | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.9 | 90.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,830 in Gulfport | $104,352 in Cleveland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,058/mo | $923/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $75,912 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $3,268 (MS) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,140 | $43,470 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Cleveland, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Gulfport-Biloxi, MS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Cleveland, OH and Gulfport-Biloxi, MS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cleveland | Gulfport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.4 | 67.9 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 96.0 | 76.3 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 96.1 |
| Overall | 93.9 | 90.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cleveland, OH → Gulfport, MS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.4%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$1,300/yr.
82 Strong offer
Gulfport, MS → Cleveland, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.2%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,300/yr.
56 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cleveland, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Gulfport, MS is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Cleveland, OH to Gulfport, MS at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cleveland, OH | Gulfport, MS | Real change, Cleveland → Gulfport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $61,722 | −0.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $74,678 | −0.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $89,508 | −0.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $106,437 | −0.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $125,776 | −0.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cleveland, OH | Gulfport, MS | Gulfport pay in Cleveland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,470 | $50,820 | $53,032 (−30.7%) |
| Software Developers | $111,310 | $104,240 | $108,776 (−2.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,000 | $76,380 | $79,704 (−0.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,940 | $78,960 | $82,396 (−1.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.