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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
The difference between a comfortable retirement and a tight one often comes down to location. In Mississippi — known for the most affordable state in America by most measures, we evaluated 1 cities on healthcare costs, tax burden, and cost of living. Jackson is the top pick for 2026.
#1 Ranked: Jackson — cost index 75, rent $1,283/mo, income $43,238
Retiree-weighted scoring: healthcare index 95, state tax 5%, cost index 75 — protecting fixed retirement income
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
The difference between a comfortable retirement and a tight one often comes down to location. In Mississippi — known for the most affordable state in America by most measures, we evaluated 1 cities on healthcare costs, tax burden, and cost of living. Jackson is the top pick for 2026.
So, Jackson. Cost index of 75, rent at $1,283/month. It's lower than the national average. Median income is $43,238, which is below the national median. Fairly typical for a city this size.
Retirement affordability is about protecting fixed income. Our model weights healthcare costs at 25 points (medical bills are the #1 financial risk in retirement), cost index at 25 points, and state tax burden at 15 points (taxes directly reduce pension and Social Security income). Jackson leads with low healthcare costs, a 5% state tax rate, and a cost index of 75 (that's pre-tax, of course).
What you won't find on most comparison sites: 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. Before you close this tab, check the cost-of-living calculator link. The personalized numbers hit harder.
Quick aside: when housing takes less of your income, the secondary effects are real — less financial stress, more discretionary spending, better local businesses.
Bottom line: Jackson leads this ranking for clear, data-backed reasons — but the "best" city depends on your priorities. 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. Honestly, this is the kind of city that makes you wonder why more people aren't paying attention. The numbers are right there — rent that doesn't eat your paycheck, costs that actually leave room for a life. And yet it barely shows up in the national conversation about affordable places to live. Maybe that's a good thing. Maybe that's what keeps it affordable.
143,709 residents · Mississippi
The #1 spot goes to Jackson, and the breakdown explains why. And as a general rule, renters here pay $1,283/month — saving renters $7,344 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Housing is the standout at index 75, making it one of the cheapest in the country for that category. The weak spot? Healthcare at 95. The 36% rent-to-income ratio is a pressure point — for median earners, housing takes more than recommended.
Jackson ranks #1 in Mississippi for this analysis with a cost index of 75 and median income of $43,238.
Jackson scores highest for retirees due to its below-average cost of living, median rent of $1,283/mo, and competitive 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.