City comparison

Jackson, MS vs Kiryas Joel, NY

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

Key findings

  • Prices in Kiryas Joel, NY are 22.9% higher than in Jackson, MS. Someone earning $100,000 in Jackson, MS would need about $122,900 in Kiryas Joel, NY to live the same way.
  • Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,549 a month in Kiryas Joel, NY versus $1,097 in Jackson, MS. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Kiryas Joel, NY and 17% in Jackson, MS.
  • On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,592 a year higher in Kiryas Joel, NY than in Jackson, MS.
  • For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +17.8% moving from Jackson, MS to Kiryas Joel, NY ($106,437 → $125,431), while prices change by +22.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.1% in real buying power.
JacksonKiryas Joel
Price level (U.S. = 100):Under 9292–9898–102102–108Over 108
  • Jackson, MS: price level 89.0 (much cheaper)
  • Kiryas Joel, NY: price level 109.4 (much pricier)

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

Side by side

Jackson, MSKiryas Joel, NY
Price level (U.S. = 100)289.0109.4
$100,000 is worth, in the other city2$122,880 in Kiryas Joel$81,380 in Jackson
Typical 1-bedroom rent3$1,097/mo$1,549/mo
Take-home on $100,00014,15,8$75,912$74,320
State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8$3,268 (MS)$4,860 (NY)
Rent burden on $100,00017%25%
Median pay, all jobs4$42,850$50,990
Federal locality pay area7Rest of U.S.New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA

Rent areas: Jackson, MS HUD Metro FMR Area and Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY MSA. Metro areas: Jackson, MS and Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY.

What costs more or less

Jackson, MSKiryas Joel, NY
Price level (U.S. = 100)JacksonKiryas Joel
Housing (rent)64.8115.8
Goods96.2110.3
Utilities78.1136.8
Other services96.1106.5
Overall89.0109.4
BEA Regional Price Parities2. Housing covers rents.

Moving with the same $100,000 salary

Jackson, MS → Kiryas Joel, NY

Same pay buys less

Buying power −18.6%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$1,592/yr.

37 Weak offer

Kiryas Joel, NY → Jackson, MS

Same pay goes further

Buying power +22.9%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,592/yr.

100 Strong offer

On the GS pay scale?

Jackson, MS is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Kiryas Joel, NY is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Jackson, MS to Kiryas Joel, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.

Grade5,2Jackson, MSKiryas Joel, NYReal change, Jackson → Kiryas Joel
GS-9 step 1$61,722$72,737−4.1%
GS-11 step 1$74,678$88,005−4.1%
GS-12 step 1$89,508$105,481−4.1%
GS-13 step 1$106,437$125,431−4.1%
GS-14 step 1$125,776$148,222−4.1%

Pay for common jobs

Median annual pay4Jackson, MSKiryas Joel, NYKiryas Joel pay in Jackson dollars
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$50,240$81,770$66,545 (+32.5%)
Software Developers$96,990$145,830$118,677 (+22.4%)
Accountants and Auditors$70,720$88,900$72,347 (+2.3%)
Registered Nurses$82,630$102,890$83,732 (+1.3%)

"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.