City comparison
Jackson, MS vs Reno, NV
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Reno, NV are 13.4% higher than in Jackson, MS. Someone earning $100,000 in Jackson, MS would need about $113,400 in Reno, NV to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,489 a month in Reno, NV versus $1,097 in Jackson, MS. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Reno, NV and 17% in Jackson, MS.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,268 a year higher in Jackson, MS than in Reno, NV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.4% moving from Jackson, MS to Reno, NV ($106,437 → $106,855), while prices change by +13.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −11.5% in real buying power.
- Jackson, MS: price level 89.0 (much cheaper)
- Reno, NV: price level 101.0 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Jackson, MS | Reno, NV | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.0 | 101.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $113,438 in Reno | $88,154 in Jackson |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,097/mo | $1,489/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,912 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,268 (MS) | $0 (NV) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $42,850 | $49,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Reno-Fernley, NV |
Rent areas: Jackson, MS HUD Metro FMR Area and Reno, NV HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Jackson, MS and Reno, NV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Jackson | Reno |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 64.8 | 123.5 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 78.1 | 89.3 |
| Other services | 96.1 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 89.0 | 101.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Jackson, MS → Reno, NV
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.8%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$3,268/yr.
38 Weak offer
Reno, NV → Jackson, MS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.4%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$3,268/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Jackson, MS is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Reno, NV is in Reno-Fernley, NV. The last column shows what a transfer from Jackson, MS to Reno, NV at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Jackson, MS | Reno, NV | Real change, Jackson → Reno |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,965 | −11.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,972 | −11.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,859 | −11.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,855 | −11.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $126,271 | −11.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Jackson, MS | Reno, NV | Reno pay in Jackson dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,240 | $62,430 | $55,035 (+9.5%) |
| Software Developers | $96,990 | $125,710 | $110,819 (+14.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,720 | $82,370 | $72,613 (+2.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,630 | $107,520 | $94,783 (+14.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.