City comparison
Jackson, MS vs Nashville, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Nashville, TN are 8.2% higher than in Jackson, MS. Someone earning $100,000 in Jackson, MS would need about $108,200 in Nashville, TN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,578 a month in Nashville, TN versus $1,097 in Jackson, MS. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Nashville, TN and 17% in Jackson, MS.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,268 a year higher in Jackson, MS than in Nashville, TN.
- 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 Nashville, TN changes real buying power by −7.6%, purely from prices.
- Jackson, MS: price level 89.0 (much cheaper)
- Nashville, TN: price level 96.3 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Jackson, MS | Nashville, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.0 | 96.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,187 in Nashville | $92,433 in Jackson |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,097/mo | $1,578/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,912 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,268 (MS) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $42,850 | $50,390 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Jackson, MS HUD Metro FMR Area and Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Jackson, MS and Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Jackson | Nashville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 64.8 | 104.6 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 78.1 | 72.0 |
| Other services | 96.1 | 95.1 |
| Overall | 89.0 | 96.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Jackson, MS → Nashville, TN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.6%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$3,268/yr.
45 Fair offer
Nashville, TN → Jackson, MS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.2%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$3,268/yr.
94 Strong 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 Nashville, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Jackson, MS | Nashville, TN | Real change, Jackson → Nashville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −7.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −7.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −7.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −7.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −7.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Jackson, MS | Nashville, TN | Nashville pay in Jackson dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,240 | $61,460 | $56,809 (+13.1%) |
| Software Developers | $96,990 | $126,610 | $117,029 (+20.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,720 | $78,080 | $72,172 (+2.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,630 | $84,040 | $77,681 (−6.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.