City comparison
Jackson, MS vs Santa Maria, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Santa Maria, CA are 22.2% higher than in Jackson, MS. Someone earning $100,000 in Jackson, MS would need about $122,200 in Santa Maria, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,746 a month in Santa Maria, CA versus $1,097 in Jackson, MS. On $100,000, that's 44% of take-home pay in Santa Maria, CA and 17% in Jackson, MS.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,802 a year higher in Santa Maria, CA than in Jackson, MS.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +16.6% moving from Jackson, MS to Santa Maria, CA ($106,437 → $124,085), while prices change by +22.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.6% in real buying power.
- Jackson, MS: price level 89.0 (much cheaper)
- Santa Maria, CA: price level 108.8 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Jackson, MS | Santa Maria, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.0 | 108.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $122,179 in Santa Maria | $81,847 in Jackson |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,097/mo | $2,746/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,912 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,268 (MS) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 44% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $42,850 | $51,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA |
Rent areas: Jackson, MS HUD Metro FMR Area and Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA MSA. Metro areas: Jackson, MS and Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Jackson | Santa Maria |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 64.8 | 151.4 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 78.1 | 149.8 |
| Other services | 96.1 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 89.0 | 108.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Jackson, MS → Santa Maria, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −18.2%; rent takes 44% of take-home; state tax +$1,802/yr.
8 Weak offer
Santa Maria, CA → Jackson, MS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +22.2%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,802/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Jackson, MS is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Santa Maria, CA is in Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Jackson, MS to Santa Maria, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Jackson, MS | Santa Maria, CA | Real change, Jackson → Santa Maria |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $71,957 | −4.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $87,061 | −4.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $104,349 | −4.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $124,085 | −4.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $146,632 | −4.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Jackson, MS | Santa Maria, CA | Santa Maria pay in Jackson dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,240 | $101,030 | $82,690 (+64.6%) |
| Software Developers | $96,990 | $158,290 | $129,556 (+33.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,720 | $91,610 | $74,980 (+6.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,630 | $137,360 | $112,425 (+36.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.