Moving to Mississippi from Pennsylvania
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Pennsylvania to Mississippi — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Pennsylvania to Mississippi, you would find that Mississippi is 16.8% cheaper than Pennsylvania. A $75,000 salary in Pennsylvania would need to be roughly $62,500 in Mississippi to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Jackson averages 76°F vs 61°F in Harrisburg, making it significantly warmer.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Pennsylvania to Mississippi.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → $62,500
To maintain the same standard of living in Mississippi
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 14.9% less
Groceries
pay 18.7% less
Transportation
pay 15.4% less
Housing
pay 13.2% less
Childcare
pay 34.1% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 16.4% less
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 Pennsylvania to Mississippi.
Is it safe?
incidents per 100,000 people per year
incidents per 100,000 people per year
Pennsylvania generally does better on safety, though Mississippi leads in violent crime rate.
How's the healthcare?
share of people without health insurance
share of adults with obesity
share of adults with diabetes
share of adults who smoke
Pennsylvania performs better than Mississippi across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What about housing?
typical price of a home
typical monthly gross rent
share of homes that are owner-occupied
Mississippi performs significantly better than Pennsylvania across all what about housing? metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
minutes each way to work
Pennsylvania generally does better on infrastructure, though Mississippi leads in average commute.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
typical annual income of a household
share of people below the poverty line
Pennsylvania generally does better on employment & economy, though Mississippi leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
share of adults with a 4-year college degree
Pennsylvania 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.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Harrisburg | Jackson |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 42°/25°F (5°/-4°C) | 62°/41°F (17°/5°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 71°/50°F (22°/10°C) | 83°/62°F (28°/17°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 81°/61°F (27°/16°C) | 90°/70°F (32°/21°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 52°/34°F (11°/1°C) | 67°/46°F (20°/8°C) |
View all months
| Month | Harrisburg | Jackson |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36°/21°F (2.5°/-5.9°C) | 56°/37°F (13.6°/2.7°C) |
| Feb | 40°/23°F (4.4°/-5.1°C) | 61°/40°F (16.1°/4.6°C) |
| Mar | 49°/30°F (9.3°/-0.9°C) | 68°/47°F (20.2°/8.2°C) |
| Apr | 61°/40°F (16.1°/4.6°C) | 76°/54°F (24.4°/12.1°C) |
| May | 72°/50°F (22.2°/10.1°C) | 83°/63°F (28.3°/17.1°C) |
| Jun | 81°/60°F (27.2°/15.5°C) | 89°/69°F (31.8°/20.8°C) |
| Jul | 85°/64°F (29.2°/17.8°C) | 92°/72°F (33.1°/22.4°C) |
| Aug | 83°/63°F (28.2°/17.0°C) | 92°/72°F (33.1°/22.2°C) |
| Sep | 75°/55°F (23.8°/12.8°C) | 87°/66°F (30.3°/18.9°C) |
| Oct | 63°/42°F (17.4°/5.6°C) | 77°/55°F (25.1°/12.8°C) |
| Nov | 52°/35°F (11.1°/1.6°C) | 67°/45°F (19.7°/7.3°C) |
| Dec | 40°/26°F (4.4°/-3.2°C) | 58°/39°F (14.7°/3.9°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Mississippi than Pennsylvania?
Yes — Mississippi is on average about 17% cheaper than Pennsylvania. 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 $15,625 in Mississippi on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit).
Is Mississippi safe?
Pennsylvania generally does better on safety, though Mississippi leads in violent crime rate.
How is healthcare in Mississippi compared to Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania performs better than Mississippi across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Mississippi compared to Pennsylvania?
The average high temperature in Jackson is 76°F, compared to 61°F in Harrisburg. Jackson receives around 54.3 in of rainfall per year, while Harrisburg gets 43.6 in.
