City comparison
Columbus, GA vs Gulfport, MS
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Columbus, GA (89.3) and Gulfport, MS (90.0, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Columbus, GA goes as far as $100,800 in Gulfport, MS.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $939 a month in Columbus, GA and $923 in Gulfport, MS.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,299 a year higher in Columbus, GA than in Gulfport, MS.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −5.4% moving from Columbus, GA to Gulfport, MS ($112,556 → $106,437), while prices change by +0.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.2% in real buying power.
- Columbus, GA: price level 89.3 (much 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
| Columbus, GA | Gulfport, MS | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.3 | 90.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,795 in Gulfport | $99,211 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $939/mo | $923/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $75,912 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $3,268 (MS) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $43,540 | $43,470 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Columbus, GA-AL HUD Metro FMR Area and Gulfport-Biloxi, MS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbus, GA-AL and Gulfport-Biloxi, MS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Gulfport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 61.2 | 67.9 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 89.7 | 76.3 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 96.1 |
| Overall | 89.3 | 90.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, GA → Gulfport, MS
Roughly even
Buying power −0.8%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$1,299/yr.
66 Fair offer
Gulfport, MS → Columbus, GA
Roughly even
Buying power +0.8%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$1,299/yr.
71 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, GA is in the Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL pay area; Gulfport, MS is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, GA to Gulfport, MS at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, GA | Gulfport, MS | Real change, Columbus → Gulfport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,271 | $61,722 | −6.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,972 | $74,678 | −6.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $94,654 | $89,508 | −6.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $112,556 | $106,437 | −6.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,007 | $125,776 | −6.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, GA | Gulfport, MS | Gulfport pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,360 | $50,820 | $50,419 (−17.8%) |
| Software Developers | $116,150 | $104,240 | $103,418 (−11.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,640 | $76,380 | $75,777 (+2.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,500 | $78,960 | $78,337 (−5.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.