City comparison
Ann Arbor, MI vs Jackson, MS
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Ann Arbor, MI are 13.3% higher than in Jackson, MS. Someone earning $100,000 in Jackson, MS would need about $113,300 in Ann Arbor, MI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,387 a month in Ann Arbor, MI versus $1,097 in Jackson, MS. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Ann Arbor, MI and 17% in Jackson, MS.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $731 a year higher in Ann Arbor, MI than in Jackson, MS.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.3% moving from Ann Arbor, MI to Jackson, MS ($117,402 → $106,437), while prices change by −11.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.7% in real buying power.
- Ann Arbor, MI: price level 100.9 (about average)
- Jackson, MS: price level 89.0 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Ann Arbor, MI | Jackson, MS | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.9 | 89.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $88,271 in Jackson | $113,287 in Ann Arbor |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,387/mo | $1,097/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $75,912 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $3,268 (MS) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,380 | $42,850 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Ann Arbor, MI MSA and Jackson, MS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Ann Arbor, MI and Jackson, MS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Ann Arbor | Jackson |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.3 | 64.8 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 98.2 | 78.1 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 96.1 |
| Overall | 100.9 | 89.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Ann Arbor, MI → Jackson, MS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.3%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$731/yr.
100 Strong offer
Jackson, MS → Ann Arbor, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.7%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$731/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Ann Arbor, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Jackson, MS is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Ann Arbor, MI to Jackson, MS at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Ann Arbor, MI | Jackson, MS | Real change, Ann Arbor → Jackson |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $61,722 | +2.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $74,678 | +2.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $89,508 | +2.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $106,437 | +2.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $125,776 | +2.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Ann Arbor, MI | Jackson, MS | Jackson pay in Ann Arbor dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,060 | $50,240 | $56,915 (−11.2%) |
| Software Developers | $126,830 | $96,990 | $109,877 (−13.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040 | $70,720 | $80,117 (+0.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,450 | $82,630 | $93,609 (−9.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.