Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Fullerton, CA
VS
Jackson, MS
🏆 It's a dead heat — 10 categories each
Fullerton
California
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$99,279 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
120⚠ High
Population
142,280
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.
Fullerton, CA
Pros
Households earn $57,086 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.4 pts lower (6.9%)
More college-educated — 44.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 57°F
Cooler summers — July highs near 84°F vs 92°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $791,000
Higher rents — median is $1,989/mo
Violent crime (455.3/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 25% higher than Jackson
Jackson, MS
Pros
Homes cost $686k less ($104,900 vs $791,000)
Rent averages $1009/mo less ($980 vs $1,989)
25% cheaper overall cost of living than Fullerton
Commutes run 10 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.7)
Smaller class sizes — 13.9:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Fullerton by $57,086/yr
Higher unemployment (9.3% vs 6.9%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Fullerton
Median Income
$57,086
$99,279 vs $42,193/yr
Fullerton
Unemployment
2.4 pp lower
6.9% vs 9.3% unemployment
Jackson
Cost of Living
25% cheaper
COL index 90.7 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Jackson
Median Home Value
$686k less
$104,900 vs $791,000
Jackson
Summer Heat
7.7°F warmer
July avg high 92.1°F vs 84.4°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Fullerton, CA | Jackson, MS |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 90.7 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $791,000⚠ High | $104,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,989⚠ High | $980 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $99,279 ✓ Higher | $42,193 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.9%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 9.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 30.0 min⚠ High | 20.3 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 11.3% ✓ Higher | 6.2% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 110⚠ High | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 120⚠ High | — |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 96 | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (93) | B- (96) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 25.3:1 | 13.9:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 44.0% ✓ Higher | 28.7% |
| High School or Higher | 89.7% ✓ Higher | 87.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Fullerton Elementary | Jackson Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 68.8°F ✓ Warmer | 57.4°F |
| Avg High — July | 84.4°F | 92.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 11.9" ✓ Drier | 51.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 1.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 142,280 | 153,271 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 35.5 ✓ Older | 34.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 51.6% ✓ Higher | 48.9% |
| Under 18 | 22.4% | 24.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.8% | 14.3% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Fullerton'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. Fullerton 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 Fullerton to Jackson or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($791,000 vs $104,900 median home), income ($99,279 vs $42,193), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Fullerton, CA and Jackson, MS are about 1,603 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.