City comparison
Jackson, MS vs Olympia, WA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Olympia, WA are 16.4% higher than in Jackson, MS. Someone earning $100,000 in Jackson, MS would need about $116,400 in Olympia, WA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,682 a month in Olympia, WA versus $1,097 in Jackson, MS. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Olympia, WA and 17% in Jackson, MS.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,268 a year higher in Jackson, MS than in Olympia, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.4% moving from Jackson, MS to Olympia, WA ($106,437 → $119,630), while prices change by +16.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.5% in real buying power.
- Jackson, MS: price level 89.0 (much cheaper)
- Olympia, WA: price level 103.7 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Jackson, MS | Olympia, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.0 | 103.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $116,420 in Olympia | $85,896 in Jackson |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,097/mo | $1,682/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,912 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,268 (MS) | $0 (WA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $42,850 | $61,960 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Seattle-Tacoma, WA |
Rent areas: Jackson, MS HUD Metro FMR Area and Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA MSA. Metro areas: Jackson, MS and Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Jackson | Olympia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 64.8 | 116.7 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 105.0 |
| Utilities | 78.1 | 91.7 |
| Other services | 96.1 | 99.5 |
| Overall | 89.0 | 103.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Jackson, MS → Olympia, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −14.1%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$3,268/yr.
37 Weak offer
Olympia, WA → Jackson, MS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +16.4%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$3,268/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Jackson, MS is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Olympia, WA is in Seattle-Tacoma, WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Jackson, MS to Olympia, WA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Jackson, MS | Olympia, WA | Real change, Jackson → Olympia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,373 | −3.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $83,935 | −3.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $100,602 | −3.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $119,630 | −3.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $141,367 | −3.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Jackson, MS | Olympia, WA | Olympia pay in Jackson dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,240 | $104,650 | $89,890 (+78.9%) |
| Software Developers | $96,990 | $124,060 | $106,562 (+9.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,720 | $94,470 | $81,146 (+14.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,630 | $125,020 | $107,387 (+30.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.