City comparison
Columbus, GA vs Jackson, 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 Jackson, MS (89.0, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Columbus, GA goes as far as $99,700 in Jackson, MS.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,097 a month in Jackson, MS versus $939 in Columbus, GA. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Jackson, MS and 15% in Columbus, GA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,299 a year higher in Columbus, GA than in Jackson, MS.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −5.4% moving from Columbus, GA to Jackson, MS ($112,556 → $106,437), while prices change by −0.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.2% in real buying power.
- Columbus, GA: price level 89.3 (much cheaper)
- 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
| Columbus, GA | Jackson, MS | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.3 | 89.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,722 in Jackson | $100,279 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $939/mo | $1,097/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% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $43,540 | $42,850 |
| 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 Jackson, MS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbus, GA-AL and Jackson, MS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Jackson |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 61.2 | 64.8 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 89.7 | 78.1 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 96.1 |
| Overall | 89.3 | 89.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, GA → Jackson, MS
Roughly even
Buying power +0.3%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,299/yr.
70 Fair offer
Jackson, MS → Columbus, GA
Roughly even
Buying power −0.3%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$1,299/yr.
68 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, GA is in the Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL pay area; Jackson, MS is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, GA to Jackson, MS at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, GA | Jackson, MS | Real change, Columbus → Jackson |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,271 | $61,722 | −5.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,972 | $74,678 | −5.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $94,654 | $89,508 | −5.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $112,556 | $106,437 | −5.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,007 | $125,776 | −5.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, GA | Jackson, MS | Jackson pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,360 | $50,240 | $50,380 (−17.9%) |
| Software Developers | $116,150 | $96,990 | $97,260 (−16.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,640 | $70,720 | $70,917 (−3.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,500 | $82,630 | $82,860 (+0.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.