City comparison
Jackson, MS vs Ocala, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Ocala, FL are 6.9% higher than in Jackson, MS. Someone earning $100,000 in Jackson, MS would need about $106,900 in Ocala, FL to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,172 a month in Ocala, FL versus $1,097 in Jackson, MS. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Ocala, FL and 17% in Jackson, MS.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,268 a year higher in Jackson, MS than in Ocala, FL.
- 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 Ocala, FL changes real buying power by −6.5%, purely from prices.
- Jackson, MS: price level 89.0 (much cheaper)
- Ocala, FL: price level 95.2 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Jackson, MS | Ocala, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.0 | 95.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,947 in Ocala | $93,504 in Jackson |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,097/mo | $1,172/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,912 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,268 (MS) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $42,850 | $43,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Jackson, MS HUD Metro FMR Area and Ocala, FL MSA. Metro areas: Jackson, MS and Ocala, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Jackson | Ocala |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 64.8 | 86.2 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 78.1 | 87.1 |
| Other services | 96.1 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 89.0 | 95.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Jackson, MS → Ocala, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.5%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$3,268/yr.
48 Fair offer
Ocala, FL → Jackson, MS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.9%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$3,268/yr.
90 Strong offer
Federal employees: GS pay
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 Ocala, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Jackson, MS | Ocala, FL | Real change, Jackson → Ocala |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −6.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −6.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −6.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −6.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −6.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Jackson, MS | Ocala, FL | Ocala pay in Jackson dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $90,460 | not published | — |
| Software Developers | $96,990 | $112,780 | $105,454 (+8.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,720 | $74,370 | $69,539 (−1.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,630 | $79,230 | $74,084 (−10.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.