City comparison
Jackson, MS vs Mobile, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Jackson, MS are 1.1% higher than in Mobile, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Mobile, AL would need about $101,100 in Jackson, MS to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,097 a month in Jackson, MS versus $919 in Mobile, AL. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Jackson, MS and 15% in Mobile, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,467 a year higher in Mobile, AL 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 Mobile, AL changes real buying power by +1.1%, purely from prices.
- Jackson, MS: price level 89.0 (much cheaper)
- Mobile, AL: price level 88.1 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Jackson, MS | Mobile, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.0 | 88.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,933 in Mobile | $101,078 in Jackson |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,097/mo | $919/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,912 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,268 (MS) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $42,850 | $47,000 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Jackson, MS HUD Metro FMR Area and Mobile, AL MSA. Metro areas: Jackson, MS and Mobile, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Jackson | Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 64.8 | 60.1 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 78.1 | 84.2 |
| Other services | 96.1 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 89.0 | 88.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Jackson, MS → Mobile, AL
Roughly even
Buying power +1.1%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$1,467/yr.
72 Strong offer
Mobile, AL → Jackson, MS
Roughly even
Buying power −1.1%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,467/yr.
65 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 Jackson, MS to Mobile, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Jackson, MS | Mobile, AL | Real change, Jackson → Mobile |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +1.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +1.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +1.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +1.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +1.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Jackson, MS | Mobile, AL | Mobile pay in Jackson dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,240 | $60,970 | $61,627 (+22.7%) |
| Software Developers | $96,990 | $122,540 | $123,861 (+27.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,720 | $72,130 | $72,908 (+3.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,630 | $79,490 | $80,347 (−2.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.