Bay City, MI vs Jackson, MI: cost of living compared
Price levels from BEA (2024); rent and home values from Zillow (September 2026).
The short answer
- Overall, living costs in Jackson, MI and Bay City, MI are within 1% of each other (BEA, 2024).
- To keep the same standard of living, $75,000 in Bay City works out to about $74,900 in Jackson, before taxes.
- Housing is 0.6% higher in Jackson, goods 0.0% higher and other services 0.0% higher, which roughly cancel out.
- Typical asking rent is $1,185 a month in Jackson and $1,018 in Bay City, $2,004 a year more in Jackson (Zillow, September 2026).
- A typical home is valued at about $225,000 in Jackson and $186,000 in Bay City.
- The gap is about where it was in 2019 (0.9%).
derived Calculated from BEA Regional Price Parities (2024) and Zillow data. Based on an average household's spending; taxes not included. How we calculate.
Category by category
Both cities against the US average (100). The gap in each row is what matters for a move.
Overall prices are about the same in Bay City and Jackson
Price level by category, 2024. US average = 100.
- Bay City, MI
- Jackson, MI
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Bay City, MI | Jackson, MI | |
|---|---|---|
| All items | 91.9 | 91.8 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 93.7 |
| Housing (rents) | 66.7 | 67.1 |
| Utilities | 95.2 | 97.8 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 99.6 |
| Category | Bay City | Jackson | Jackson vs Bay City |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 91.9 | 91.8 | −0.2% |
| Goods | 93.7 | 93.7 | 0.0% |
| Housing (rents) | 66.7 | 67.1 | +0.6% |
| Utilities | 95.2 | 97.8 | +2.8% |
| Other services | 99.6 | 99.6 | 0.0% |
| Typical asking rent | $1,018 | $1,185 | +16.4% |
| Typical home value | $186,000 | $225,000 | +20.6% |
| Salary to match $75,000 in Bay City | $75,000 | $74,900 | −0.2% |
Index values: BEA, 2024, US = 100. Rent and home values: Data Provided by Zillow Group, September 2026.
How the gap has changed since 2008
The price gap between Bay City and Jackson has narrowed since 2008: 2.7 points then, 0.1 now
Overall price level each year, 2008–2024. US average = 100.
- Bay City, MI
- Jackson, MI
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Bay City, MI | Jackson, MI | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 94.1 | 96.8 |
| 2009 | 93.9 | 93.1 |
| 2010 | 92.5 | 92.3 |
| 2011 | 92.7 | 93.9 |
| 2012 | 93.2 | 93.5 |
| 2013 | 93.4 | 91.4 |
| 2014 | 92.9 | 93.3 |
| 2015 | 91.0 | 91.1 |
| 2016 | 92.0 | 92.9 |
| 2017 | 89.4 | 91.3 |
| 2018 | 92.8 | 93.0 |
| 2019 | 92.4 | 93.3 |
| 2020 | 88.8 | 92.1 |
| 2021 | 91.5 | 93.6 |
| 2022 | 88.2 | 91.5 |
| 2023 | 90.6 | 92.8 |
| 2024 | 91.9 | 91.8 |
Goods
- Bay City, MI
- Jackson, MI
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Bay City, MI | Jackson, MI | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 99.0 | 99.0 |
| 2009 | 97.5 | 97.5 |
| 2010 | 96.5 | 96.5 |
| 2011 | 96.0 | 96.0 |
| 2012 | 97.2 | 97.2 |
| 2013 | 97.0 | 97.0 |
| 2014 | 98.4 | 98.4 |
| 2015 | 97.7 | 97.7 |
| 2016 | 96.8 | 96.8 |
| 2017 | 94.9 | 94.9 |
| 2018 | 97.1 | 97.1 |
| 2019 | 95.9 | 95.9 |
| 2020 | 93.7 | 93.7 |
| 2021 | 94.4 | 94.4 |
| 2022 | 92.1 | 92.1 |
| 2023 | 94.1 | 94.1 |
| 2024 | 93.7 | 93.7 |
Housing (rents)
- Bay City, MI
- Jackson, MI
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Bay City, MI | Jackson, MI | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 68.0 | 86.1 |
| 2009 | 72.0 | 69.6 |
| 2010 | 67.7 | 67.3 |
| 2011 | 72.6 | 80.0 |
| 2012 | 73.7 | 74.8 |
