City comparison
Jackson, MS vs Scranton, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Scranton, PA are 5.1% higher than in Jackson, MS. Someone earning $100,000 in Jackson, MS would need about $105,100 in Scranton, PA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,097 a month in Jackson, MS versus $1,028 in Scranton, PA. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Jackson, MS and 16% in Scranton, PA.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,268 a year in MS and $3,070 in PA.
- 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 Scranton, PA changes real buying power by −4.8%, purely from prices.
- Jackson, MS: price level 89.0 (much cheaper)
- Scranton, PA: price level 93.6 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Jackson, MS | Scranton, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.0 | 93.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,062 in Scranton | $95,181 in Jackson |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,097/mo | $1,028/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,912 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,268 (MS) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $42,850 | $46,330 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Jackson, MS HUD Metro FMR Area and Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA MSA. Metro areas: Jackson, MS and Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Jackson | Scranton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 64.8 | 67.0 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 78.1 | 106.5 |
| Other services | 96.1 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 89.0 | 93.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Jackson, MS → Scranton, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.8%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$198/yr.
54 Fair offer
Scranton, PA → Jackson, MS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.1%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$198/yr.
85 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 Scranton, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Jackson, MS | Scranton, PA | Real change, Jackson → Scranton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −4.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −4.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −4.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −4.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −4.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Jackson, MS | Scranton, PA | Scranton pay in Jackson dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,240 | $76,590 | $72,900 (+45.1%) |
| Software Developers | $96,990 | $119,960 | $114,180 (+17.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,720 | $70,480 | $67,084 (−5.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,630 | $82,650 | $78,668 (−4.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.