Is it cheaper to live in Casper or Hattiesburg?

Casper, WY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $930 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 10% below Hattiesburg, MS's $1,030, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Casper than in Hattiesburg?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Casper versus $34,000 in Hattiesburg.

Which has lower taxes, Casper or Hattiesburg?

Casper is taxed under Wyoming's rules (no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax); Hattiesburg under Mississippi's (a top state income tax rate of 4.00% and a 7% state sales tax).

Casper vs Hattiesburg Cost of Living 2026

Casper

Wyoming

$930/mo est.

Hattiesburg

Mississippi

$1,030/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $930 in Casper, WY versus $1,030 in Hattiesburg, MS. Overall, Casper, WY is roughly 10% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Hattiesburg, MS, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $69,171 in Casper, WY and $44,140 in Hattiesburg, MS — about 36% higher in Casper, WY. Wyoming has no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax; Mississippi has a top state income tax rate of 4.00% and a 7% state sales tax.

Casper, WY

Hattiesburg, MS

Rent

Studio

$730

$630

+14% in Casper, WY

1 Bedroom

$764

$841

+10% in Hattiesburg, MS

2 Bedroom

$930

$980

+5% in Hattiesburg, MS

3 Bedroom

$1,299

$1,195

+8% in Casper, WY

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$250,700

$153,600

+39% in Casper, WY

Income

Median Household Income

$69,171

$44,140

+36% in Casper, WY

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$48,880

$37,750

+23% in Casper, WY

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

37.0 yr

28.7 yr

+8.3 yr in Casper, WY

Homeownership

70.3%

36.5%

+33.8 pp in Casper, WY

Bachelor's+ (25+)

30.0%

35.0%

+5.0 pp in Hattiesburg, MS

Avg Commute

16.9 min

17.0 min

+0.1 min in Hattiesburg, MS

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

302.4

221.5

+27% in Casper, WY

Property Crime

2,123.8

3,475.7

+64% 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

45.4°F

66.1°F

+20.7°F in Hattiesburg, MS

Annual Precipitation

12.5 in

59.2 in

+46.7 in in Hattiesburg, MS

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$4.27/gal

$3.62/gal

+15% in Casper, WY

Area: Rocky Mountain (PADD 4) vs Gulf Coast (PADD 3).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

15.2

14.9

+2% in Casper, WY

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$18.28

$29.04

+59% in Hattiesburg, MS

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.82

$4.00

+17% in Casper, WY

Bread (lb)

$2.04

$1.75

+14% in Casper, WY

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$2.21

+1% in Hattiesburg, MS

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.36

$6.45

+12% in Casper, WY

Chicken (lb)

$2.01

$1.90

+6% in Casper, WY

Bananas (lb)

$0.70

$0.62

+12% in Casper, WY

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (WY / MS)

+3.0 pp in MS

Income Tax (top rate)

None

4.00%

+4.0 pp in MS

Casper vs Hattiesburg — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Casper or Hattiesburg?: Casper, WY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $930 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 10% below Hattiesburg, MS's $1,030, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Casper than in Hattiesburg?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Casper versus $34,000 in Hattiesburg.
Which has lower taxes, Casper or Hattiesburg?: Casper is taxed under Wyoming's rules (no state income tax and a 4% 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).