City comparison
Cincinnati, OH vs Gulfport, MS
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Cincinnati, OH are 6.0% higher than in Gulfport, MS. Someone earning $100,000 in Gulfport, MS would need about $106,000 in Cincinnati, OH to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,051 a month in Cincinnati, OH versus $923 in Gulfport, MS. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in Cincinnati, OH and 15% in Gulfport, MS.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,300 a year higher in Gulfport, MS than in Cincinnati, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.0% moving from Cincinnati, OH to Gulfport, MS ($110,865 → $106,437), while prices change by −5.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.7% in real buying power.
- Cincinnati, OH: price level 95.4 (cheaper)
- 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
| Cincinnati, OH | Gulfport, MS | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.4 | 90.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,376 in Gulfport | $105,960 in Cincinnati |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,051/mo | $923/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $75,912 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $3,268 (MS) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,170 | $43,470 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Gulfport-Biloxi, MS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN and Gulfport-Biloxi, MS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cincinnati | Gulfport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.6 | 67.9 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 91.0 | 76.3 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 96.1 |
| Overall | 95.4 | 90.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cincinnati, OH → Gulfport, MS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.0%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$1,300/yr.
87 Strong offer
Gulfport, MS → Cincinnati, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.6%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,300/yr.
51 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cincinnati, OH is in the Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN pay area; Gulfport, MS is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Cincinnati, OH to Gulfport, MS at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cincinnati, OH | Gulfport, MS | Real change, Cincinnati → Gulfport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,290 | $61,722 | +1.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,785 | $74,678 | +1.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,231 | $89,508 | +1.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,865 | $106,437 | +1.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,009 | $125,776 | +1.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cincinnati, OH | Gulfport, MS | Gulfport pay in Cincinnati dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,740 | $50,820 | $53,849 (−16.8%) |
| Software Developers | $121,420 | $104,240 | $110,452 (−9.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,640 | $76,380 | $80,932 (+0.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,650 | $78,960 | $83,666 (+0.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.