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Cost of Living: Jackson, MS vs Toledo, OH

Wondering how far your dollar stretches in Jackson compared to Toledo? Below we break down housing costs, rent, taxes, income, and quality of life using 2026 data so you can make an informed relocation or remote-work decision. Every number is computed from Census, BLS, and Zillow data specific to these two metro areas.

TL;DR

Jackson cost-of-living index is 79 vs 80 for Toledo (US = 100). Median home: $155,000 vs $145,000. Median rent: $850/mo vs $733/mo.

Source: Census ACS · Zillow ZHVI/ZORI · BEA RPP, 2026

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Jackson and Toledo have similar costs of living
COL Index: Jackson 79 vs Toledo 80 (national avg = 100)
Written by Jere Salmisto, Founder & Quantitative Systems Builder, CalcFi·Reviewed by CalcFi Editorial·Last reviewed 2026-04-19

Jackson vs Toledo — At a Glance

JacksonMetricToledoDifference
79Cost of Living Index80+1.3%
$155,000Median Home Price$145,000-6.5%
$850Median Monthly Rent$733-13.8%
$44,200Median Household Income$48,400+9.5%
0.8%Property Tax Rate1.6%+95.1%
6.2%Unemployment Rate5.8%-6.5%
22 minAverage Commute21 min-4.5%
33.2Median Age36.8+10.8%
580,000Metro Population620,000+6.9%

Data sourced from Census Bureau, BLS, Zillow, and ApartmentAdvisor (2024-2025). COL Index: 100 = national average.

Housing Comparison: Jackson vs Toledo

Monthly mortgage assumes 6.5% interest, 30-year fixed, 20.0%down payment. PITI includes principal, interest, property tax, and homeowner's insurance.

Jackson

Median Home Price$155,000
Down Payment (20.0%)$31,000
Loan Amount$124,000
Principal & Interest$784/mo
Property Tax$106/mo
Insurance$45/mo
Monthly PITI$935/mo

Toledo

Median Home Price$145,000
Down Payment (20.0%)$29,000
Loan Amount$116,000
Principal & Interest$733/mo
Property Tax$193/mo
Insurance$42/mo
Monthly PITI$969/mo

Rent & Affordability Ratios

Median Monthly Rent$850 vs $733 (-$117/mo)
Annual Rent Difference$1,404/yr more in Jackson
Home Price-to-Income Ratio3.5x (Jackson) vs 3.0x (Toledo)
Years to Save 20% Down (15% savings rate)4.7 yrs (Jackson) vs 4.0 yrs (Toledo)

Buying a home in Jackson costs $935/month (PITI) compared to $969/month in Toledo — a difference of $34/month or $408/year. The price-to-income ratio is 3.5x in Jackson versus 3.0x in Toledo, suggesting Toledo is relatively more affordable for homebuyers relative to local incomes. At a 15% savings rate, it takes 4.7 years to save a down payment in Jackson compared to 4.0 years in Toledo.

Tax Comparison: Jackson vs Toledo

Estimated on each city's median household income, single filer, standard deduction, 2025 rates.

Tax CategoryJacksonToledo
Gross Income$44,200$48,400
State Income Tax$1,140$549
Federal Income Tax$3,175$3,679
FICA (SS + Medicare)$3,381$3,703
Property Tax (on median home)$1,271/yr$2,320/yr
State Sales Tax Rate7.0%5.8%
Total Tax Burden$7,696 (17.4%)$7,931 (16.4%)
Take-Home Pay$36,504$40,469

On median household income, total taxes (federal + state + FICA) come to $7,696 in Jackson (17.4% effective) versus $7,931 in Toledo (16.4% effective). After taxes, take-home pay is $36,504 in Jackson and $40,469 in Toledo. Property taxes add $1,271/year on the median Jackson home versus $2,320/year in Toledo.

Salary Equivalence: What Your Income Is Worth

A $44,200 salary in Jackson equals
$44,759
in Toledo
A $48,400 salary in Toledo equals
$47,795
in Jackson

These figures adjust for cost of living using the formula: adjusted = salary × (COL_destination / COL_origin). If you earn $44,200 in Jackson (COL 79) and relocate to Toledo (COL 80), you would need $44,759 to maintain the same purchasing power. This means you would need a raise of $559 to maintain the same standard of living in Toledo.

Quality of Life: Jackson vs Toledo

Average Commute
22 min
Jackson
21 min
Toledo
1 min longer in Jackson
Unemployment Rate
6.2%
Jackson
5.8%
Toledo
Toledo lower
Metro Population
0.6M
Jackson
0.6M
Toledo
Toledo is 1.1x larger

Beyond costs, quality of life matters. The average commute in Jackson is 22 minutes versus 21 minutes in Toledo, a difference of 1 minutes each way. Toledo's lower unemployment rate of 5.8% versus 6.2% suggests a stronger job market. Toledo skews slightly older with a median age of 36.8 vs 33.2 in Jackson.

