Mississippi vs California: cost of living compared
Statewide price levels and incomes from BEA (2024); gas prices from EIA (weekly).
Is it cheaper to live in Mississippi or California?
- Overall, California is 27.3% more expensive than Mississippi (BEA, 2024).
- To keep the same standard of living, $75,000 in Mississippi works out to about $95,500 in California, before taxes.
- Most of the difference is housing, which costs 173.4% more in California. Goods are 10.3% higher and other services 6.8% higher.
- Utility prices (electricity, gas, water) are 102.6% higher in California.
- After adjusting for local prices, personal income per person is $63,028 in California and $48,465 in Mississippi (30.0% higher in California; BEA, 2024, in 2017 dollars).
- Inside each state, metro price levels run from 95.2 in El Centro, CA to 115.6 in San Francisco, CA (California) and from 87.6 in Hattiesburg, MS to 90.0 in Gulfport, MS (Mississippi), US = 100.
- The gap is about where it was in 2019 (28.4%).
derived Calculated from BEA Regional Price Parities and real personal income by state. Statewide averages mix cities and rural areas; taxes are not included. How we calculate.
Category by category
Both states against the US average (100).
Housing drives the gap: 173.4% higher in California than in Mississippi
Price level by category, 2024. US average = 100.
- Mississippi
- California
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Mississippi | California | |
|---|---|---|
| All items | 87.0 | 110.7 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 106.1 |
| Housing (rents) | 56.5 | 154.3 |
| Utilities | 78.4 | 158.9 |
| Other services | 96.1 | 102.6 |
| Category | Mississippi | California | California vs Mississippi |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 87.0 | 110.7 | +27.3% |
| Goods | 96.2 | 106.1 | +10.3% |
| Housing (rents) | 56.5 | 154.3 | +173.4% |
| Utilities | 78.4 | 158.9 | +102.6% |
| Other services | 96.1 | 102.6 | +6.8% |
| Income per person, adjusted for prices | $48,465 | $63,028 | +30.0% |
| Regular gas, week of October 19, 2026* | $3.78 | $6.03 | +59.4% |
| Salary to match $75,000 in Mississippi | $75,000 | $95,500 | +27.3% |
Index values: BEA, 2024, US = 100. Income: BEA real personal income per person, 2017 dollars. Gas: EIA weekly retail prices. *Gulf Coast region average (EIA has no separate Mississippi figure).
Cheapest and most expensive places in each state
Mississippi
- Hattiesburg, MS 87.6
- Jackson, MS 89.0
- Gulfport, MS 90.0
- Memphis, TN 92.2
California
- El Centro, CA 95.2
- Merced, CA 98.3
- Visalia, CA 99.8
- Redding, CA 100.7
- Bakersfield, CA 100.9
- Chico, CA 101.2
- Hanford, CA 101.6
- Fresno, CA 102.2
- Modesto, CA 104.1
- Yuba City, CA 104.2
- Stockton, CA 105.1
- Riverside, CA 106.4
- Sacramento, CA 106.7
- Santa Rosa, CA 107.8
- Vallejo, CA 108.5
- San Luis Obispo, CA 108.6
- Santa Maria, CA 108.8
- Salinas, CA 109.0
- Santa Cruz, CA 109.9
- San Jose, CA 110.4
- Oxnard, CA 110.5
- San Diego, CA 111.9
- Napa, CA 112.6
- Los Angeles, CA 113.6
- San Francisco, CA 115.6
Metro areas ordered from cheapest to most expensive. BEA, 2024, US = 100.
How the gap has changed since 2008
The price gap between Mississippi and California has been fairly stable since 2008
Overall price level each year, 2008–2024. US average = 100.
