Topeka → Jackson
Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources
Should you move?
Moving from Topeka to Jackson is unfavorable: BEA regional price parity goes from 88.8 to 85.5 (US = 100), and HUD 2-bedroom rent rises by $203/mo.
- -$5,960
- BLS median salary lower in Jackson
- 456 to 602
- violent crimes per 100K (FBI UCR, state-level)
- 13.8:1 to 15.3:1
- NCES student-teacher ratio
- $2,077
- DOL infant care higher / yr in Jackson
BEA Regional Price Parity, HUD Fair Market Rent, BLS OEWS, FBI UCR, NCES, and DOL. The table below lets you override the composite with your own priorities.
Pros of Moving
- + 3% lower cost of living
- + Fewer environmental violations
Cons of Moving
- - $203/mo more expensive rent (2BR)
- - $6K lower median salary
- - Higher violent crime rate
- - Higher student-teacher ratios
- - More expensive childcare
Purchasing power stays near-even: BEA RPP moves only from 88.8 to 85.5 (ratio 0.96), inside a ±5% band. HUD 2BR Fair Market Rent rises $203/mo ($2,436/yr) from $1,057 in Topeka to $1,260 in Jackson.
Topeka still leads on 5 of 7 federal dimensions, the origin keeps the edge. Jackson sits #175 of 387 metros on PlainRelocate livability (middle third). Topeka is #153/387 on the same ranking. Composite verdict: Unfavorable. Override it with the dimension table below.
BLS OEWS median salary moves $5,960 lower ($64,149 → $58,189). Labor-market size: 108,560 tracked jobs at origin vs 78,140 at destination.
State retirement friendliness is near-even: Kansas 63 (C, #21/51) vs Tennessee 66 (C, #17/51). Full state tax and healthcare sub-scores sit in the retirement desk below.
State retirement friendliness
Primary-state scores from PlainRelocate's retirement registry (tax + healthcare + climate composite). Metro pairs use each metro's primary state abbreviation.
- Income tax
- 68
- Property tax
- 61
- Estate tax
- 100
- Healthcare
- 54
- Income tax
- 100
- Property tax
- 80
- Estate tax
- 100
- Healthcare
- 36
Full retirement ranking · Source composite documented on methodology (Tax Foundation + AARP tax guides + federal healthcare/climate inputs).
Salary Adjustment Calculator
Enter your current salary in Topeka to see what you'd need to earn in Jackson to maintain the same purchasing power.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents, BLS OES, FBI UCR, NCES, DOL, EPA; retirement desk: Tax Foundation + AARP tax guides June 2026