Jackson, MS vs Richmond, VA
Simple answer
You'd likely save $362 a month in Jackson.
This is the HUD 2-bedroom fair-market rent for October 2026 through September 2027. It is not your lease.
The largest cost gap in this pair is housing prices. The BEA housing price parity differs by 34.4 points (Jackson 64.8, Richmond 99.1).
Mississippi taxes wages at a flat 4.00%. Virginia taxes wages at rates up to 5.75%. Combined sales tax differs by 1.3 percentage points, higher in Mississippi. The effective property tax gap is 0.06 percentage points, higher in Virginia.
After a move from Mississippi to Virginia, these benefit results change for a family of four at $40,000 and a single adult at $18,000: Marketplace premium tax credits, Medicaid and CHIP.
A $75,000 salary in Jackson lines up with about $82,420 in Richmond on the 2024 all-items price parity. Census median gross rent and the commute figures are 2024. Fair Market Rents are fiscal year 2027.
Jackson
Jackson, MS
- 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent
- $1,289
- HUD area
- Jackson, MS HUD Metro FMR Area
- Census median gross rent
- $1,100
- All-items price parity
- 89.0
- Goods price parity
- 96.2
- Utilities price parity
- 78.1
- Mean commute
- 24.9 min
- Median household income
- $64,835
Richmond
Richmond, VA
- 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent
- $1,651
- HUD area
- Richmond, VA HUD Metro FMR Area
- Census median gross rent
- $1,546
- All-items price parity
- 97.9
- Goods price parity
- 96.8
- Utilities price parity
- 89.2
- Mean commute
- 26.6 min
- Median household income
- $83,460
Equivalent salary
The first number keeps the same place in the national price level. The second also runs 2026 federal income tax, employee Social Security and Medicare, and a simplified state income tax. Groceries use the BEA goods price parity, not a grocery receipt.
$82,420
Salary in Richmond that matches the 2024 all-items regional price parity.
$85,990
Gross salary in Richmond whose after-tax pay buys the same basket, using price parities.
$96,063
Scales the salary by the ratio of HUD 2-bedroom Fair Market Rents. Rent is not the whole budget.
Taxes on the two sides of the move
| Tax | Mississippi | Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| State income tax on wages | 4.00% flat | up to 5.75% |
| Combined sales tax, Jan 1, 2026 | 7.1% | 5.8% |
| Effective property tax, ACS 2024 median / median | 0.65% | 0.71% |
On a $400,000 home, the state median effective rate implies about $2,619 a year in Mississippi and $2,847 in Virginia. That illustration is not a local bill. Childcare prices are not in the verified dataset for these metros.
Benefits if you land in Virginia
Same household, $40,000 a year, scored once in Mississippi and once in Virginia. This is an illustration, not your application.
Food stamps (SNAP)
JacksonLikely eligible
RichmondLikely eligible
Medicaid and CHIP
JacksonLikely eligible
RichmondLikely eligible
WIC
JacksonLikely eligible
RichmondLikely eligible
School meals
JacksonLikely eligible
RichmondLikely eligible
LIHEAP
JacksonMaybe
RichmondMaybe
Earned Income Tax Credit
JacksonLikely eligible
RichmondLikely eligible
Child Tax Credit
JacksonLikely eligible
RichmondLikely eligible
Marketplace premium tax credits
JacksonLikely eligible
RichmondUnlikely
Lifeline phone and internet
JacksonLikely eligible
RichmondLikely eligible
SSI
JacksonUnlikely
RichmondUnlikely
| Program | Jackson | Richmond |
|---|---|---|
| Food stamps (SNAP) | Likely eligible | Likely eligible |
| Medicaid and CHIP | Likely eligible | Likely eligible |
| WIC | Likely eligible | Likely eligible |
| School meals | Likely eligible | Likely eligible |
| LIHEAP | Maybe | Maybe |
| Earned Income Tax Credit | Likely eligible | Likely eligible |
| Child Tax Credit | Likely eligible | Likely eligible |
| Marketplace premium tax credits | Likely eligible | Unlikely |
| Lifeline phone and internet | Likely eligible | Likely eligible |
| SSI | Unlikely | Unlikely |
Marketplace premium tax credits changes. In Jackson the result is “Likely inside the 2026 subsidy range.” In Richmond it is “Unlikely — Medicaid is the closer program.” Virginia expanded Medicaid, and this income is in the Medicaid range. Marketplace subsidies are usually not the program in that case.
Related comparisons
From Jackson
The eight largest 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent gaps from Jackson.
- Jackson and San Francisco · rent gap $2,408
- Jackson and San Jose · rent gap $1,983
- Jackson and Boston · rent gap $1,719
- Jackson and New York · rent gap $1,682
- Jackson and Los Angeles · rent gap $1,675
- Jackson and San Diego · rent gap $1,534
- Jackson and Miami · rent gap $1,275
- Jackson and Seattle · rent gap $1,260
Nearby metros
How the salary and tax math works · The reverse city order redirects to this address.