City comparison
Baltimore, MD vs Gulfport, MS
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Baltimore, MD are 16.1% higher than in Gulfport, MS. Someone earning $100,000 in Gulfport, MS would need about $116,100 in Baltimore, MD to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,511 a month in Baltimore, MD versus $923 in Gulfport, MS. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Baltimore, MD and 15% in Gulfport, MS.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,118 a year higher in Baltimore, MD than in Gulfport, MS.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −12.6% moving from Baltimore, MD to Gulfport, MS ($121,785 → $106,437), while prices change by −13.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.5% in real buying power.
- Baltimore, MD: price level 104.5 (pricier)
- Gulfport, MS: price level 90.0 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Baltimore, MD | Gulfport, MS | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.5 | 90.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $86,141 in Gulfport | $116,089 in Baltimore |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,511/mo | $923/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,794 | $75,912 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,386 (MD) | $3,268 (MS) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,070 | $43,470 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD MSA and Gulfport-Biloxi, MS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD and Gulfport-Biloxi, MS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Baltimore | Gulfport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 118.2 | 67.9 |
| Goods | 102.4 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 110.2 | 76.3 |
| Other services | 101.5 | 96.1 |
| Overall | 104.5 | 90.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Baltimore, MD → Gulfport, MS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +16.1%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$1,118/yr.
100 Strong offer
Gulfport, MS → Baltimore, MD
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$1,118/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Baltimore, MD is in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA pay area; Gulfport, MS is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Baltimore, MD to Gulfport, MS at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Baltimore, MD | Gulfport, MS | Real change, Baltimore → Gulfport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $70,623 | $61,722 | +1.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $85,447 | $74,678 | +1.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $102,415 | $89,508 | +1.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $121,785 | $106,437 | +1.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $143,913 | $125,776 | +1.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Baltimore, MD | Gulfport, MS | Gulfport pay in Baltimore dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,400 | $50,820 | $58,996 (−22.8%) |
| Software Developers | $138,900 | $104,240 | $121,011 (−12.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,160 | $76,380 | $88,669 (+4.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,550 | $78,960 | $91,664 (−7.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.