City comparison
Atlantic City, NJ vs Jackson, MS
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Atlantic City, NJ are 11.0% higher than in Jackson, MS. Someone earning $100,000 in Jackson, MS would need about $111,000 in Atlantic City, NJ to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,537 a month in Atlantic City, NJ versus $1,097 in Jackson, MS. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Atlantic City, NJ and 17% in Jackson, MS.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $912 a year higher in Atlantic City, NJ than in Jackson, MS.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.2% moving from Atlantic City, NJ to Jackson, MS ($117,284 → $106,437), while prices change by −9.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.7% in real buying power.
- Atlantic City, NJ: price level 98.9 (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
| Atlantic City, NJ | Jackson, MS | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.9 | 89.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,078 in Jackson | $111,015 in Atlantic City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,537/mo | $1,097/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,000 | $75,912 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,180 (NJ) | $3,268 (MS) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,520 | $42,850 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ HUD Metro FMR Area and Jackson, MS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ and Jackson, MS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Atlantic City | Jackson |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.7 | 64.8 |
| Goods | 99.8 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 109.2 | 78.1 |
| Other services | 97.9 | 96.1 |
| Overall | 98.9 | 89.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Atlantic City, NJ → Jackson, MS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.0%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$912/yr.
100 Strong offer
Jackson, MS → Atlantic City, NJ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.9%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$912/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Atlantic City, NJ is in the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD pay area; Jackson, MS is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Atlantic City, NJ to Jackson, MS at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Atlantic City, NJ | Jackson, MS | Real change, Atlantic City → Jackson |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,013 | $61,722 | +0.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,289 | $74,678 | +0.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,630 | $89,508 | +0.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,284 | $106,437 | +0.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,595 | $125,776 | +0.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Atlantic City, NJ | Jackson, MS | Jackson pay in Atlantic City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,480 | $50,240 | $55,774 (−30.7%) |
| Software Developers | $126,670 | $96,990 | $107,674 (−15.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,040 | $70,720 | $78,510 (−5.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,320 | $82,630 | $91,732 (−7.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.