City comparison
Jackson, MS vs Lafayette, LA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Jackson, MS are 2.1% higher than in Lafayette, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Lafayette, LA would need about $102,100 in Jackson, MS to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,097 a month in Jackson, MS versus $898 in Lafayette, LA. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Jackson, MS and 14% in Lafayette, LA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $654 a year higher in Jackson, MS than in Lafayette, LA.
- 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 Jackson, MS to Lafayette, LA changes real buying power by +2.1%, purely from prices.
- Jackson, MS: price level 89.0 (much cheaper)
- Lafayette, LA: price level 87.2 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Jackson, MS | Lafayette, LA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.0 | 87.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,935 in Lafayette | $102,109 in Jackson |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,097/mo | $898/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,912 | $76,566 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,268 (MS) | $2,614 (LA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $42,850 | $41,780 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Jackson, MS HUD Metro FMR Area and Lafayette, LA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Jackson, MS and Lafayette, LA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Jackson | Lafayette |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 64.8 | 58.8 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 78.1 | 71.2 |
| Other services | 96.1 | 95.7 |
| Overall | 89.0 | 87.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Jackson, MS → Lafayette, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.1%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$654/yr.
75 Strong offer
Lafayette, LA → Jackson, MS
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.1%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$654/yr.
62 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 Jackson, MS to Lafayette, LA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Jackson, MS | Lafayette, LA | Real change, Jackson → Lafayette |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +2.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +2.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +2.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +2.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +2.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Jackson, MS | Lafayette, LA | Lafayette pay in Jackson dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,240 | $47,770 | $48,777 (−2.9%) |
| Software Developers | $96,990 | $109,010 | $111,309 (+14.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,720 | $67,630 | $69,056 (−2.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,630 | $81,960 | $83,688 (+1.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.