City comparison
Jackson, MS vs Salt Lake City, UT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salt Lake City, UT are 13.3% higher than in Jackson, MS. Someone earning $100,000 in Jackson, MS would need about $113,300 in Salt Lake City, UT to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,456 a month in Salt Lake City, UT versus $1,097 in Jackson, MS. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Salt Lake City, UT and 17% in Jackson, MS.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $266 a year higher in Salt Lake City, 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 Salt Lake City, UT changes real buying power by −11.7%, purely from prices.
- Jackson, MS: price level 89.0 (much cheaper)
- Salt Lake City, UT: price level 100.9 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Jackson, MS | Salt Lake City, UT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.0 | 100.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $113,274 in Salt Lake City | $88,282 in Jackson |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,097/mo | $1,456/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% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $42,850 | $55,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Jackson, MS HUD Metro FMR Area and Salt Lake City, UT HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Jackson, MS and Salt Lake City-Murray, UT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Jackson | Salt Lake City |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 64.8 | 123.3 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 78.1 | 79.0 |
| Other services | 96.1 | 99.0 |
| Overall | 89.0 | 100.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Jackson, MS → Salt Lake City, UT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.7%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$266/yr.
38 Weak offer
Salt Lake City, UT → Jackson, MS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.3%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$266/yr.
100 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 Salt Lake City, UT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Jackson, MS | Salt Lake City, UT | Real change, Jackson → Salt Lake City |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −11.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −11.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −11.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −11.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −11.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Jackson, MS | Salt Lake City, UT | Salt Lake City pay in Jackson dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,240 | $77,920 | $68,789 (+36.9%) |
| Software Developers | $96,990 | $129,600 | $114,413 (+18.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,720 | $82,100 | $72,479 (+2.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,630 | $85,890 | $75,825 (−8.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.