Salary needed
A $50,000 salary in Mecklenburg County, NC would need to be about $36,910 in Benton County, MS, or $13,090 less, to match the modeled cost ratio.
Mecklenburg County, NC vs Benton County, MS: Cost of Living Difference
Is it cheaper?
Benton County, MS is cheaper than Mecklenburg County, NC.
Moving to Benton County, MS is estimated to save $16,846 per year.
Cheaper County
Benton County, MSSave about $16,846 per year.Salary needed
$50,000 in Mecklenburg County, NC is about $36,910 in Benton County, MS.
Biggest drivers
Transport increases by $2,571 per year. Housing saves $10,604 per year.
Housing: $10,604 lower in Benton County, MS
Taxes: $5,335 lower in Benton County, MS
Childcare: about the same in both counties
Healthcare: $858 higher in Benton County, MS
Food: $796 lower in Benton County, MS
Transport: $2,571 higher in Benton County, MS
Mecklenburg County, NC→Benton County, MS
Equivalent salary in Benton County, MS
$36,910
-26.18% lower
Current salary: $50,000
Household: 1 adult · 0 children
Median Income in Mecklenburg County, NC: $105,950
Median Income in Benton County, MS: $52,556
Living Index in Mecklenburg County, NC 60.73%
Living Index in Benton County, MS 90.38%
This estimate matches your purchasing power (equivalent salary) when moving from Mecklenburg County, NC to Benton County, MS.
* Living index is estimated as (estimated total cost / area median income) * 100. A living index above 100% means modeled costs exceed median income.
Cost of Living Breakdown by Category
Summary
Moving from Mecklenburg County, NC to Benton County, MS is estimated to save $16,846 per year. A $50,000 salary in Mecklenburg County, NC would have similar purchasing power to about $36,910 in Benton County, MS. The largest savings come from housing and taxes.
This is a -26.18% decrease in modeled annual costs. Housing is $10,604 per year lower (-52.27%); Taxes is $5,335 per year lower (-37.01%).
Below we break down the annual categories behind the difference using Economic Policy Institute 2026 Family Budget data.
Why this comparison matters
These notes use the actual annual cost differences between Mecklenburg County, NC and Benton County, MS, so the page highlights the budget tradeoffs behind the total.
Affordability vs median income
Modeled annual costs equal about 60.7% of median family income in Mecklenburg County, NC and 90.4% in Benton County, MS. This matters because a cheaper county can still feel tight if typical local incomes are also lower.
Housing
Housing is $10,604 per year lower in Benton County, MS than in Mecklenburg County, NC. Housing usually behaves like a fixed monthly commitment, so this matters most for renters or buyers checking whether Benton County, MS changes their baseline budget.
Food
Food is $796 per year lower in Benton County, MS than in Mecklenburg County, NC. Food costs affect weekly cash flow, so even a smaller annual gap in Benton County, MS can show up quickly for households that cook most meals at home.
Transportation
Transportation is $2,571 per year higher in Benton County, MS than in Mecklenburg County, NC. Transportation matters for commuters because driving distance, vehicle costs, and transit access can change how much of a salary is left after getting around Benton County, MS.
Healthcare
Healthcare is $858 per year higher in Benton County, MS than in Mecklenburg County, NC. Healthcare differences are useful for planning premiums and out-of-pocket exposure, especially if Benton County, MS changes provider networks or plan options.
Other necessities
Other necessities is $3,539 per year lower in Benton County, MS than in Mecklenburg County, NC. Other necessities cover everyday basics, so changes in Benton County, MS help explain the non-housing costs that can quietly add up month after month.
Childcare
Childcare is about the same in Mecklenburg County, NC and Benton County, MS, so this category is not a major driver of the modeled gap. Childcare is most important for households with children; in Benton County, MS, this line can swing the result even when housing or taxes look manageable.
Taxes
Taxes is $5,335 per year lower in Benton County, MS than in Mecklenburg County, NC. Taxes affect take-home pay, so the gap in Benton County, MS matters even if the headline salary looks similar before deductions.
What changed the most?
The following cards show the annual category differences that most affect the move to Benton County, MS.
Biggest Cost
Largest annual cost increase when moving to Benton County, MS
Annual Increase:
$2,571 per year
TRANSPORT has the largest annual increase when moving to Benton County, MS.
Biggest Savings
Largest annual savings when moving to Benton County, MS
Annual Savings:
$10,604 per year
HOUSING has the largest annual savings when moving to Benton County, MS.
Breakdown of price percentages per category.
Numbers are average costs per section.
| Category | Difference | |
|---|---|---|
| Housing | -52% lower | |
| Food | -17% lower | |
| Transport | 22% higher | |
| Healthcare | 16% higher | |
| Other Costs | -46% lower | |
| Childcare | 0% higher | |
| Taxes | -37% lower |
In Benton County, MS, modeled annual costs are $47,502 compared with $64,348 in Mecklenburg County, NC.
Overall, annual costs are lower in Benton County, MS. The category breakdown above shows where the move creates the most room in the budget.
In this case Benton County, MS and Mecklenburg County, NC are both metropolitan locations.
Use our map to visually compare multiple counties at once.
