Living Cost Compare
Austin

Texas

$1,660/mo est.

vs
Hattiesburg

Mississippi

$1,030/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,660 in Austin, TX versus $1,030 in Hattiesburg, MS. Overall, Hattiesburg, MS is roughly 38% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Austin, TX, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $91,461 in Austin, TX and $44,140 in Hattiesburg, MS — about 52% higher in Austin, TX. Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax; Mississippi has a top state income tax rate of 4.00% and a 7% state sales tax.

Austin, TX
Hattiesburg, MS

Rent

Studio
$1,348
$630
+53% in Austin, TX
1 Bedroom
$1,457
$841
+42% in Austin, TX
2 Bedroom
$1,776
$980
+45% in Austin, TX
3 Bedroom
$2,127
$1,195
+44% in Austin, TX

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$512,700
$153,600
+70% in Austin, TX

Income

Median Household Income
$91,461
$44,140
+52% in Austin, TX
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$56,950
$37,750
+34% in Austin, TX

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
34.5 yr
28.7 yr
+5.8 yr in Austin, TX
Homeownership
44.4%
36.5%
+7.9 pp in Austin, TX
Bachelor's+ (25+)
58.2%
35.0%
+23.2 pp in Austin, TX
Avg Commute
24.0 min
17.0 min
+7.0 min in Austin, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
476.1
221.5
+53% in Austin, TX
Property Crime
3,290.7
3,475.7
+6% in Hattiesburg, MS

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
67.2°F
66.1°F
+1.1°F in Austin, TX
Annual Precipitation
34.9 in
59.2 in
+24.3 in in Hattiesburg, MS

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.58/gal
$3.62/gal
+1% in Hattiesburg, MS

Area: Texas vs Gulf Coast (PADD 3).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$1.25
—

Adult base one-way fare — CapMetro vs — (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
15.9
14.9
+7% in Austin, TX
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$31.89
$29.04
+9% in Austin, TX

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.00
$4.00
about equal
Bread (lb)
$1.75
$1.75
about equal
Eggs (doz)
$2.21
$2.21
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.45
$6.45
about equal
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$1.90
about equal
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.62
about equal

Average prices — South vs South (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (TX / MS)
6.25%
7%
+0.8 pp in MS
Income Tax (top rate)
None
4.00%
+4.0 pp in MS

Austin vs Hattiesburg — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Austin or Hattiesburg?
Hattiesburg, MS is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,030 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 38% below Austin, TX's $1,660, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Austin than in Hattiesburg?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $58,000 a year in Austin versus $34,000 in Hattiesburg.
Which has lower taxes, Austin or Hattiesburg?
Austin is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); Hattiesburg under Mississippi's (a top state income tax rate of 4.00% and a 7% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).