City comparison

Gulfport, MS vs Lansing, MI

What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.

Key findings

  • Prices in Lansing, MI are 5.5% higher than in Gulfport, MS. Someone earning $100,000 in Gulfport, MS would need about $105,500 in Lansing, MI to live the same way.
  • Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,012 a month in Lansing, MI versus $923 in Gulfport, MS. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in Lansing, MI and 15% in Gulfport, MS.
  • On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $731 a year higher in Lansing, MI than in Gulfport, MS.
  • For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +10.3% moving from Gulfport, MS to Lansing, MI ($106,437 → $117,402), while prices change by +5.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.5% in real buying power.
GulfportLansing
Price level (U.S. = 100):Under 9292–9898–102102–108Over 108
  • Gulfport, MS: price level 90.0 (much cheaper)
  • Lansing, MI: price level 95.0 (cheaper)

Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.

Side by side

Gulfport, MSLansing, MI
Price level (U.S. = 100)290.095.0
$100,000 is worth, in the other city2$105,539 in Lansing$94,752 in Gulfport
Typical 1-bedroom rent3$923/mo$1,012/mo
Take-home on $100,00014,15,8$75,912$75,181
State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8$3,268 (MS)$3,999 (MI)
Rent burden on $100,00015%16%
Median pay, all jobs4$43,470$52,800
Federal locality pay area7Rest of U.S.Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI

Rent areas: Gulfport-Biloxi, MS HUD Metro FMR Area and Lansing-East Lansing, MI MSA. Metro areas: Gulfport-Biloxi, MS and Lansing-East Lansing, MI.

What costs more or less

Gulfport, MSLansing, MI
Price level (U.S. = 100)GulfportLansing
Housing (rent)67.983.5
Goods96.293.7
Utilities76.395.5
Other services96.199.6
Overall90.095.0
BEA Regional Price Parities2. Housing covers rents.

Moving with the same $100,000 salary

Gulfport, MS → Lansing, MI

Same pay buys less

Buying power −5.2%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$731/yr.

52 Fair offer

Lansing, MI → Gulfport, MS

Same pay goes further

Buying power +5.5%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$731/yr.

86 Strong offer

On the GS pay scale?

Gulfport, MS is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Lansing, MI is in Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI. The last column shows what a transfer from Gulfport, MS to Lansing, MI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.

Grade5,2Gulfport, MSLansing, MIReal change, Gulfport → Lansing
GS-9 step 1$61,722$68,081+4.5%
GS-11 step 1$74,678$82,372+4.5%
GS-12 step 1$89,508$98,729+4.5%
GS-13 step 1$106,437$117,402+4.5%
GS-14 step 1$125,776$138,734+4.5%

Pay for common jobs

Median annual pay4Gulfport, MSLansing, MILansing pay in Gulfport dollars
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$50,820$72,930$69,103 (+36.0%)
Software Developers$104,240$97,120$92,023 (−11.7%)
Accountants and Auditors$76,380$79,210$75,053 (−1.7%)
Registered Nurses$78,960$84,320$79,895 (+1.2%)

"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.

Check your own offer

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Taxes are estimates for a single filer taking the standard deduction; city and county income taxes are not included. See the methodology.

Notes & Sources

  1. U.S. Census Bureau, Metropolitan Statistical Area population estimates (Vintage 2025) (2025). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  2. U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by MSA (MARPP), all items (2024). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  3. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rents, 1-bedroom (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  4. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025, metropolitan areas (2025). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  5. U.S. Office of Personnel Management, General Schedule (GS) pay rates with locality pay, 2026 (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  6. U.S. Office of Personnel Management, Locality codes used in the 2026 GS pay spreadsheet (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  7. U.S. Office of Personnel Management, 2026 Locality Pay Area Definitions (counties in each pay area) (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  8. Tax Foundation, State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets, 2026 (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  9. U.S. Census Bureau, Cartographic boundary file: states, 1:20,000,000 (2024) (2024). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  10. U.S. Census Bureau, Gazetteer file: core based statistical areas (2025) (2025). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  11. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, table C24010 (occupation of employed residents) by ZIP code area (2024). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  12. U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Tabulation Area relationship files (2020; Connecticut 2022) and Gazetteer locations (2025) (2025). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  13. U.S. Census Bureau, Cartographic boundary files (ZIP code areas 2020; counties and states 2024) and TIGER/Line primary roads (2024) (2024). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  14. Internal Revenue Service, Rev. Proc. 2025-32 (2026 tax brackets and standard deduction) (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  15. Internal Revenue Service, Publication 15 (Circular E), Employer's Tax Guide for 2026 (Social Security and Medicare) (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  16. U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, O*NET 31.0 Database: Job Titles (used under CC BY 4.0; O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA) (2026). Retrieved 2026-10-14.