City comparison
Jackson, MS vs Omaha, NE
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Omaha, NE are 3.2% higher than in Jackson, MS. Someone earning $100,000 in Jackson, MS would need about $103,200 in Omaha, NE to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,097 a month in Jackson, MS and $1,148 in Omaha, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $402 a year higher in Omaha, NE than in Jackson, MS.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.0% moving from Jackson, MS to Omaha, NE ($106,437 → $107,501), while prices change by +3.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.1% in real buying power.
- Jackson, MS: price level 89.0 (much cheaper)
- Omaha, NE: price level 91.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Jackson, MS | Omaha, NE | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.0 | 91.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,215 in Omaha | $96,885 in Jackson |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,097/mo | $1,148/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,912 | $75,510 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,268 (MS) | $3,670 (NE) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $42,850 | $49,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA |
Rent areas: Jackson, MS HUD Metro FMR Area and Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Jackson, MS and Omaha, NE-IA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Jackson | Omaha |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 64.8 | 86.4 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 78.1 | 76.4 |
| Other services | 96.1 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 89.0 | 91.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Jackson, MS → Omaha, NE
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.1%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$402/yr.
59 Fair offer
Omaha, NE → Jackson, MS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.2%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$402/yr.
79 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Jackson, MS is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Omaha, NE is in Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA. The last column shows what a transfer from Jackson, MS to Omaha, NE at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Jackson, MS | Omaha, NE | Real change, Jackson → Omaha |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,339 | −2.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,425 | −2.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,402 | −2.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $107,501 | −2.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $127,033 | −2.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Jackson, MS | Omaha, NE | Omaha pay in Jackson dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,240 | $62,670 | $60,718 (+20.9%) |
| Software Developers | $96,990 | $125,220 | $121,319 (+25.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,720 | $77,030 | $74,631 (+5.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,630 | $84,600 | $81,965 (−0.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.