Moving to Mississippi from Massachusetts

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What to Expect

Considering a move from Massachusetts to Mississippi? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Massachusetts to Mississippi, you would find that Mississippi is 25.2% cheaper than Massachusetts. A $75,000 salary in Massachusetts would need to be roughly $52,476 in Mississippi to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Jackson averages 76°F vs 59°F in Boston, making it significantly warmer.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Massachusetts and Mississippi.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 $52,476

To maintain the same standard of living in Mississippi

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 25.2% less

Groceries

pay 19.1% less

Transportation

pay 15.2% less

Housing

pay 30.4% less

Childcare

pay 50.2% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 29.2% less

See full cost of living breakdown

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Mississippi compared to Massachusetts.

Is it safe?

Violent crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

MA
308
MS
202
Property crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

MA
1077
MS
1579

Massachusetts generally does better on safety, though Mississippi leads in violent crime rate.

How's the healthcare?

Uninsured rate US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of people without health insurance

MA
2.6%
MS
11.3%
Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

MA
28.8%
MS
41.9%

Massachusetts performs better than Mississippi across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What about housing?

Median home value US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical price of a home

MA
$525,800
MS
$161,400
Median rent US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical monthly gross rent

MA
$1,687
MS
$923

Mississippi performs significantly better than Massachusetts across all what about housing? metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

MA
91.9%
MS
82.0%
Average commute US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

minutes each way to work

MA
29 min
MS
26 min

Massachusetts generally does better on infrastructure, though Mississippi leads in average commute.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

MA
4.7%
MS
3.1%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

MA
$87,892
MS
$41,778

Massachusetts generally does better on employment & economy, though Mississippi leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2020

average years of life at birth

MA
79.0 yrs
MS
71.9 yrs
Bachelor's degree or higher US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of adults with a 4-year college degree

MA
32%
MS
16%

Massachusetts performs better than Mississippi across all family life metrics.

Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Boston Rain: 43.8 in/yr (1112 mm)
59° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

Jackson Rain: 54.3 in/yr (1380 mm)
76° / 55°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Boston Jackson
Jan–Mar 40°/26°F (4°/-3°C) 62°/41°F (17°/5°C)
Apr–Jun 66°/50°F (19°/10°C) 83°/62°F (28°/17°C)
Jul–Sep 78°/62°F (25°/17°C) 90°/70°F (32°/21°C)
Oct–Dec 51°/38°F (11°/3°C) 67°/46°F (20°/8°C)
View all months
Month Boston Jackson
Jan 36°/22°F (2.1°/-5.4°C) 56°/37°F (13.6°/2.7°C)
Feb 39°/25°F (3.7°/-4.1°C) 61°/40°F (16.1°/4.6°C)
Mar 45°/31°F (7.4°/-0.5°C) 68°/47°F (20.2°/8.2°C)
Apr 56°/41°F (13.1°/4.8°C) 76°/54°F (24.4°/12.1°C)
May 66°/50°F (18.9°/9.9°C) 83°/63°F (28.3°/17.1°C)
Jun 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.3°C) 89°/69°F (31.8°/20.8°C)
Jul 81°/65°F (27.4°/18.6°C) 92°/72°F (33.1°/22.4°C)
Aug 80°/65°F (26.4°/18.1°C) 92°/72°F (33.1°/22.2°C)
Sep 72°/57°F (22.4°/14.1°C) 87°/66°F (30.3°/18.9°C)
Oct 61°/47°F (16.3°/8.1°C) 77°/55°F (25.1°/12.8°C)
Nov 51°/38°F (10.8°/3.3°C) 67°/45°F (19.7°/7.3°C)
Dec 41°/28°F (5.1°/-2.1°C) 58°/39°F (14.7°/3.9°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Mississippi than Massachusetts?

On average Mississippi is about 30% less expensive than Massachusetts, with major cities narrowing the gap.

How much money do I need to move to Mississippi?

Budget about $13,119 for 3 months in Mississippi (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit.

Is Mississippi safe?

Massachusetts generally does better on safety, though Mississippi leads in violent crime rate.

How is healthcare in Mississippi compared to Massachusetts?

Massachusetts performs better than Mississippi across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What's the weather like in Mississippi compared to Massachusetts?

The average high temperature in Jackson is 76°F, compared to 59°F in Boston. Jackson receives around 54.3 in of rainfall per year, while Boston gets 43.8 in.

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