Mississippi vs Tennessee: the cost of living comparison

When planning a relocation, one of the most important things that can affect the decision to move is the cost of living in a certain place. A rich job market and reasonable annual income can make a perfect balance for the renting, food, and utility costs of a certain area. If you are considering moving to either of the two southern states Mississippi or Tennessee, the choice may not be easy. Both countries offer great southern hospitality, flourishing job markets, and plenty of things to do and see.  Before hiring Spyder Moving and Storage MS, you will need to do thorough research on both states. In addition to mild weather, and scenic views, both states have pretty affordable costs of living. Read this article to discover the costs of living in Mississippi vs Tennessee before you make a final relocation decision.

Get to know Mississippi

The Magnolia State and The Hospitality State as people call it is in the south of the US, bordering Louisiana, Alabama, Arkansas, and Tennessee. It is a diverse country with Jackson as its capital which has around 170,000 million residents. Moving to Mississippi means that you will meet people who preserve their historical heritage. There is a large interest in politics and freedom of speech. In addition, here you will experience hot and humid summers and mild falls and winters. There are many rainy days that help preserve farmland in the country. More than 35% of the population are farmers and in the agriculture industry. However, if you prefer living in big cities and finding different job carriers, then you can move to one of the four major cities. Jackson, Hattiesburg, Biloxi, or Gulfport offer great commodities of busy city life.

Things to know before moving to Tennessee

If you are considering calling the Volunteer State your home, then you need to know that this is a great place to live and work. Music City, Nashville is the capital of the country. This is also the most famous music city in the world. If you compare it to Mississippi, Tennessee has double the number of residents. Around 6,916,897 people reside here, making it the 16th most populated country in the US. Farming, mining, and music are among the most popular industries in this state. When moving to Tennessee, you need to know that 44% of the land consists of farms. Warm summers and cool winters are part of the subtropical climate of the state. The unemployment rate is lower than the national average and there is a flourishing job market. There is a job market growth of almost 2% a year.

Mississippi vs Tennessee

When considering Mississippi vs Tennessee the choice may not be easy. Both southern states offer affordable costs of living, attractive job positions, and provide safety to their citizens. In general, living in Mississippi offers the best rural and urban life can offer. The country has low costs of living, low education costs, as well as low housing costs. This makes it one of the best countries for living in the US. On the other hand, Tennessee is also a southern country that can offer something to either a Gen Z, Baby Boomer, or Millennial. It has low costs of living and high quality of life. It is perfect for families with children as well. Moving from Mississippi to Tennessee, you will have plenty of options to enjoy hiking and boastful nightlife. One of the most visited house museums in the US is Elvis Presley’s house at Graceland.

Mississippi housing and rental market

One of the key things to consider in Mississippi vs Tennessee is that Mississippi has lower costs of living than the national average. In the last 10 years, home appreciation in the state has grown by %12. This means that more than 73% of the residents are homeowners. The median home cost is $128,600. Around 26% of Mississippi citizens are home renters. Currently, around 3% of homes in Mississippi are available for rent. If you plan to rent an apartment here you can find some average costs:

Buying or renting a home in Tennessee

If you compare Mississippi vs Tennessee in terms of house purchasing and renting prices, Tennessee is a bit more expensive. According to Zillow, the median home purchase price is $192,630. Over the past years, home prices increased by around 6,2%. The renting population in Tennessee is around 3% higher than in Mississippi. Currently, 2.3% of apartments and houses are available for rent. There are plenty of apartments, condos, and single-family homes that you can rent. If you hire Tennessee long-distance moving companies, the median rent price that you will pay is $1,370. Below you can find a list of the average rental price depending on the size of the rental property:

Tennessee vs Mississippi: the average income and salaries

When considering relocation to Mississippi, it is useful to know that the average annual income is $62,497. Living here will give you the opportunity to work for some of the top employers in the country. Sanderson Farms, North Mississippi Medical Center, and Mississippi State University are some of them. Manufacturing, Aero business, Agribusiness, and Automotive are the most important industries. People living in Tennesee have a median household income of $44,621. The national annual average is $53,482. Agriculture, Film production, and Automotive Manufacturing are the top industries in this state. If you plan to change your carrier when moving to Tennessee, among the most popular carriers with the highest income are Surgeons, Family Medicine Physicians, and Pediatricians.

