City comparison
Jackson, MS vs Raleigh, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Raleigh, NC are 10.2% higher than in Jackson, MS. Someone earning $100,000 in Jackson, MS would need about $110,200 in Raleigh, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,596 a month in Raleigh, NC versus $1,097 in Jackson, MS. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Raleigh, NC and 17% in Jackson, MS.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,268 a year in MS and $3,481 in NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.4% moving from Jackson, MS to Raleigh, NC ($106,437 → $111,147), while prices change by +10.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.3% in real buying power.
- Jackson, MS: price level 89.0 (much cheaper)
- Raleigh, NC: price level 98.2 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Jackson, MS | Raleigh, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.0 | 98.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $110,229 in Raleigh | $90,720 in Jackson |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,097/mo | $1,596/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,912 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,268 (MS) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $42,850 | $51,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC |
Rent areas: Jackson, MS HUD Metro FMR Area and Raleigh-Cary, NC MSA. Metro areas: Jackson, MS and Raleigh-Cary, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Jackson | Raleigh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 64.8 | 103.5 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 78.1 | 89.0 |
| Other services | 96.1 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 89.0 | 98.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Jackson, MS → Raleigh, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.3%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$213/yr.
39 Weak offer
Raleigh, NC → Jackson, MS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.2%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$213/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Jackson, MS is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Raleigh, NC is in Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Jackson, MS to Raleigh, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Jackson, MS | Raleigh, NC | Real change, Jackson → Raleigh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,453 | −5.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,983 | −5.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,468 | −5.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,147 | −5.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,342 | −5.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Jackson, MS | Raleigh, NC | Raleigh pay in Jackson dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,240 | $60,170 | $54,586 (+8.7%) |
| Software Developers | $96,990 | $132,770 | $120,449 (+24.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,720 | $81,950 | $74,345 (+5.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,630 | $84,830 | $76,958 (−6.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.