City comparison
Jackson, MS vs Memphis, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Memphis, TN are 3.5% higher than in Jackson, MS. Someone earning $100,000 in Jackson, MS would need about $103,500 in Memphis, TN to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,154 a month in Memphis, TN versus $1,097 in Jackson, MS. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Memphis, TN and 17% in Jackson, MS.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,268 a year higher in Jackson, MS than in Memphis, TN.
- 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 Memphis, TN changes real buying power by −3.4%, purely from prices.
- Jackson, MS: price level 89.0 (much cheaper)
- Memphis, TN: price level 92.2 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Jackson, MS | Memphis, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.0 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,516 in Memphis | $96,603 in Jackson |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,097/mo | $1,154/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,912 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,268 (MS) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $42,850 | $46,890 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Jackson, MS HUD Metro FMR Area and Memphis, TN-MS-AR HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Jackson, MS and Memphis, TN-MS-AR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Jackson | Memphis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 64.8 | 79.8 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 78.1 | 74.1 |
| Other services | 96.1 | 95.4 |
| Overall | 89.0 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Jackson, MS → Memphis, TN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.4%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$3,268/yr.
58 Fair offer
Memphis, TN → Jackson, MS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.5%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$3,268/yr.
80 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 Memphis, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Jackson, MS | Memphis, TN | Real change, Jackson → Memphis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −3.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −3.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −3.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −3.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −3.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Jackson, MS | Memphis, TN | Memphis pay in Jackson dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,240 | $61,510 | $59,421 (+18.3%) |
| Software Developers | $96,990 | $125,580 | $121,314 (+25.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,720 | $76,960 | $74,346 (+5.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,630 | $81,500 | $78,732 (−4.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.