City comparison
Jackson, MS vs Spartanburg, SC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Spartanburg, SC are 2.2% higher than in Jackson, MS. Someone earning $100,000 in Jackson, MS would need about $102,200 in Spartanburg, SC to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,097 a month in Jackson, MS and $1,083 in Spartanburg, SC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,575 a year higher in Spartanburg, SC 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 Spartanburg, SC changes real buying power by −2.2%, purely from prices.
- Jackson, MS: price level 89.0 (much cheaper)
- Spartanburg, SC: price level 91.1 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Jackson, MS | Spartanburg, SC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.0 | 91.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,249 in Spartanburg | $97,800 in Jackson |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,097/mo | $1,083/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,912 | $74,337 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,268 (MS) | $4,843 (SC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $42,850 | $47,650 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Jackson, MS HUD Metro FMR Area and Spartanburg, SC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Jackson, MS and Spartanburg, SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Jackson | Spartanburg |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 64.8 | 68.0 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 78.1 | 88.3 |
| Other services | 96.1 | 98.3 |
| Overall | 89.0 | 91.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Jackson, MS → Spartanburg, SC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.2%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$1,575/yr.
62 Fair offer
Spartanburg, SC → Jackson, MS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.2%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,575/yr.
76 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 Spartanburg, SC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Jackson, MS | Spartanburg, SC | Real change, Jackson → Spartanburg |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −2.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −2.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −2.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −2.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −2.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Jackson, MS | Spartanburg, SC | Spartanburg pay in Jackson dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,240 | $60,990 | $59,648 (+18.7%) |
| Software Developers | $96,990 | $114,460 | $111,942 (+15.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,720 | $77,080 | $75,384 (+6.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,630 | $82,360 | $80,548 (−2.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.