Mississippi
Moderate tax burden · COL index 82
Wins 9 categories
California
High tax burden · COL index 142
Wins 3 categories
California's top income tax rate is 13.3% vs Mississippi's 4.7%. Cost of living in California (index 142) runs 73% higher than Mississippi (index 82). The median home in California costs $790K vs $180K in Mississippi. Politically, Mississippi voted Republican in 2024 (R+17.0) while California went Democratic (D+20.0).
Taxes
Housing & Cost of Living
Crime & Safety
Healthcare
Education
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Utilities & Daily Costs
Social Policy
Category wins
9
Mississippi
3
California
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Is $50,000 a year good in Mississippi?
Grimes emphasized that a typical family earning $50,000 can afford all basic needs (housing, vehicle, utility bills) and have money left over for savings or optional expenses. Per RentCafe data, the housing costs in Mississippi are 28% lower than the national average and the overall cost of living is 13% lower.
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