City comparison
Jackson, MS vs Wichita, KS
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Jackson, MS (89.0) and Wichita, KS (88.9, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Jackson, MS goes as far as $99,900 in Wichita, KS.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,097 a month in Jackson, MS versus $849 in Wichita, KS. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Jackson, MS and 14% in Wichita, KS.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,512 a year higher in Wichita, KS 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 Wichita, KS changes real buying power by +0.1%, purely from prices.
- Jackson, MS: price level 89.0 (much cheaper)
- Wichita, KS: price level 88.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Jackson, MS | Wichita, KS | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.0 | 88.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,885 in Wichita | $100,115 in Jackson |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,097/mo | $849/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,912 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,268 (MS) | $4,780 (KS) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $42,850 | $47,630 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Jackson, MS HUD Metro FMR Area and Wichita, KS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Jackson, MS and Wichita, KS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Jackson | Wichita |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 64.8 | 66.2 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 94.0 |
| Utilities | 78.1 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 96.1 | 93.8 |
| Overall | 89.0 | 88.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Jackson, MS → Wichita, KS
Roughly even
Buying power +0.1%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$1,512/yr.
69 Fair offer
Wichita, KS → Jackson, MS
Roughly even
Buying power −0.1%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,512/yr.
68 Fair 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 Wichita, KS at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Jackson, MS | Wichita, KS | Real change, Jackson → Wichita |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +0.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +0.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +0.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +0.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +0.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Jackson, MS | Wichita, KS | Wichita pay in Jackson dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,240 | $58,640 | $58,707 (+16.9%) |
| Software Developers | $96,990 | $105,980 | $106,102 (+9.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,720 | $79,270 | $79,361 (+12.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,630 | $76,540 | $76,628 (−7.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.