Living in Mississippi · 2026
Is $23,000 enough to live in Mississippi?
Single adult · MS · 2026 tax brackets · Real cost-of-living data
Monthly take-home
$1,617
Avg monthly expenses
$1,829
Avg monthly surplus
$-212
Savings potential
~0%
After-tax take-home in Mississippi
How $23,000 feels in Mississippi cities
Rent: HUD FMR 2026 · Food: USDA Low-Cost Plan × COL · Transport/Utilities/Healthcare: BLS CES × COL
Jackson
COL index: 0.83× national avg
Gulfport
COL index: 0.88× national avg
Southaven
COL index: 0.91× national avg
Hattiesburg
COL index: 0.85× national avg
Biloxi
COL index: 0.91× national avg
Meridian
COL index: 0.80× national avg
50 / 30 / 20 Budget Planner
Based on your monthly take-home of $1,617 ($19,404/yr)
$809
per month
- ›Rent / mortgage
- ›Groceries
- ›Utilities
- ›Insurance
- ›Minimum debt payments
- ›Transportation
$485
per month
- ›Dining out
- ›Streaming services
- ›Gym
- ›Hobbies
- ›Travel
- ›Shopping
$323
per month
- ›Emergency fund
- ›401(k) / IRA
- ›Investments
- ›Down payment fund
- ›Debt payoff (extra)
Needs / year
$9,702
Wants / year
$5,821
Savings / year
$3,881
Salary Intelligence
Financial pressure in JacksonRent alone would take 56% of take-home income. This salary creates significant financial pressure in this city — a $36,000 annual income or lower rent is needed to reach affordability.
Lifestyle Assessment
A $23,000 salary does not fully cover typical living expenses for a single adult in Jackson, Mississippi. Monthly costs exceed take-home pay by $96, indicating this income is insufficient for an independent lifestyle here without additional income or reduced spending.
Purchasing Power
Due to Jackson's low cost of living (index: 0.83), $23,000 here has the purchasing power of roughly $51,265 in San Francisco or $54,036 in New York City. Your dollar goes significantly further here.
State & National Benchmark
$23,000 is 26% below the Mississippi individual median of $31,100. Consider negotiating a higher salary or exploring higher-paying roles in this state.
State individual median
$31,100
-26%
State household median
$52,985
-57%
Tax reduction strategies
$23,000 vs. Mississippi income benchmarks
Individual median (Mississippi)
$31,100
-26% vs. this salary
Household median (Mississippi)
$52,985
-57% vs. this salary
Source: US Census Bureau ACS 2023
Related salary insights
Explore other salary levels in Mississippi
Data Sources
- •Tax calculations: IRS federal tax tables
- •Rent data: HUD Fair Market Rents
- •Cost-of-living index: C2ER / ACCRA Cost of Living Index
Data updated monthly using government datasets.