- Mississippi
- California
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Mississippi | California | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 88.1 | 111.2 |
| 2009 | 85.6 | 110.7 |
| 2010 | 88.3 | 109.7 |
| 2011 | 88.9 | 109.5 |
| 2012 | 88.6 | 109.7 |
| 2013 | 88.9 | 109.7 |
| 2014 | 89.0 | 109.9 |
| 2015 | 88.3 | 110.7 |
| 2016 | 88.5 | 110.0 |
| 2017 | 87.7 | 111.0 |
| 2018 | 86.2 | 111.9 |
| 2019 | 86.5 | 111.1 |
| 2020 | 85.6 | 111.9 |
| 2021 | 86.2 | 111.9 |
| 2022 | 87.3 | 112.6 |
| 2023 | 86.8 | 112.2 |
| 2024 | 87.0 | 110.7 |
Goods
- Mississippi
- California
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Mississippi | California | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 96.0 | 107.4 |
| 2009 | 92.9 | 104.7 |
| 2010 | 96.6 | 103.0 |
| 2011 | 95.4 | 103.6 |
| 2012 | 93.4 | 104.1 |
| 2013 | 94.6 | 104.3 |
| 2014 | 94.2 | 104.3 |
| 2015 | 93.4 | 105.5 |
| 2016 | 94.4 | 104.4 |
| 2017 | 93.8 | 104.5 |
| 2018 | 93.1 | 105.5 |
| 2019 | 94.9 | 106.2 |
| 2020 | 94.6 | 106.7 |
| 2021 | 94.2 | 108.1 |
| 2022 | 94.2 | 108.4 |
| 2023 | 94.4 | 106.8 |
| 2024 | 96.2 | 106.1 |
Housing (rents)
- Mississippi
- California
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Mississippi | California | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 59.3 | 161.4 |
| 2009 | 58.1 | 160.4 |
| 2010 | 60.0 | 158.0 |
| 2011 | 60.4 | 157.1 |
| 2012 | 59.8 | 156.2 |
| 2013 | 59.6 | 155.7 |
| 2014 | 59.1 | 157.9 |
| 2015 | 58.6 | 158.0 |
| 2016 | 59.1 | 160.1 |
| 2017 | 59.1 | 162.5 |
| 2018 | 56.7 | 163.8 |
| 2019 | 55.4 | 164.6 |
| 2020 | 55.3 | 166.3 |
| 2021 | 56.1 | 165.0 |
| 2022 | 56.8 | 160.1 |
| 2023 | 54.9 | 157.8 |
| 2024 | 56.5 | 154.3 |
Utilities
- Mississippi
- California
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Mississippi | California | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 85.8 | 111.4 |
| 2009 | 81.7 | 112.8 |
| 2010 | 82.0 | 117.2 |
| 2011 | 82.2 | 115.3 |
| 2012 | 84.9 | 117.1 |
| 2013 | 85.4 | 121.4 |
| 2014 | 88.6 | 128.3 |
| 2015 | 90.1 | 129.3 |
| 2016 | 85.8 | 129.5 |
| 2017 | 87.2 | 130.7 |
| 2018 | 81.0 | 125.1 |
| 2019 | 79.4 | 131.0 |
| 2020 | 78.2 | 133.5 |
| 2021 | 80.7 | 144.2 |
| 2022 | 80.4 | 152.3 |
| 2023 | 83.5 | 147.3 |
| 2024 | 78.4 | 158.9 |
Other services
- Mississippi
- California
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Mississippi | California | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 96.6 | 101.9 |
| 2009 | 94.7 | 102.0 |
| 2010 | 96.6 | 101.7 |
| 2011 | 98.5 | 101.6 |
| 2012 | 99.2 | 101.9 |
| 2013 | 99.4 | 101.8 |
| 2014 | 99.6 | 101.9 |
| 2015 | 98.8 | 102.8 |
| 2016 | 98.4 | 101.9 |
| 2017 | 96.7 | 103.3 |
| 2018 | 95.7 | 104.3 |
| 2019 | 96.2 | 102.4 |
| 2020 | 95.2 | 101.9 |
| 2021 | 94.7 | 102.1 |
| 2022 | 97.1 | 103.9 |
| 2023 | 97.7 | 104.4 |
| 2024 | 96.1 | 102.6 |
What incomes buy in each state
Income per person after adjusting for prices: $63,028 in California, $48,465 in Mississippi
Real personal income per person, constant 2017 dollars (adjusted for each state's price level and for inflation).
- Mississippi
- California
- United States
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, real personal income by state (SARPI), 2008–2024.
Show the numbers
| Mississippi | California | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | $39,167 | $43,788 | $45,816 |
| 2009 | $39,734 | $42,377 | $44,204 |
| 2010 | $39,105 | $43,503 | $44,808 |
| 2011 | $39,395 | $44,844 | $45,957 |
| 2012 | $39,992 | $46,162 | $46,796 |
| 2013 | $39,951 | $45,826 | $46,358 |
| 2014 | $40,125 | $47,472 | $47,661 |
| 2015 | $40,939 | $50,054 | $49,396 |
| 2016 | $41,065 | $51,802 | $49,828 |
| 2017 | $41,790 | $52,569 | $51,006 |
| 2018 | $42,881 | $53,523 | $52,242 |
| 2019 | $43,785 | $55,931 | $53,683 |
| 2020 | $47,533 | $59,993 | $56,514 |
| 2021 | $50,167 | $63,373 | $59,365 |
| 2022 | $46,392 | $59,126 | $57,104 |
| 2023 | $47,517 | $60,100 | $58,088 |
| 2024 | $48,465 | $63,028 | $59,195 |
More
- Cost of living in Mississippi
- Cost of living in California
- Reverse: moving from California to Mississippi
- All states ranked
Related state comparisons
What this comparison leaves out
- Taxes. State income, sales and property taxes differ a lot between states and are not included.
- Where you live inside the state. Statewide figures average cities and rural areas; the metro lists above show the spread.
- Your own spending mix. The default uses an average household. Use the housing slider if housing is a bigger share of your budget.
- Timing. BEA price levels and incomes are for 2024; gas prices are weekly.