City comparison
Gulfport, MS vs Wichita, KS
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Gulfport, MS are 1.2% higher than in Wichita, KS. Someone earning $100,000 in Wichita, KS would need about $101,200 in Gulfport, MS to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $923 a month in Gulfport, MS versus $849 in Wichita, KS. On $100,000, that's 15% of take-home pay in Gulfport, MS and 14% in Wichita, KS.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,512 a year higher in Wichita, KS than in Gulfport, MS.
- 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 Gulfport, MS to Wichita, KS changes real buying power by +1.2%, purely from prices.
- Gulfport, MS: price level 90.0 (much cheaper)
- Wichita, KS: price level 88.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Gulfport, MS | Wichita, KS | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.0 | 88.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,822 in Wichita | $101,192 in Gulfport |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $923/mo | $849/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,912 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,268 (MS) | $4,780 (KS) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $43,470 | $47,630 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Gulfport-Biloxi, MS HUD Metro FMR Area and Wichita, KS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Gulfport-Biloxi, MS and Wichita, KS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Gulfport | Wichita |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 67.9 | 66.2 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 94.0 |
| Utilities | 76.3 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 96.1 | 93.8 |
| Overall | 90.0 | 88.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Gulfport, MS → Wichita, KS
Roughly even
Buying power +1.2%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$1,512/yr.
72 Strong offer
Wichita, KS → Gulfport, MS
Roughly even
Buying power −1.2%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$1,512/yr.
65 Fair 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 Gulfport, MS to Wichita, KS at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Gulfport, MS | Wichita, KS | Real change, Gulfport → Wichita |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +1.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +1.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +1.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +1.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +1.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Gulfport, MS | Wichita, KS | Wichita pay in Gulfport dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,820 | $58,640 | $59,339 (+16.8%) |
| Software Developers | $104,240 | $105,980 | $107,243 (+2.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,380 | $79,270 | $80,215 (+5.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $78,960 | $76,540 | $77,452 (−1.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.