| 2013 | 73.3 | 63.4 |
| 2014 | 73.0 | 75.1 |
| 2015 | 68.6 | 67.7 |
| 2016 | 72.8 | 76.2 |
| 2017 | 62.5 | 73.8 |
| 2018 | 72.3 | 76.4 |
| 2019 | 66.6 | 73.7 |
| 2020 | 58.5 | 72.8 |
| 2021 | 67.6 | 77.3 |
| 2022 | 53.3 | 71.7 |
| 2023 | 65.6 | 78.0 |
| 2024 | 66.7 | 67.1 |
Utilities
- Bay City, MI
- Jackson, MI
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Bay City, MI | Jackson, MI | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 95.8 | 93.1 |
| 2009 | 102.9 | 100.7 |
| 2010 | 102.7 | 103.4 |
| 2011 | 104.6 | 105.4 |
| 2012 | 104.4 | 105.7 |
| 2013 | 104.1 | 104.9 |
| 2014 | 94.9 | 98.3 |
| 2015 | 93.4 | 98.1 |
| 2016 | 92.4 | 97.9 |
| 2017 | 97.0 | 99.2 |
| 2018 | 102.1 | 103.1 |
| 2019 | 98.5 | 100.5 |
| 2020 | 101.1 | 103.9 |
| 2021 | 102.5 | 107.1 |
| 2022 | 95.1 | 97.2 |
| 2023 | 95.3 | 98.8 |
| 2024 | 95.2 | 97.8 |
Other services
- Bay City, MI
- Jackson, MI
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Bay City, MI | Jackson, MI | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 100.1 | 100.1 |
| 2009 | 99.7 | 99.7 |
| 2010 | 99.1 | 99.1 |
| 2011 | 96.9 | 96.9 |
| 2012 | 97.1 | 97.1 |
| 2013 | 97.9 | 97.9 |
| 2014 | 96.6 | 96.6 |
| 2015 | 95.0 | 95.0 |
| 2016 | 96.3 | 96.3 |
| 2017 | 95.3 | 95.3 |
| 2018 | 96.5 | 96.5 |
| 2019 | 98.6 | 98.6 |
| 2020 | 97.8 | 97.8 |
| 2021 | 97.9 | 97.9 |
| 2022 | 98.2 | 98.2 |
| 2023 | 97.7 | 97.7 |
| 2024 | 99.6 | 99.6 |
Rent and home values
Typical asking rent: $1,185 in Jackson vs $1,018 in Bay City
Typical asking rent for a new lease, dollars per month. Quarterly.
- Bay City, MI
- Jackson, MI
- United States
Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index (typical asking rent, all homes, smoothed), through September 2026. Data Provided by Zillow Group.
Show the numbers
| Bay City, MI | Jackson, MI | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2015 | – | – | $1,145 |
| Jun 2015 | – | – | $1,170 |
| Sep 2015 | – | – | $1,181 |
| Dec 2015 | – | – | $1,182 |
| Mar 2016 | – | – | $1,195 |
| Jun 2016 | – | $611 | $1,219 |
| Sep 2016 | – | $604 | $1,225 |
| Dec 2016 | – | $618 | $1,222 |
| Mar 2017 | – | $675 | $1,245 |
| Jun 2017 | – | $667 | $1,270 |
| Sep 2017 | – | $662 | $1,276 |
| Dec 2017 | – | $680 | $1,275 |
| Mar 2018 | – | $663 | $1,296 |
| Jun 2018 | – | $676 | $1,320 |
| Sep 2018 | – | $675 | $1,327 |
| Dec 2018 | – | $690 | $1,329 |
| Mar 2019 | – | $702 | $1,349 |
| Jun 2019 | – | $704 | $1,376 |
| Sep 2019 | – | $723 | $1,383 |
| Dec 2019 | – | $734 | $1,381 |
| Mar 2020 | – | $722 | $1,402 |
| Jun 2020 | – | $748 | $1,406 |
| Sep 2020 | – | $810 | $1,410 |
| Dec 2020 | – | $769 | $1,407 |
| Mar 2021 | – | $766 | $1,443 |
| Jun 2021 | – | $832 | $1,512 |
| Sep 2021 | – | $885 | $1,590 |
| Dec 2021 | – | $847 | $1,622 |
| Mar 2022 | – | $868 | $1,661 |
| Jun 2022 | $861 | $909 | $1,721 |
| Sep 2022 | $888 | $929 | $1,748 |
| Dec 2022 | $875 | $939 | $1,735 |
| Mar 2023 | $860 | $991 | $1,757 |
| Jun 2023 | $904 | $995 | $1,785 |
| Sep 2023 | $893 | $985 | $1,797 |
| Dec 2023 | $892 | $1,027 | $1,786 |
| Mar 2024 | $912 | $1,025 | $1,807 |
| Jun 2024 | $938 | – | $1,837 |
| Sep 2024 | $934 | $1,087 | $1,845 |
| Dec 2024 | $965 | $1,083 | $1,836 |
| Mar 2025 | $934 | $1,114 | $1,860 |
| Jun 2025 | $963 | $1,095 | $1,880 |
| Sep 2025 | $993 | $1,115 | $1,881 |
| Dec 2025 | $968 | $1,112 | $1,873 |
| Mar 2026 | $982 | $1,162 | $1,894 |
| Jun 2026 | $982 | $1,153 | $1,921 |
| Sep 2026 | $1,018 | $1,185 | $1,932 |
Typical home value: $225,000 in Jackson vs $186,000 in Bay City
Typical home value, dollars. Quarterly.
