City comparison
Gulfport, MS vs Lafayette, LA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Gulfport, MS are 3.2% higher than in Lafayette, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Lafayette, LA would need about $103,200 in Gulfport, MS to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $923 a month in Gulfport, MS and $898 in Lafayette, LA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $654 a year higher in Gulfport, MS than in Lafayette, LA.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Gulfport, MS to Lafayette, LA changes real buying power by +3.2%, purely from prices.
- Gulfport, MS: price level 90.0 (much cheaper)
- Lafayette, LA: price level 87.2 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Gulfport, MS | Lafayette, LA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.0 | 87.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,892 in Lafayette | $103,207 in Gulfport |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $923/mo | $898/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,912 | $76,566 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,268 (MS) | $2,614 (LA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $43,470 | $41,780 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Gulfport-Biloxi, MS HUD Metro FMR Area and Lafayette, LA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Gulfport-Biloxi, MS and Lafayette, LA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Gulfport | Lafayette |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 67.9 | 58.8 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 76.3 | 71.2 |
| Other services | 96.1 | 95.7 |
| Overall | 90.0 | 87.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Gulfport, MS → Lafayette, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.2%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$654/yr.
79 Strong offer
Lafayette, LA → Gulfport, MS
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.1%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$654/yr.
59 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Gulfport, MS to Lafayette, LA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Gulfport, MS | Lafayette, LA | Real change, Gulfport → Lafayette |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +3.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +3.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +3.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +3.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +3.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Gulfport, MS | Lafayette, LA | Lafayette pay in Gulfport dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,820 | $47,770 | $49,302 (−3.0%) |
| Software Developers | $104,240 | $109,010 | $112,506 (+7.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,380 | $67,630 | $69,799 (−8.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $78,960 | $81,960 | $84,589 (+7.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.