City comparison
Jackson, MS vs Shreveport, LA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Jackson, MS are 5.1% higher than in Shreveport, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Shreveport, LA would need about $105,100 in Jackson, MS to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,097 a month in Jackson, MS versus $982 in Shreveport, LA. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Jackson, MS and 15% in Shreveport, LA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $654 a year higher in Jackson, MS than in Shreveport, LA.
- 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 Shreveport, LA changes real buying power by +5.1%, purely from prices.
- Jackson, MS: price level 89.0 (much cheaper)
- Shreveport, LA: price level 84.8 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Jackson, MS | Shreveport, LA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.0 | 84.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,191 in Shreveport | $105,052 in Jackson |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,097/mo | $982/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,912 | $76,566 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,268 (MS) | $2,614 (LA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $42,850 | $44,820 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Jackson, MS HUD Metro FMR Area and Shreveport-Bossier City, LA MSA. Metro areas: Jackson, MS and Shreveport-Bossier City, LA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Jackson | Shreveport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 64.8 | 52.3 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 78.1 | 72.6 |
| Other services | 96.1 | 95.7 |
| Overall | 89.0 | 84.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Jackson, MS → Shreveport, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.1%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$654/yr.
85 Strong offer
Shreveport, LA → Jackson, MS
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.8%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$654/yr.
54 Fair offer
Federal employees: GS pay
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 Shreveport, LA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Jackson, MS | Shreveport, LA | Real change, Jackson → Shreveport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +5.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +5.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +5.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +5.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +5.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Jackson, MS | Shreveport, LA | Shreveport pay in Jackson dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $90,460 | $85,030 | $89,325 (−1.3%) |
| Software Developers | $96,990 | $96,680 | $101,564 (+4.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,720 | $70,420 | $73,977 (+4.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,630 | $80,080 | $84,125 (+1.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.