City comparison
Jackson, MS vs Phoenix, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Phoenix, AZ are 16.0% higher than in Jackson, MS. Someone earning $100,000 in Jackson, MS would need about $116,000 in Phoenix, AZ to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,583 a month in Phoenix, AZ versus $1,097 in Jackson, MS. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Phoenix, AZ and 17% in Jackson, MS.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $977 a year higher in Jackson, MS than in Phoenix, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.6% moving from Jackson, MS to Phoenix, AZ ($106,437 → $111,338), while prices change by +16.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −9.8% in real buying power.
- Jackson, MS: price level 89.0 (much cheaper)
- Phoenix, AZ: price level 103.3 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Jackson, MS | Phoenix, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.0 | 103.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $116,023 in Phoenix | $86,190 in Jackson |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,097/mo | $1,583/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,912 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,268 (MS) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $42,850 | $51,380 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Phoenix-Mesa, AZ |
Rent areas: Jackson, MS HUD Metro FMR Area and Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Jackson, MS and Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Jackson | Phoenix |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 64.8 | 121.2 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 95.0 |
| Utilities | 78.1 | 93.3 |
| Other services | 96.1 | 104.0 |
| Overall | 89.0 | 103.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Jackson, MS → Phoenix, AZ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.8%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$977/yr.
38 Weak offer
Phoenix, AZ → Jackson, MS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +16.0%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$977/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Jackson, MS is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Phoenix, AZ is in Phoenix-Mesa, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Jackson, MS to Phoenix, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Jackson, MS | Phoenix, AZ | Real change, Jackson → Phoenix |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,564 | −9.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $78,117 | −9.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,629 | −9.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,338 | −9.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,568 | −9.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Jackson, MS | Phoenix, AZ | Phoenix pay in Jackson dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,240 | $59,180 | $51,007 (+1.5%) |
| Software Developers | $96,990 | $131,750 | $113,555 (+17.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,720 | $80,820 | $69,659 (−1.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,630 | $100,830 | $86,905 (+5.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.