Other Cost of Living Comparisons

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Jackson or Toledo more expensive?

Jackson and Toledo have very similar costs of living, with COL indices of 79 and 80 respectively (national average = 100). Day-to-day expenses, housing, and taxes are comparable between the two metro areas.

How much more does housing cost in Toledo vs Jackson?

The median home price in Toledo is $145,000, which is $10,000 more than Jackson's median of $155,000. Monthly rent follows a similar pattern: $733/month in Toledo vs $850/month in Jackson, a difference of $117/month or $1,404/year.

What salary do I need in Toledo to match my Jackson income?

To maintain the same standard of living, a $44,200 salary in Jackson is equivalent to $44,759 in Toledo. This is based on the cost of living index ratio: Jackson's COL index of 79 vs Toledo's 80. Conversely, $48,400 in Toledo equals $47,795 in Jackson.

Which city has lower taxes, Jackson or Toledo?

On a median household income, the combined federal, state, and FICA tax burden is $7,696 (17.4% effective rate) in Jackson vs $7,931 (16.4% effective rate) in Toledo. Property taxes on the median home are $1,271/year in Jackson (0.8% rate) vs $2,320/year in Toledo (1.6% rate). Sales tax rates are 7.0% in Mississippi and 5.8% in Ohio.

What is the median household income in Jackson and Toledo?

Jackson median household income: $44,200/yr. Toledo median household income: $48,400/yr (Census ACS).

How does rent compare in Jackson vs Toledo?

Median monthly rent: $850 in Jackson vs $733 in Toledo. Annualized that is $10,200 vs $8,796.

Which city is better for remote workers, Jackson or Toledo?

Jackson offers a lower cost of living (index 79 vs 80), which lets remote-workers keeping a coastal salary stretch further. Toledo typically wins on amenities and labor-market depth.

Where does the data on this comparison come from?

Jackson and Toledo numbers are pulled from Zillow ZHVI/ZORI (home values, rent), the U.S. Census Bureau ACS (income, demographics), and BEA RPP (cost-of-living index). Each value is timestamped on the page.

How often is this Jackson vs Toledo comparison updated?

Source feeds (Zillow, Freddie Mac PMMS, Census ACS, BEA RPP) are refreshed on their native cadence. Page caches revalidate every 24 hours via Next.js ISR.

Does this comparison replace tax or financial advice?

No. The Jackson vs Toledo cost-of-living page is educational reference using public data and standard formulas. It is not personalized tax, legal, or investment advice. Consult a licensed professional for material decisions.

Explore More

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Sources & Citations

  1. Zillow Research — ZHVI (home values) & ZORI (observed rent index) — zillow.com/research/data
  2. U.S. Census Bureau — American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates — census.gov/acs
  3. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities by state and MSA — bea.gov/rpp
  4. Tax Foundation — effective state and local tax rates — taxfoundation.org
  5. Freddie Mac PMMS — weekly national average mortgage rates — freddiemac.com/pmms
  6. Internal Revenue Service — federal income tax brackets and standard deduction — irs.gov
  7. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — unemployment and wage statistics — bls.gov
Methodology & Assumptions

Home prices use Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI)[1]; rents use Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI)[1]. Median household income comes from the Census ACS 5-year estimates[2].

COL indices use the BEA Regional Price Parity methodology[3], normalized so 100 = national average.

Property tax rates are effective rates from the Tax Foundation[4], expressed as % of owner-occupied home value. Mortgage estimates assume 6.5% fixed rate[5], 30-year term, 20.0% down, $1,800/yr homeowners insurance.

Federal tax calculations[6] assume single filer, standard deduction. State tax uses the top marginal rate times taxable income after the state standard deduction. FICA = 6.2% Social Security (up to wage base) + 1.45% Medicare.

Salary equivalence uses adjusted = salary × (COL_destination / COL_origin). This captures cost-of-living shift but not state income tax differences.

Unemployment figures are the most recent monthly MSA-level readings from the BLS LAUS series[7].

Last reviewed is computed from the maximum retrievedAt across every source this page consumes.

City data from Census Bureau[2], BLS[7], and Zillow[1] (2024-2025). Tax calculations use 2025 IRS rates[6], single filer, standard deduction. Mortgage estimates assume 6.5% PMMS rate[5], 30-year term, 20.0% down. COL Index: 100 = national average[3]. Last reviewed 2026-04-19.