City comparison
Jackson, MS vs Urban Honolulu, HI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Urban Honolulu, HI are 24.6% higher than in Jackson, MS. Someone earning $100,000 in Jackson, MS would need about $124,600 in Urban Honolulu, HI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,016 a month in Urban Honolulu, HI versus $1,097 in Jackson, MS. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Urban Honolulu, HI and 17% in Jackson, MS.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,802 a year higher in Urban Honolulu, HI than in Jackson, MS.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.4% moving from Jackson, MS to Urban Honolulu, HI ($106,437 → $111,119), while prices change by +24.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −16.2% in real buying power.
- Jackson, MS: price level 89.0 (much cheaper)
- Urban Honolulu, HI: price level 111.0 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Jackson, MS | Urban Honolulu, HI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.0 | 111.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $124,608 in Urban Honolulu | $80,252 in Jackson |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,097/mo | $2,016/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,912 | $73,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,268 (MS) | $6,070 (HI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 33% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $42,850 | $57,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | State of Hawaii |
Rent areas: Jackson, MS HUD Metro FMR Area and Urban Honolulu, HI MSA. Metro areas: Jackson, MS and Urban Honolulu, HI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Jackson | Urban Honolulu |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 64.8 | 135.5 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 111.6 |
| Utilities | 78.1 | 187.3 |
| Other services | 96.1 | 102.9 |
| Overall | 89.0 | 111.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Jackson, MS → Urban Honolulu, HI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −19.7%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax +$2,802/yr.
25 Weak offer
Urban Honolulu, HI → Jackson, MS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +24.6%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$2,802/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Jackson, MS is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Urban Honolulu, HI is in State of Hawaii. The last column shows what a transfer from Jackson, MS to Urban Honolulu, HI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Jackson, MS | Urban Honolulu, HI | Real change, Jackson → Urban Honolulu |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,438 | −16.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,964 | −16.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,445 | −16.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,119 | −16.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,310 | −16.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Jackson, MS | Urban Honolulu, HI | Urban Honolulu pay in Jackson dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,240 | $73,080 | $58,648 (+16.7%) |
| Software Developers | $96,990 | $120,230 | $96,487 (−0.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,720 | $74,990 | $60,181 (−14.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,630 | $139,260 | $111,758 (+35.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.