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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 111. Leading the pack: Jackson at index 75, where median rent of $1,283/month saves renters $7,344/year versus the national median.
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.
Dive into Jackson's numbers: cost index 75 — we had to double-check this one — (36 points below national average), rent $1,283/month, income $43,238, and a home price of $86,017. And on balance, the city's cost profile isn't flat — Housing is the cheapest category at 75, while Healthcare runs 95. With 143,709 residents, it balances mid-size city convenience with manageable costs.
On a $75K salary, the key number is $1,875/month — that's 30% of gross, the standard affordability line. And broadly, jackson ($1,283/mo, 21%) all clear that bar. After federal tax, FICA (7.65%), and state income tax, estimated take-home ranges from $53,960 to $53,960/year across these top picks.
Look, an outlier in the best sense.
What's equally notable: State context matters: Mississippi's 1 cities average a 75 cost index with $1,283/month median rent and $43,238 household income. The most affordable state in America by most measures. Cross-reference this ranking with the state salary page. The overlap is telling.
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 generally speaking, 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 keep rent under 30% of $75K gross income
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
143,709 residents · Mississippi
Here's Jackson by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 75. Rent: $1,283/month. Income: $43,238/year. Home price: $86,017. Population: 143,709. The strongest category is Housing at 75; the most expensive is Healthcare at 95. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $7,344 per year vs. the national median. That's the kind of stat homebuyers should print out for their mortgage meetings.
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Jackson | 5% | 7.07% | 0.63% | $53,960 |
We model what a $75K salary looks like after taxes in each city: federal income tax (marginal brackets), FICA (7.65%), and state income tax. Then we compare take-home against local rent and costs to determine where the salary stretches furthest. All data is sourced from federal agencies and verified research institutions. Cost of living indices are normalized to 100 (national median) using Zillow rent as the primary signal, with sub-category adjustments derived from regional BLS price data. Rankings are updated monthly as new data is released.
Jackson ranks #1 in Mississippi for this analysis with a cost index of 75 and median income of $43,238.
Yes. On a $75K salary in Jackson, rent would consume about 21% of your gross monthly income. Financial experts recommend keeping rent under 30%. You're well within that guideline.
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.
After federal taxes, FICA (7.65%), and 5% state income tax, estimated take-home on $75K in Jackson is approximately $53,960/year ($4,497/month). After median rent of $1,283/month, you'd have roughly $38,564/year for all other expenses.
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.