City comparison
Jackson, MS vs St. Louis, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in St. Louis, MO are 6.8% higher than in Jackson, MS. Someone earning $100,000 in Jackson, MS would need about $106,800 in St. Louis, MO to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,097 a month in Jackson, MS versus $995 in St. Louis, MO. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Jackson, MS and 16% in St. Louis, MO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $495 a year higher in St. Louis, MO than in Jackson, MS.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.5% moving from Jackson, MS to St. Louis, MO ($106,437 → $109,137), while prices change by +6.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.0% in real buying power.
- Jackson, MS: price level 89.0 (much cheaper)
- St. Louis, MO: price level 95.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Jackson, MS | St. Louis, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.0 | 95.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,783 in St. Louis | $93,648 in Jackson |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,097/mo | $995/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,912 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,268 (MS) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $42,850 | $49,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL |
Rent areas: Jackson, MS HUD Metro FMR Area and St. Louis, MO-IL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Jackson, MS and St. Louis, MO-IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Jackson | St. Louis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 64.8 | 79.0 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 100.0 |
| Utilities | 78.1 | 69.9 |
| Other services | 96.1 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 89.0 | 95.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Jackson, MS → St. Louis, MO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.4%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$495/yr.
49 Fair offer
St. Louis, MO → Jackson, MS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.8%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$495/yr.
90 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Jackson, MS is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; St. Louis, MO is in St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL. The last column shows what a transfer from Jackson, MS to St. Louis, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Jackson, MS | St. Louis, MO | Real change, Jackson → St. Louis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $63,288 | −4.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $76,573 | −4.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $91,779 | −4.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $109,137 | −4.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $128,967 | −4.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Jackson, MS | St. Louis, MO | St. Louis pay in Jackson dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,240 | $60,650 | $56,798 (+13.1%) |
| Software Developers | $96,990 | $129,030 | $120,834 (+24.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,720 | $78,880 | $73,870 (+4.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,630 | $83,180 | $77,896 (−5.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.