Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Costa Mesa, CA
VS
Jackson, MS
🏆 It's a dead heat — 10 categories each
Costa Mesa
California
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$104,981 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
194⚠ High
Population
111,490
Jackson
Mississippi
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.7 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$42,193
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
153,271 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Costa Mesa, CA
Pros
Households earn $62,788 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 4.3 pts lower (5.0%)
More college-educated — 42.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 79°F vs 92°F
Milder winters — January highs near 67°F vs 57°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $959,800
Higher rents — median is $2,268/mo
Violent crime (737.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 25% higher than Jackson
Jackson, MS
Pros
Homes cost $855k less ($104,900 vs $959,800)
Rent averages $1288/mo less ($980 vs $2,268)
25% cheaper overall cost of living than Costa Mesa
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.7)
Smaller class sizes — 13.9:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Costa Mesa by $62,788/yr
Higher unemployment (9.3% vs 5.0%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Costa Mesa
Median Income
$62,788
$104,981 vs $42,193/yr
Costa Mesa
Unemployment
4.3 pp lower
5.0% vs 9.3% unemployment
Jackson
Cost of Living
25% cheaper
COL index 90.7 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Jackson
Median Home Value
$855k less
$104,900 vs $959,800
Jackson
Summer Heat
13.2°F warmer
July avg high 92.1°F vs 78.9°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Costa Mesa, CA | Jackson, MS |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 90.7 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $959,800⚠ High | $104,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,268⚠ High | $980 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $104,981 ✓ Higher | $42,193 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 9.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 21.9 min | 20.3 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 16.9% ✓ Higher | 6.2% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 170⚠ High | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 194⚠ High | — |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 135⚠ High | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (102) ✓ Better | B- (96) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 18.9:1 | 13.9:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 42.5% ✓ Higher | 28.7% |
| High School or Higher | 87.9% ✓ Higher | 87.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Newport-Mesa Unified | Jackson Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.0°F ✓ Warmer | 57.4°F |
| Avg High — July | 78.9°F | 92.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 11.2" ✓ Drier | 51.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 1.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 111,490 | 153,271 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 36.4 ✓ Older | 34.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 39.7% | 48.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.9% | 24.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.0% | 14.3% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Costa Mesa's cost of living index is 115.5 vs Jackson's 90.7 (US average = 100).
Jackson is 25% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, It's a dead heat — 10 categories each. Costa Mesa wins 10 and Jackson wins 10. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Costa Mesa to Jackson or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($959,800 vs $104,900 median home), income ($104,981 vs $42,193), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Costa Mesa, CA and Jackson, MS are about 1,603 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.