City comparison
Columbus, OH vs Gulfport, MS
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Columbus, OH are 6.1% higher than in Gulfport, MS. Someone earning $100,000 in Gulfport, MS would need about $106,100 in Columbus, OH to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,194 a month in Columbus, OH versus $923 in Gulfport, MS. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Columbus, 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 Columbus, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Columbus, OH to Gulfport, MS ($111,065 → $106,437), while prices change by −5.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.6% in real buying power.
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (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, OH | Gulfport, MS | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 90.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,278 in Gulfport | $106,070 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,194/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 | 19% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,340 | $43,470 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Gulfport-Biloxi, MS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbus, OH and Gulfport-Biloxi, MS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Gulfport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.9 | 67.9 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 95.5 | 76.3 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 96.1 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 90.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, OH → Gulfport, MS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.1%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$1,300/yr.
88 Strong offer
Gulfport, MS → Columbus, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.7%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,300/yr.
51 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, OH is in the Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH pay area; Gulfport, MS is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, OH to Gulfport, MS at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, OH | Gulfport, MS | Real change, Columbus → Gulfport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,406 | $61,722 | +1.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,926 | $74,678 | +1.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,400 | $89,508 | +1.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,065 | $106,437 | +1.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,245 | $125,776 | +1.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, OH | Gulfport, MS | Gulfport pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,150 | $50,820 | $53,905 (−31.0%) |
| Software Developers | $122,340 | $104,240 | $110,567 (−9.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,700 | $76,380 | $81,016 (−0.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,900 | $78,960 | $83,753 (−0.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.