Moving to Mississippi from North Carolina

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from North Carolina to Mississippi — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from North Carolina to Mississippi, you would find that Mississippi is 15.3% cheaper than North Carolina. A $75,000 salary in North Carolina would need to be roughly $61,976 in Mississippi to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Jackson averages 76°F vs 67°F in Asheville, making it significantly warmer.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from North Carolina to Mississippi.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 $61,976

To maintain the same standard of living in Mississippi

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 11.8% less

Groceries

pay 19.0% less

Transportation

pay 15.5% less

Housing

pay 15.4% less

Childcare

pay 30.2% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 11.5% 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

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from North Carolina to Mississippi.

Is it safe?

Violent crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

NC
379
MS
202
Property crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

NC
1998
MS
1579

Mississippi performs significantly better than North Carolina across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

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

share of people without health insurance

NC
9.6%
MS
11.3%
Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

NC
33.6%
MS
41.9%

North Carolina 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

NC
$259,400
MS
$161,400
Median rent US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical monthly gross rent

NC
$1,162
MS
$923

Mississippi performs significantly better than North Carolina 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

NC
88.7%
MS
82.0%
Average commute US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

minutes each way to work

NC
25 min
MS
26 min

North Carolina performs better than Mississippi across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

NC
3.4%
MS
3.1%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

NC
$59,308
MS
$41,778

North Carolina 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

NC
76.1 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

NC
22%
MS
16%

North Carolina 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.

Asheville Rain: 37.0 in/yr (940 mm)
67° / 46°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Asheville Jackson
Jan–Mar 52°/32°F (11°/0°C) 62°/41°F (17°/5°C)
Apr–Jun 75°/53°F (24°/12°C) 83°/62°F (28°/17°C)
Jul–Sep 82°/62°F (28°/17°C) 90°/70°F (32°/21°C)
Oct–Dec 58°/38°F (15°/3°C) 67°/46°F (20°/8°C)
View all months
Month Asheville Jackson
Jan 47°/28°F (8.1°/-2.4°C) 56°/37°F (13.6°/2.7°C)
Feb 50°/31°F (10.2°/-0.6°C) 61°/40°F (16.1°/4.6°C)
Mar 58°/37°F (14.4°/2.9°C) 68°/47°F (20.2°/8.2°C)
Apr 67°/45°F (19.7°/7.3°C) 76°/54°F (24.4°/12.1°C)
May 75°/53°F (23.9°/11.7°C) 83°/63°F (28.3°/17.1°C)
Jun 82°/61°F (27.6°/16.1°C) 89°/69°F (31.8°/20.8°C)
Jul 85°/65°F (29.3°/18.1°C) 92°/72°F (33.1°/22.4°C)
Aug 84°/64°F (28.7°/17.7°C) 92°/72°F (33.1°/22.2°C)
Sep 77°/57°F (25.1°/13.8°C) 87°/66°F (30.3°/18.9°C)
Oct 68°/46°F (19.9°/7.9°C) 77°/55°F (25.1°/12.8°C)
Nov 58°/38°F (14.7°/3.1°C) 67°/45°F (19.7°/7.3°C)
Dec 49°/30°F (9.4°/-0.9°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 North Carolina?

Yes — Mississippi is on average about 17% cheaper than North Carolina. City-level variation can be significant.

How much money do I need to move to Mississippi?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $15,494 in Mississippi on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit).

Is Mississippi safe?

Mississippi performs significantly better than North Carolina across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Mississippi compared to North Carolina?

North Carolina performs better than Mississippi across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What's the weather like in Mississippi compared to North Carolina?

The average high temperature in Jackson is 76°F, compared to 67°F in Asheville. Jackson receives around 54.3 in of rainfall per year, while Asheville gets 37.0 in.

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