City comparison
Jackson, MS vs Provo, UT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Provo, UT are 10.3% higher than in Jackson, MS. Someone earning $100,000 in Jackson, MS would need about $110,300 in Provo, UT to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,265 a month in Provo, UT versus $1,097 in Jackson, MS. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Provo, UT and 17% in Jackson, MS.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $266 a year higher in Provo, UT than in Jackson, MS.
- 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 Provo, UT changes real buying power by −9.3%, purely from prices.
- Jackson, MS: price level 89.0 (much cheaper)
- Provo, UT: price level 98.2 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Jackson, MS | Provo, UT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.0 | 98.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $110,314 in Provo | $90,651 in Jackson |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,097/mo | $1,265/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,912 | $75,646 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,268 (MS) | $3,534 (UT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $42,850 | $48,010 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Jackson, MS HUD Metro FMR Area and Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT MSA. Metro areas: Jackson, MS and Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Jackson | Provo |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 64.8 | 104.1 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 78.1 | 78.6 |
| Other services | 96.1 | 99.0 |
| Overall | 89.0 | 98.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Jackson, MS → Provo, UT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.3%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$266/yr.
40 Weak offer
Provo, UT → Jackson, MS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.3%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$266/yr.
100 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 Provo, UT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Jackson, MS | Provo, UT | Real change, Jackson → Provo |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −9.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −9.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −9.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −9.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −9.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Jackson, MS | Provo, UT | Provo pay in Jackson dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $90,460 | $97,430 | $88,321 (−2.4%) |
| Software Developers | $96,990 | $131,210 | $118,943 (+22.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,720 | $75,700 | $68,623 (−3.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,630 | $81,780 | $74,134 (−10.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.