City comparison
Jackson, MS vs Savannah, GA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Savannah, GA are 6.9% higher than in Jackson, MS. Someone earning $100,000 in Jackson, MS would need about $106,900 in Savannah, GA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,533 a month in Savannah, GA versus $1,097 in Jackson, MS. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Savannah, GA and 17% in Jackson, MS.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,299 a year higher in Savannah, GA than in Jackson, MS.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Jackson, MS to Savannah, GA changes real buying power by −6.5%, purely from prices.
- Jackson, MS: price level 89.0 (much cheaper)
- Savannah, GA: price level 95.2 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Jackson, MS | Savannah, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.0 | 95.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,915 in Savannah | $93,532 in Jackson |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,097/mo | $1,533/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,912 | $74,613 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,268 (MS) | $4,567 (GA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $42,850 | $47,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Jackson, MS HUD Metro FMR Area and Savannah, GA MSA. Metro areas: Jackson, MS and Savannah, GA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Jackson | Savannah |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 64.8 | 86.0 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 78.1 | 88.6 |
| Other services | 96.1 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 89.0 | 95.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Jackson, MS → Savannah, GA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.5%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$1,299/yr.
49 Fair offer
Savannah, GA → Jackson, MS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.9%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,299/yr.
90 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Jackson, MS to Savannah, GA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Jackson, MS | Savannah, GA | Real change, Jackson → Savannah |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −6.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −6.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −6.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −6.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −6.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Jackson, MS | Savannah, GA | Savannah pay in Jackson dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,240 | $63,710 | $59,589 (+18.6%) |
| Software Developers | $96,990 | $123,220 | $115,250 (+18.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,720 | $79,790 | $74,629 (+5.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,630 | $86,760 | $81,148 (−1.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.