City comparison
Jackson, MS vs Madison, WI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Madison, WI are 9.3% higher than in Jackson, MS. Someone earning $100,000 in Jackson, MS would need about $109,300 in Madison, WI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,482 a month in Madison, WI versus $1,097 in Jackson, MS. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Madison, WI and 17% in Jackson, MS.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $651 a year higher in Madison, WI than in Jackson, MS.
- 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 Jackson, MS to Madison, WI changes real buying power by −8.5%, purely from prices.
- Jackson, MS: price level 89.0 (much cheaper)
- Madison, WI: price level 97.3 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Jackson, MS | Madison, WI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.0 | 97.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $109,252 in Madison | $91,531 in Jackson |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,097/mo | $1,482/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,912 | $75,261 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,268 (MS) | $3,919 (WI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $42,850 | $58,080 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Jackson, MS HUD Metro FMR Area and Madison, WI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Jackson, MS and Madison, WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Jackson | Madison |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 64.8 | 99.7 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 78.1 | 89.8 |
| Other services | 96.1 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 89.0 | 97.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Jackson, MS → Madison, WI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.5%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$651/yr.
42 Weak offer
Madison, WI → Jackson, MS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.3%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$651/yr.
98 Strong 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 Jackson, MS to Madison, WI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Jackson, MS | Madison, WI | Real change, Jackson → Madison |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −8.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −8.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −8.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −8.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −8.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Jackson, MS | Madison, WI | Madison pay in Jackson dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,240 | $63,690 | $58,296 (+16.0%) |
| Software Developers | $96,990 | $130,630 | $119,567 (+23.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,720 | $81,130 | $74,259 (+5.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,630 | $101,190 | $92,620 (+12.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.