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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Dollar for dollar, few states match Mississippi's value. 1 out of 1 cities undercut the national cost index of 112 — which, honestly, is lower than you'd expect here — . Leading the pack: Jackson at index 84, where median rent of $1,283/month saves renters $7,344/year versus the national median (not…
Dollar for dollar, few states match Mississippi's value. 1 out of 1 cities undercut the national cost index of 112 — which, honestly, is lower than you'd expect here — . Leading the pack: Jackson at index 84, where median rent of $1,283/month saves renters $7,344/year versus the national median (not adjusted for inflation, but still telling).
Why Jackson ranks #1: the numbers tell a clear story. And as a general rule, at 84 on the cost index, residents save roughly 28% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,283/month while the median household pulls in $43,238/year. The Housing category is particularly strong at 61, though Healthcare (87) lags behind. Home prices average $86,017 — $381,353 below the national median.
Bottom line: Jackson leads this ranking for clear, data-backed reasons — but the "best" city depends on your priorities. It's fine. Not great, not bad. Click into any city below to see the full detail page with 12-month trend charts, profession-specific salary data, and a breakdown of all five cost categories. If you're seriously considering a move, use our salary calculator to model your specific income against these numbers (not adjusted for inflation, but still telling).
#1 Ranked: Jackson — cost index 84, rent $1,283/mo, income $43,238
1 of 1 cities come in below the national cost-of-living average of 112
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
143,709 residents · Mississippi
What does daily life actually cost in Jackson? Start with the 36% rent-to-income ratio — stretched, especially for single earners. On the category level, Housing (index 61) is where the real savings show up, while Healthcare (index 87) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $43,238 — a detail that tends to get overlooked — and homes at $86,017 round out a profile that ranks #1 for clear reasons.
Jackson ranks #1 in Mississippi for this analysis with a cost index of 84 and median income of $43,238.
Our cost of living index uses real Zillow rent data as the foundation, indexed to 100 (national median). Sub-categories (housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare) are derived from the overall index with regional adjustments. Data is updated monthly.
City data is refreshed monthly from Census Bureau population estimates, Zillow rent and home price indices, BLS salary data, and Tax Foundation tax rates. Last updated: 2026.
The median 1-bedroom rent in Jackson is $1,283/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $612 below the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Jackson is $86,017, which is 2.0× the local median income. That's within the standard 3.5× affordability rule for most local earners. The national median home price is $467,370.
Mississippi has a 5% state income tax rate. Combined state and local sales tax averages 7.07%, and the effective property tax rate is 0.63%.
This ranking was generated using data current as of early 2026. Population and income data comes from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (5-year estimates). Rent and home price data is from Zillow's monthly releases. Tax rates are from the Tax Foundation's 2025 edition. Rankings are refreshed monthly.