City comparison
Jackson, MS vs Reading, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Reading, PA are 9.0% higher than in Jackson, MS. Someone earning $100,000 in Jackson, MS would need about $109,000 in Reading, PA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,237 a month in Reading, PA versus $1,097 in Jackson, MS. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Reading, 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 Reading, PA ($106,437 → $117,284), while prices change by +9.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.1% in real buying power.
- Jackson, MS: price level 89.0 (much cheaper)
- Reading, PA: price level 97.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Jackson, MS | Reading, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.0 | 97.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,997 in Reading | $91,745 in Jackson |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,097/mo | $1,237/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% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $42,850 | $49,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
Rent areas: Jackson, MS HUD Metro FMR Area and Reading, PA MSA. Metro areas: Jackson, MS and Reading, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Jackson | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 64.8 | 85.4 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 78.1 | 108.2 |
| Other services | 96.1 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 89.0 | 97.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Jackson, MS → Reading, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.3%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$198/yr.
43 Weak offer
Reading, PA → Jackson, MS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.0%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$198/yr.
97 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Jackson, MS is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Reading, PA is in Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD. The last column shows what a transfer from Jackson, MS to Reading, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Jackson, MS | Reading, PA | Real change, Jackson → Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $68,013 | +1.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $82,289 | +1.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $98,630 | +1.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $117,284 | +1.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $138,595 | +1.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Jackson, MS | Reading, PA | Reading pay in Jackson dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,240 | $79,860 | $73,268 (+45.8%) |
| Software Developers | $96,990 | $120,920 | $110,938 (+14.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,720 | $75,550 | $69,314 (−2.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,630 | $98,470 | $90,342 (+9.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.