City comparison
Cleveland, OH vs Jackson, MS
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Cleveland, OH are 5.5% higher than in Jackson, MS. Someone earning $100,000 in Jackson, MS would need about $105,500 in Cleveland, OH to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,058 a month in Cleveland, OH and $1,097 in Jackson, MS.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,300 a year higher in Jackson, 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 Jackson, MS ($111,138 → $106,437), while prices change by −5.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.0% in real buying power.
- Cleveland, OH: price level 93.9 (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
| Cleveland, OH | Jackson, MS | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.9 | 89.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,810 in Jackson | $105,475 in Cleveland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,058/mo | $1,097/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% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,140 | $42,850 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Cleveland, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Jackson, MS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Cleveland, OH and Jackson, MS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cleveland | Jackson |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.4 | 64.8 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 96.0 | 78.1 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 96.1 |
| Overall | 93.9 | 89.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cleveland, OH → Jackson, MS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.5%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$1,300/yr.
86 Strong offer
Jackson, MS → Cleveland, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.2%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,300/yr.
53 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cleveland, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Jackson, MS is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Cleveland, OH to Jackson, MS at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cleveland, OH | Jackson, MS | Real change, Cleveland → Jackson |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $61,722 | +1.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $74,678 | +1.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $89,508 | +1.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $106,437 | +1.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $125,776 | +1.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cleveland, OH | Jackson, MS | Jackson pay in Cleveland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,470 | $50,240 | $52,990 (−30.7%) |
| Software Developers | $111,310 | $96,990 | $102,300 (−8.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,000 | $70,720 | $74,592 (−6.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,940 | $82,630 | $87,154 (+3.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.