City comparison
Jackson, MS vs Providence, RI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Providence, RI are 14.3% higher than in Jackson, MS. Someone earning $100,000 in Jackson, MS would need about $114,300 in Providence, RI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,402 a month in Providence, RI versus $1,097 in Jackson, MS. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Providence, RI and 17% in Jackson, MS.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,268 a year in MS and $3,148 in RI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.3% moving from Jackson, MS to Providence, RI ($106,437 → $120,548), while prices change by +14.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.9% in real buying power.
- Jackson, MS: price level 89.0 (much cheaper)
- Providence, RI: price level 101.8 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Jackson, MS | Providence, RI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.0 | 101.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $114,290 in Providence | $87,497 in Jackson |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,097/mo | $1,402/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,912 | $76,032 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,268 (MS) | $3,148 (RI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $42,850 | $53,680 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Jackson, MS HUD Metro FMR Area and Providence-Fall River, RI-MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Jackson, MS and Providence-Warwick, RI-MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Jackson | Providence |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 64.8 | 103.9 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 97.1 |
| Utilities | 78.1 | 148.8 |
| Other services | 96.1 | 102.3 |
| Overall | 89.0 | 101.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Jackson, MS → Providence, RI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.5%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$120/yr.
38 Weak offer
Providence, RI → Jackson, MS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.3%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$120/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Jackson, MS is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Providence, RI is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Jackson, MS to Providence, RI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Jackson, MS | Providence, RI | Real change, Jackson → Providence |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,905 | −0.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,579 | −0.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $101,375 | −0.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,548 | −0.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $142,452 | −0.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Jackson, MS | Providence, RI | Providence pay in Jackson dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,240 | $86,720 | $75,877 (+51.0%) |
| Software Developers | $96,990 | $130,690 | $114,349 (+17.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,720 | $95,020 | $83,139 (+17.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,630 | $99,880 | $87,392 (+5.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.