City comparison
Jackson, MS vs Youngstown, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Jackson, MS are 1.9% higher than in Youngstown, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Youngstown, OH would need about $101,900 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 $771 in Youngstown, OH. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Jackson, MS and 12% in Youngstown, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,300 a year higher in Jackson, MS than in Youngstown, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.4% moving from Jackson, MS to Youngstown, OH ($106,437 → $111,138), while prices change by −1.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.4% in real buying power.
- Jackson, MS: price level 89.0 (much cheaper)
- Youngstown, OH: price level 87.4 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Jackson, MS | Youngstown, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.0 | 87.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,143 in Youngstown | $101,893 in Jackson |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,097/mo | $771/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,912 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,268 (MS) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 12% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $42,850 | $43,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA |
Rent areas: Jackson, MS HUD Metro FMR Area and Youngstown-Warren, OH MSA. Metro areas: Jackson, MS and Youngstown-Warren, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Jackson | Youngstown |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 64.8 | 53.4 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 78.1 | 96.3 |
| Other services | 96.1 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 89.0 | 87.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Jackson, MS → Youngstown, OH
Roughly even
Buying power +1.9%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$1,300/yr.
75 Strong offer
Youngstown, OH → Jackson, MS
Roughly even
Buying power −1.9%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$1,300/yr.
63 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Jackson, MS is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Youngstown, OH is in Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Jackson, MS to Youngstown, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Jackson, MS | Youngstown, OH | Real change, Jackson → Youngstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,448 | +6.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,977 | +6.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,461 | +6.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,138 | +6.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,331 | +6.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Jackson, MS | Youngstown, OH | Youngstown pay in Jackson dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,240 | $72,560 | $73,933 (+47.2%) |
| Software Developers | $96,990 | $107,990 | $110,034 (+13.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,720 | $73,080 | $74,463 (+5.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,630 | $78,680 | $80,169 (−3.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.