- Bay City, MI
- Jackson, MI
- United States
Source: Zillow Home Value Index (typical home value, middle tier, smoothed, seasonally adjusted), through September 2026. Data Provided by Zillow Group.
Show the numbers
| Bay City, MI | Jackson, MI | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2015 | $89K | $109K | $189K |
| Jun 2015 | $91K | $112K | $192K |
| Sep 2015 | $93K | $115K | $195K |
| Dec 2015 | $93K | $118K | $199K |
| Mar 2016 | $94K | $120K | $202K |
| Jun 2016 | $95K | $120K | $204K |
| Sep 2016 | $95K | $121K | $206K |
| Dec 2016 | $94K | $124K | $209K |
| Mar 2017 | $94K | $127K | $213K |
| Jun 2017 | $95K | $128K | $216K |
| Sep 2017 | $97K | $130K | $219K |
| Dec 2017 | $98K | $133K | $223K |
| Mar 2018 | $100K | $136K | $227K |
| Jun 2018 | $101K | $139K | $230K |
| Sep 2018 | $101K | $141K | $234K |
| Dec 2018 | $101K | $143K | $236K |
| Mar 2019 | $104K | $148K | $239K |
| Jun 2019 | $108K | $150K | $242K |
| Sep 2019 | $110K | $150K | $244K |
| Dec 2019 | $114K | $152K | $247K |
| Mar 2020 | $116K | $158K | $252K |
| Jun 2020 | $118K | $160K | $255K |
| Sep 2020 | $121K | $161K | $260K |
| Dec 2020 | $124K | $169K | $271K |
| Mar 2021 | $128K | $176K | $282K |
| Jun 2021 | $133K | $184K | $296K |
| Sep 2021 | $136K | $185K | $306K |
| Dec 2021 | $137K | $186K | $314K |
| Mar 2022 | $142K | $193K | $330K |
| Jun 2022 | $146K | $199K | $346K |
| Sep 2022 | $146K | $198K | $348K |
| Dec 2022 | $146K | $196K | $345K |
| Mar 2023 | $148K | $196K | $343K |
| Jun 2023 | $152K | $199K | $347K |
| Sep 2023 | $156K | $201K | $352K |
| Dec 2023 | $159K | $204K | $354K |
| Mar 2024 | $163K | $207K | $357K |
| Jun 2024 | $167K | $211K | $361K |
| Sep 2024 | $167K | $212K | $361K |
| Dec 2024 | $169K | $214K | $363K |
| Mar 2025 | $170K | $215K | $364K |
| Jun 2025 | $172K | $216K | $362K |
| Sep 2025 | $175K | $219K | $362K |
| Dec 2025 | $179K | $221K | $364K |
| Mar 2026 | $182K | $223K | $366K |
| Jun 2026 | $184K | $224K | $365K |
| Sep 2026 | $186K | $225K | $366K |
More about each city
What this comparison leaves out
- Taxes. State and local income, sales and property taxes can change the result a lot, especially between states.
- Neighborhoods. These are metro-wide averages; a city center and its outer suburbs can differ by more than two metros do.
- Your own spending mix. The default uses an average household. Use the housing slider above if rent is a bigger share of your budget.
- Timing. BEA price levels are for 2024; Zillow figures are monthly and newer.