City comparison
Jackson, MS vs Milwaukee, WI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Milwaukee, WI are 8.9% higher than in Jackson, MS. Someone earning $100,000 in Jackson, MS would need about $108,900 in Milwaukee, WI to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,097 a month in Jackson, MS and $1,119 in Milwaukee, WI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $651 a year higher in Milwaukee, WI than in Jackson, MS.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.6% moving from Jackson, MS to Milwaukee, WI ($106,437 → $111,310), while prices change by +8.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.9% in real buying power.
- Jackson, MS: price level 89.0 (much cheaper)
- Milwaukee, WI: price level 96.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Jackson, MS | Milwaukee, WI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.0 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,859 in Milwaukee | $91,862 in Jackson |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,097/mo | $1,119/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,912 | $75,261 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,268 (MS) | $3,919 (WI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $42,850 | $51,160 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI |
Rent areas: Jackson, MS HUD Metro FMR Area and Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI MSA. Metro areas: Jackson, MS and Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Jackson | Milwaukee |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 64.8 | 97.1 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 78.1 | 91.6 |
| Other services | 96.1 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 89.0 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Jackson, MS → Milwaukee, WI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.1%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$651/yr.
43 Weak offer
Milwaukee, WI → Jackson, MS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.9%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$651/yr.
96 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Jackson, MS is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Milwaukee, WI is in Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Jackson, MS to Milwaukee, WI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Jackson, MS | Milwaukee, WI | Real change, Jackson → Milwaukee |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,548 | −3.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $78,098 | −3.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,606 | −3.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,310 | −3.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,535 | −3.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Jackson, MS | Milwaukee, WI | Milwaukee pay in Jackson dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,240 | $61,480 | $56,477 (+12.4%) |
| Software Developers | $96,990 | $123,730 | $113,661 (+17.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,720 | $80,290 | $73,756 (+4.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,630 | $97,360 | $89,437 (+8.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.