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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
In plain English: Dollar for dollar, few states match Mississippi's value. 1 out of 1 cities undercut the national cost index of 111. Leading the pack: Jackson at index 75, where median rent of $1,283/month saves renters $7,344/year versus the national median.
In plain English: Dollar for dollar, few states match Mississippi's value. 1 out of 1 cities undercut the national cost index of 111. Leading the pack: Jackson at index 75, where median rent of $1,283/month saves renters $7,344/year versus the national median.
Why Jackson ranks #1: the numbers tell a clear story. At 75 on the cost index, residents save roughly 36% 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 75, though Healthcare (95) lags behind. Home prices average $86,017 — $381,353 below the national median.
The ranking uses a composite of 2026 data from Census Bureau population/income surveys, Zillow rent and home price indices, BLS salary benchmarks, and Tax Foundation tax rates. Jackson (index 75, rent $1,283). Each city profile below links to the full detail page with 12-month trends, salary breakdowns, and cost category comparisons.
Against the national baseline, though: Across Mississippi, the average cost of living index is 75 — 36 points below the national median. Known for the most affordable state in America by most measures, the state offers 1 tracked cities with median rents averaging $1,283/month. That's $612 less than the national average of $1,895. That's the sort of advantage that turns renters into homeowners (we double-checked this one).
If you're ready to act on this, three things to do next: 1) Click into the city pages for the top 3 and check rent trends — direction matters more than the snapshot. And as far as the data shows, 2) Run your income through the salary calculator for a personalized cost comparison. 3) Compare your top two picks head-to-head on our comparison page. The data is here; the decision is yours.
#1 Ranked: Jackson — cost index 75, rent $1,283/mo, income $43,238
1 of 1 cities come in below the national cost-of-living average of 111
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
143,709 residents · Mississippi
Jackson earns its position at #1 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 75 cost index sits 36 points below the national baseline, and the $43,238 median income means purchasing power here is amplified by the low cost base. Homes list at $86,017 — $381,353 below the national median — a genuine ownership opportunity. On the cost side, Housing leads the way at 75, while Healthcare trails at 95.
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Jackson | 5% | 7.07% | 0.63% | $32,812 |
Jackson ranks #1 in Mississippi for this analysis with a cost index of 75 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.