The costs of higher education

One of the major costs that you need to plan into your long-term budget is the cost of higher education. Whether you have college children or you are a student about to start studies, the good news is that the expenses of higher education are lower than the national average. In fact, Mississippi has some of the lowest education costs in the nation. With the annual less than $10,000 for classes, this is still not cheap. Mississippi State University is in this category, and yet it is one of the most popular universities in the county. Higher education prices are a bit higher in Tennessee. However, if you compare tuition rates with the northern part of the country, it is still affordable to study here. The annual tuition cost for whole-year classes is around $11,000. Vanderbilt University and the University of Tennessee have the highest education ranking in the state.

Groceries prices in Mississippi

The costs of food in this agricultural country are much lower than the national average. The data from US Agriculture Department shows that an adult in Mississippi spends around $3,202 on food and groceries. If you plan to hire movers Hernando MS, living here means that you will pay even less for the groceries. On average, Hernando residents spend less than $3000 yearly on food. The average Mississippi price for a loaf of bread is $3,8. Here you can find a list of prices for average groceries in this state:

What are the costs of groceries in Tennessee?

Groceries costs are a significant factor when you plan a relocation, especially with a family. The average monthly costs for groceries in Tennessee are $210. If you plan to hire Atoka movers TN, it means that you will pay less monthly for food. Atoka residents spend below $200 a month on groceries and food in general. In larger TN cities, a family of four will need to spend around $760 per month on food. Food costs vary from city to city. For example, residents of Memphis pay $3.21 for a gallon of milk, while residents of Chattanooga will pay less than $3,00. In general, the annual cost of food per person is about $3500, while a family of four will have to spend more than $9,000 a year. A kilo of rice costs  3.40, while the price for 12 eggs is 3.80. The national average food costs are $3,950 per person.

Utility costs: MS vs TN

The utility prices are also lower than the national average, its index is 97.1, while the national average is 100. For example, if you plan to rent an apartment in the capital Jackson, the average utility costs are $265.67 a month. This includes electricity, water, garbage, and cooling. Living in smaller cities in Mississippi means that you will pay around $267 a month for utility costs. Mississippi has a good water supply. For this reason, if you hire moving companies in Mississippi and move here, your water bill will be around $23. When it comes to gas usage, the average gas bill in Mississippi would be 89.58 per month.

Utility costs in Tennessee

Calculating utility costs is not fun, but it can be extremely useful when you consider relocating to a certain place. When it comes to Tennessee utility costs, these are 3% lower than the national average. Your electricity, water, and cell phone expense will typically be $391 per month. The costs of electricity in TN are around $200 per month. The water bill is significantly higher than in Mississippi with an average water bill of $43 a month. Average Tennessee Bill for gas usage would be around $100. Cable and Internet will cost you $122 monthly.

Both states have a stable and affordable healthcare system

One of the major points when planning a home budget is how much you will pay for healthcare. Mississippi has a health insurance plan, “Medicaid,” which provides healthcare at the lowest costs or even for free for unemployed residents. An individual will pay $216.97 a month for a health insurance plan. If you plan to hire movers in Tennessee, your average annual cost of healthcare per person would be $6,250. Your location and medical needs will certainly affect the price that you will pay for healthcare. Medical costs in TN are a bit higher than in Mississippi. The average cost of the health of Tennessee residents per month is $508. A family of four will have to pay around $1654 a month for healthcare costs.

Mississippi vs Tennessee: Fun actitvities

There are plenty of fun activities that you can do in both Mississippi and Tennessee and you also need to know how much you will spend on miscellaneous costs. If you wish to take a tour around the Grammy Museum Mississippi, in this interactive museum for a $22 admission ticket, you will learn a lot about the history of the country. Visit Elvis Presley Birthplace & Museum and book your $25 ticket for this tour. Explore the Jackson Zoological Park with your kids and for $27 you can see different animals from all over the world. the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science is the largest museum in the country with nature trails and aquariums which you can visit and pay $35 for admission.

Have fun in Tennessee with affordable miscellaneous costs

Tennessee offers many interesting indoor and outdoor activities. The great thing about outdoor activities is that most of them are free of charge. Still, you should not miss Elvis Presley’s Home in Graceland, where you can visit the 2nd most visited home after the White House for $79.75. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a place you can see free of charge and this is one of the national parks with more than 10 million people visiting it every year. The Largest Underground Lake- the Lost Sea will cost you $24.95 for an adult ticket, while children will pay $14.95.

When thinking about Mississippi vs Tennessee relocation, Tennessee’s costs of living are slightly higher. However, both states have pretty affordable costs of living if you compare them to the national average. Take your time to explore thoroughly, and you will be moving to one of these great states in no time.