City comparison
Jackson, MS vs Philadelphia, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Philadelphia, PA are 15.2% higher than in Jackson, MS. Someone earning $100,000 in Jackson, MS would need about $115,200 in Philadelphia, PA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,520 a month in Philadelphia, PA versus $1,097 in Jackson, MS. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Philadelphia, PA and 17% in Jackson, MS.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,268 a year in MS and $3,070 in PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +10.2% moving from Jackson, MS to Philadelphia, PA ($106,437 → $117,284), while prices change by +15.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.3% in real buying power.
- Jackson, MS: price level 89.0 (much cheaper)
- Philadelphia, PA: price level 102.6 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Jackson, MS | Philadelphia, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.0 | 102.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $115,167 in Philadelphia | $86,830 in Jackson |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,097/mo | $1,520/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,912 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,268 (MS) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $42,850 | $54,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
Rent areas: Jackson, MS HUD Metro FMR Area and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA. Metro areas: Jackson, MS and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Jackson | Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 64.8 | 113.1 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 78.1 | 114.4 |
| Other services | 96.1 | 103.1 |
| Overall | 89.0 | 102.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Jackson, MS → Philadelphia, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.2%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$198/yr.
38 Weak offer
Philadelphia, PA → Jackson, MS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +15.2%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$198/yr.
100 Strong offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Jackson, MS is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Philadelphia, PA is in Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD. The last column shows what a transfer from Jackson, MS to Philadelphia, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Jackson, MS | Philadelphia, PA | Real change, Jackson → Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $68,013 | −4.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $82,289 | −4.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $98,630 | −4.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $117,284 | −4.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $138,595 | −4.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Jackson, MS | Philadelphia, PA | Philadelphia pay in Jackson dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $90,460 | $132,560 | $115,102 (+27.2%) |
| Software Developers | $96,990 | $133,040 | $115,519 (+19.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,720 | $85,990 | $74,665 (+5.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,630 | $101,180 | $87,855 (+6.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.